Prem Singh
Prof. Prem Singh, after his stints in junior positions in CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar (CCSHAU) (1975-1979) and Delhi University (1979-1985), served in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie as Senior Librarian/ Deputy Director (Library Services) (1986-1991), and CCSHAU as University Librarian (1991-2008). He embarked upon his post-retirement engagements from CCSHAU (2008-2009), followed by assignments in M.D. University (MDU), Rohtak as University Librarian (2009-2013), SGT University, Gurgaon as Registrar, Director
(Planning), and Controller of Examinations (2013-2016), and finally Dada Lakhmi Chand State niversity of Performing and Visual Arts, Rohtak as Consultant/ Academic Advisor to Vice Chancellor (2018-2025).
He founded the Dept. of Library & Information Science in MDU and groomed it as its Professor & Head (2010-2013). He held the charge of Director of Publications in CCSHAU. He was Chair of many Committees such as University Computerisation Committee, Central Purchase Committee, Accounts Code Drafting Committee, etc. during his stints at CCSHAU and MDU. He pioneered the computerisation of not only libraries of CCSHAU, MDU and LBSNAA, but also guided the implementation of LAN, establishment of data centres, and automation of various university functions. He has the credit of having secured substantial funds for library development, including library professionals’ three months’ computer training in USA under ICAR’s World Bank Project in CSHAU. He was Principal Investigator of ICAR’s KrishiPrabha (rechristened as Krishikosh) project for full text digitisation of Ph.D. theses of all Central and State Agricultural Universities submitted during 2000-2007 and implemented it with commendation certificate from the funding agency. He was deputed by the Govt. of India to United Kingdom under the British Council Programme in 1990 for training on computer applications, was a Fulbright Scholar in 1992-93, and visited USA and UK in 1997 to study their library systems. He has one book, two co-edited conference proceedings and a good number of research papers to his credit. He revived the Association of Agricultural Librarians and Documentalists of India (AALDI) from its hibernation and turned it into a vibrant body as President (2005-2018). He was decorated with SATKAL Punjab National Librarian Award in 2009 and AALDI’s Life Time Achievement Award in 2020. He is now engaged in social service since 2016 and travels 40 km for five days a week to guide and teach his village children.
