Dr. S N Jha, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Engineering), ICAR is elected and Founder President of the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers (ISAE) and Bihar Agriculture Science Academy, respectively. He is pioneering researcher on makhana (Euryale ferox) processing and value addition; and output of those researches have spread in national/International markets.  His efforts helped in getting GI tag as Mithila makhana, Harmonized System of Nomenclature (HSN) Code, and establishment of National Research Centre for Makhana Darbhanga and Makhana Board. His efforts of 37 years made makhana famous as super food in the world. He is therefore known in various media as makhana man of India and was honoured with Mithila Vibhuti Samman.

Dr. Jha is pioneering researcher for nondestructive sensor based technologies for food safety/quality determination in India and is the first initiator of establishment of food testing (MoFPI established hundreds NABL accredited) laboratories in India. Modeling for internal pressure during grain roasting and modified Beverloo equation for grain-hopper feeding mechanism design, modeling on whey movements during paneer (fresh/cottage cheese), are his addition to theory of Sciences. These contributions have opened new vistas of research in Indian agriculture.

Development of cooled storage structure and Horticulture Train, which latter implemented by the Government as Kishan Train are reducing post-harvest losses of perishables by 4-5%. His recommendations for uniform norms for allowable loss, storage protocols and pulse milling outturn in FCI godowns as team leader have been enacted in whole country and is saving more than Rs. 500 crores annually. Post-harvest loss assessment method perfected under his leadership was recognized by FAO. Decentralized food grain storage and Secondary Agriculture concepts by him have been implemented by the Government of India and Bihar state for sanctioning new college, respectively; whereas Karnataka has established a new department. Chhana ball (cottage/fresh cheese) making machine enabled Amul to manufacture Rassogollah and Gulab Jamun (Indian milk based sweets) continuously. Work of Dr. Jha has impacted government policies for storage, transport, processing, and mechanization, regulating import of agri-machinery, adoption of quality stainless steel in agri-machinery and utensils though BIS standards in the country significantly.

Drives for opening of Agricultural Engineering department/colleges in states by him have resulted in recommendation of the Parliament Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal husbandry and Food Processing. Chhattisgarh and many other states are in the process of opening the department/Directorate of Agricultural Engineering. He has made the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers a truly International and one of the biggest Scientific Society of India. New B. Tech. courses in Agricultural Engineering and related subjects upon his persuasion have also been started/being sanctioned in some states. Dr. Jha’s interventions in curriculum development resulted in inclusion of contemporary courses such as Sensor, Robotics and AI in Agriculture and Food safety and Quality in UG.

Dr. Jha’s efforts for institution building such as establishment of KVK Barh, National Research Centre for Makhana, and restructuring/assigning contemporary names and mandates of two ICAR institutes and almost of all All India Coordinated Research Projects and regional stations of Engineering institutes under ICAR. He was successful in opening of New division on Sensor and Automation in engineering institute and in starting of ICAR National Eligibility Test (NET) and ICAR-Agricultural Research Services (ARS) in two new disciplines (Electronics and Instrumentation and Textile Manufacturing Technology) Establishing Bihar Agricultural Science Academy, and announcement of Makhana board by the Government of India on all his efforts are noteworthy.

Dr. S. N. Jha, based on citation (present citations 5934 and h-index 43as on 10 July 2025) matrices is ranked in top 2% world’s scientists’ list across the disciplines since 2019. He is credited with 12 commercialized/adopted (nine patents one in PCT Countries) technologies, 329 publications (including 09 books, 28 book chapters), 33 awards/recognitions including ICAR-Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, NRDC Societal Innovation prize, NAAS fellowship etc. Dr. Jha is also chairman/member of numerous scientific/Board of Governor/Authorities for making policies and programmes in Agriculture, Food and Technologies for the country. He is presently leading ICAR Agricultural Engineering/farm mechanization/Postharvest/Food Processing programmes as Deputy Director General (Agricultural Engineering). For more detail one can visit www.snjha.in