Dr. Chandra Reddy

student on campus

Chandra Reddy is a distinguished academic leader, currently serving as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of Research/Administrator of Extension at Tennessee State University (TSU), Nashville, TN. He holds a Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Florida, complementing his B.S. and M.S. degrees earned in India.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Reddy has been a trailblazer in advancing soil quality, crop production, and environmental sustainability. He spearheads the Center of Excellence on Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment at TSU, directing numerous externally funded research projects and publishing prolifically with 266 publications across prestigious journals, books, and conferences. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America, both prestigious organizations in the field of agriculture.

Dr. Reddy's impact extends beyond academia through his service on several advisory boards, including the Emerging Technologies Life Sciences Advisory Board and the Ag Launch Technical Advisory Board. In the recent past, he served on the boards of Agriculture Future of America (AFA), the 1890 Universities Foundation Board, the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board, and LEAD 21/APLU.  He has held significant roles such as Chair of the Association of Research Directors (ARD) of 1890 land-grant universities and currently serves as the Chair Elect for the US Ag Innovation Directors.

Before joining TSU in 2008, Dr. Reddy served as Professor of Agronomy and Dean of Graduate Studies at Alabama A&M University. Under his visionary leadership at TSU, he has transformed the College of Agriculture, increasing undergraduate enrollment fivefold and graduate enrollment tenfold. He has also overseen a tenfold growth in research grant funding and a fivefold increase in county operations, positioning TSU as a leader among 1890 institutions. Under his leadership, the College has embarked on a multimillion-dollar grant-funded facilities expansion program, which includes constructing several new buildings and modernizing others, resulting in the establishment of 35 state-of-the-art research laboratories. Currently, the college is designing new buildings to house the One Health Center, Crop Science, and Environmental Science programs, with an estimated investment of approximately $70 million.

Recognized internationally for his scholarly contributions and institution building efforts, Dr. Reddy has received prestigious awards such as the USDA/NIFA Partnership Award and the George Washington Carver Agricultural Excellence Award. His dedication to building institutions and fostering excellence in agricultural education and research is unparalleled.

Dr. Reddy resides in Nashville with his wife, Indira, and enjoys spending time with their two grown sons, Ajay and Ashrit, and their four grandchildren.

Contact Information:

Office of the Dean
College of Agriculture
3500 John Merritt Blvd; TSU Box #9641
Nashville, TN 37209

creddy@tnstate.edu
Voice: 615-963-7561





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