Hyderabad: A scientist from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hari C. Sharma, has become the first Asian to be elected president of the 102-year-old International Congress of Entomology (ICE).

Sharma, principal scientist, entomology, was elected at the 23rd International Congress of Entomology, held on July 6-12 at Durban, South Africa.

He is the first Asian to be elected the ICE chief in its 102-year history.

According to a statement from ICRISAT here on Tuesday, over 2,500 delegates from 102 countries participated in the ICE meet.

Sharma will hold the office of president of the ICE till the next Congress in 2012 in Daegou, South Korea.

Congratulating Sharma, Director General of ICRISAT William Dar said that his election as the president of the ICE is a recognition of the world-class talent at ICRISAT.

"This is another indicator of ICRISAT's tradition of using world-class science for the benefit of the poor and marginal farmers of the semi-arid tropics," Dar said.

"The office-bearers of the ICE and I will make all efforts to advance the cause of the science of entomology for fighting hunger and serving humanity," said Sharma.

"It was in Durban in 1914 that the 'Great March to Independence' was undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi, and nearly a century later, let us commit ourselves to undertake the Great March to fight hunger, poverty, and disease through excellence in the science of entomology for the service of mankind and the environment," Sharma added.

Located at Patancheru near here, ICRISAT is a non-profit and non-political research organization helping the poor in the semi-arid areas of the developing world. IANS