Dr Chitra Shanker is serving as Principal Scientist (Entomology) at the Indian Institute of Rice Research ( ICAR-IIRR) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). She holds a PhD in Agricultural Entomology from Tamil Nadu agricultural University, Coimbatore. She has been with ICAR from 1994 and has worked in various places in India. She is an Endeavour Executive Fellow of the Department of Education and Training, Government of Australia and has been awarded the Commonwealth Star by the Australian Government. Dr Chitra Shanker has been working on habitat management strategies to enhance biological control in rice. Her field of specialization is the study of the biodiversity of agroecosystems, their functional significance and utilizing the ecological services provided by this biodiversity. Her aim is enhancing natural control of insect pests in agricultural systems through habitat management and reduce insecticide use.