Dr M L Jat, Director General, ICAR Reviews MAHARISHI Activities and Advanced Phenomics Facilities at ICAR–IIMR, Hyderabad

1 September 2026, Hyderabad

Advancing the global agenda on millets and other ancient grains, Dr M L Jat, Secretary, DARE & Director General, ICAR and Chairman, MAHARISHI Steering Committee, visited ICAR–Indian Institute of Millets Research, Global Centre of Excellence on Millets (Shree Anna) Hyderabad, today. During his visit, he reviewed the ongoing activities under MAHARISHI (Millets and Other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative) and participated in the 5th Steering Committee Meeting of MAHARISHI, held at the MAHARISHI Secretariat at ICAR–IIMR. The visit provided an opportunity to assess the progress of the initiative and deliberate on priorities for strengthening the global millet and ancient grains ecosystem.

The 5th Steering Committee Meeting brought together members of the MAHARISHI Steering Committee to review the progress of ongoing activities and deliberate on key areas for effective implementation and future direction. Discussions focused on strengthening international research collaboration, promoting knowledge and technology exchange, facilitating coordinated research efforts and enhancing the global visibility and utilisation of millets and other ancient grains. The Committee also deliberated on preparations for the upcoming MAGIC 2026, with emphasis on strengthening collaborative efforts and advancing the objectives of MAHARISHI through coordinated national and international engagement.

As part of the visit, Dr Jat also visited the Advanced Phenomics Laboratory at ICAR–IIMR, where he reviewed the research facilities and ongoing activities and interacted with scientists. He was briefed on the use of advanced phenotyping approaches and research infrastructure in millet research, particularly their potential to support systematic evaluation and accelerate crop improvement efforts.

During his visit to the Advanced Phenomics Facility, he also visited and discussed about newly established Centralized Millet’s tissue culture and Gene editing Facility. The visit highlighted the importance of integrating modern scientific tools with millet research to generate reliable research outputs and strengthen technology-driven crop improvement.

The visit also provided an opportunity for interaction with scientists and officials at ICAR–IIMR on the Institute’s ongoing research and institutional initiatives. Dr Jat emphasised the importance of strengthening scientific collaboration, promoting innovation and effectively utilising advanced research facilities to address emerging challenges and opportunities in the millet sector.

The visit reaffirmed the significance of ICAR–IIMR as a centre for millet research and innovation and the need for coordinated efforts to advance millets and other ancient grains at both national and global levels.

(Source: ICAR - Indian Institute of Millets Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad)