Bernard Coventry

Bernard Coventry CIE (10 December 1859 – 26 January 1929) was a British agronomist who served as the founding director of the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute in Pusa, Bengal Presidency, India from 1904.

He conducted experiments to introduce rhea (Boehmeria nivea) cultivation in India and calculated the profitability of processing and exporting the fibre to Europe.

In 1901 Bihar Indigo Planters Association (BIPA) with their chemist Christopher Rawson and the IIS combined to work on experiments on the recommendation of Sir George Watt.

Hancock and tried testing better indigo species (including Indigofera arrecta, experiments on which were also made at Calcutta by David Prain) and varieties from around the world.

[2] By 1903 the BIPA stopped funding the project but IIS continued to support it and a fresh government grant was made in 1903 leading to a research station at Peeprah.