A Good Model to Follow

“Happiness in heart and mind comes from helping others,” states ASA and SSSA Fellow Laj Ahuja.
Measuring his life in what he has contributed to the science community and how he has helped
others, Ahuja is grateful for his many opportunities.
Born in the west Punjab region of India in 1935, Ahuja and his family navigated many challenges. His
father passed away before his birth, and Ahuja was raised by his mother with the help of other
family members. When he was 12, India was divided into two countries, India and Pakistan, forcing
his family to relocate to the east. With the country in a state of extended upheaval, the resulting
unrest impacted every facet of life, resulting in multiple moves for Ahuja’s family during his school
years.
Journey into Soil Science
Wanting to remain near family and continue his education, Ahuja attended college in Delhi. At the
University of Delhi, he received a bachelor of science in agronomy and chemistry. He then had an
opportunity to work in the Himalayas (Himachal Pradesh), assisting farmers in adopting improved
agricultural methods. Pursuing an interest in crops at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, he
acquired his master’s in soil and water with research focused on water management,
micronutrients, and hybrid corn. He worked as an assistant professor for a year in an agriculture
college in Solan, India and then began his Ph.D. studies at IARI before winning a small scholarship
that funded his dream of coming to the United States to pursue his doctorate at the University of
California–Davis (UC-Davis) from 1965–1968.
It was at UC-Davis that Ahuja began his journey in soil physics. Under the tutelage of Donald Nielsen,
Ahuja became intrigued by soil physics because it integrates the entirety of agriculture under one
roof. This system approach has permeated Ahuja’s work.
Ahuja held several research and teaching positions before joining USDA-ARS’s National Water
Quality Lab in Oklahoma in 1979, working as a research soil scientist. In 1991, he transferred to Fort
Collins, CO, to work as a research leader at the former Great Plains Systems Research Lab, remaining
there until his retirement in 2017.
At the USDA, Ahuja gradually moved from experimental soil physics research that fostered a broader
understanding of soil science into an inclusive approach of modeling systems, emphasizing the
practical applications of his work.