ICAR-IIMR, Ludhiana celebrates its 7th Foundation Day

9^th February, 2022, Ludhiana

The ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana, Punjab celebrated its 7^th Foundation Day today.

Delivering the Foundation Day Lecture, the Chief Guest, Padma Vibhushan, Dr. R.S. Paroda, Chairman, TAAS said that the SDG-II is meant for attaining nutritional security and Maize is the wonder crop among the cereals to cope-up with the climate change and achieve crop diversification, especially in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Paroda regarded the partnership of the Public Institutions and Private Sector as important for the successful Maize Mission. The need for more intensive research for Maize crop was stressed by Dr. Paroda.

The Guest of Honor, Dr. S.K. Sharma, Former Vice-Chancellor, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh stated that the Maize is the unique and interesting crop to study and discover more novel genes and products.

The Guest of Honor, Dr. P.L. Gautam, Former Chairman, PPV&FRA, New Delhi highlighted the role of Maize in the food, feed and industrial sector.

Dr. K.V. Prabhu, Chairman, PPV&FRA, New Delhi urged for increasing the hybrid Maize acreage substantially, may be upto 95% in the next decade. Enhancing the Rabi Maize production through the adoption of good agronomic and crop protection practices was also stressed by Dr. Prabhu.

Dr. R.K. Singh, ADG (CC & FFC), ICAR also graced the occasion.

The dignitaries released the various ICAR Publications during the occasion.

Earlier, in his address, Dr. Sujay Rakshit, Director, ICAR-IIMR, Ludhiana highlighted the Institute’s different activities for the North-Eastern Hills Region.

The Institute also organized the National Webinar on “Boosting Maize Production in North-Eastern Hills Region: A way forward” to deliberate the opportunities and challenges in the Maize production and prepare a roadmap for Maize research to develop food, feed and nutritional security in the North-East Hills Region of the country.

More than 100 participants participated in the event.

(Source: ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana, Punjab)