61st Convocation of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi

24th February 2023, New Delhi

ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi a premier institute of agriculture, which heralded the Green Revolution, has continued to accelerate the growth in agricultural production and productivity through its quality research, education, and extension. ICAR-IARI organized its 61st Convocation here today

Hon'ble Vice President of India Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

In his address, the Vice President congratulated all the students who received postgraduate and doctoral degrees and the esteemed faculty who received awards for their excellence in research and academics. He appreciated the role of IARI in providing technological advancements for the country’s spectacular rise as an agricultural powerhouse in the global arena by securing several firsts in the production of many crops and livestock products. Shri Dhankar exhorted that the presence of highly skilled, qualified, and experienced human resources in agriculture, along with the budding young generation equipped with the latest knowledge and skills, evoke a sense of confidence and security to combat the emerging challenges in agriculture.

  

While stating that the technologies developed in the lab are reaching land, he emphasized that now the lab must shift to the land. He urged the intelligentsia of agriculture to study avenues to enter the new era of agriculture with cutting-edge technologies supported by the realm of pure science and technology. He also accentuated that innovation in making agricultural implements should be taken up on a larger scale. Shri Dhankar emphasized that efforts should be made for the value addition of farm produce at the farm level. He expressed his confidence that Indian agricultural research will serve the nation in an incremental trajectory with innovations, quality human resources and technological adaptation in the agriculture and farm sector.

  

The Vice President conferred IARI merit medals to 5 M.Sc. students and doctoral degrees to 5 students.   He also awarded IARI Best Student Award 2022 to Shri Rahul Kumar, a doctoral student of the Division of Genetics, and NABARD-Professor VL Chopra Gold Medal-2022 to MSc student, Shri Tarun Sharma, Division of Agronomy.

Dr. H.K. Jain Memorial Young scientist awards were presented to Dr. Amlendu Ghosh, Senior Scientist, Division of Plant Pathology, for the year 2021 and Dr. Aditi Kundu, Senior Scientist, Division of Agricultural Chemicals, IARI for the year 2022.

  

A total of 402 students, including those from India and abroad, received their Post Graduate and Doctoral degrees.
He also released different varieties of field crops and flower crops. Three publications were also released by Shri Dhankar.

The program was also graced by Union Minster of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Kailash Choudhary as the Guests of Honour.

Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary DARE and Director General, ICAR, Sh. Sunil Kumar Gupta, Secretary to the Vice President of India also attended the program

In his address, Dr. A. K. Singh, Director, IARI briefed about the IARI wheat varieties such as HD2967, HD 3086, and others that are cultivated in nearly 15 million ha and contribute approximately 60 million tons of wheat to the Nation’s granary. Currently, the Pusa Basmati rice varieties account for 90% of the total foreign exchange, he added. Dr. Singh said in the current year IARI is going to add five Basmati paddy varieties i.e. PB-1847, PB-1885, and PB-1886 & two herbicide tolerant varieties e.g. PB-1979 and PB-1985, the last two being especially suitable for the DSR farming in northern plains.  He exhorted that not only developing varieties, but IARI also ensures the availability of them to the farmers on a regular basis.  Dr. Singh said the institute produced 707.92 tonnes seeds of cereal, pulse, and oil seed varieties. The Director emphasized that the extension activities of IARI have been spread all over India through innovative extension programmes.

Dr Anupama Singh, Dean and Joint Director (Education) informed that IARI has added a new chapter to its rich human-resource development process by opening up its door to undergraduate teaching. Under the New Education Policy, the first batch of 306 undergraduate students at IARI and outreach centres in various programs has been initiated, she added.

The Institute has initiated a unique online program ‘Pusa Samachar’ on YouTube in several Indian languages e.g. Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Bangla, and Odiya apart from Hindi for apprise the Indian farmers about the institute, technologies, nuances advisory on critical aspects of crop husbandry, plant protection and general diagnosis and remedy of problems.

(Source: ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi)