INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NEW DELHI

      The 48th Convocation of the Post-Graduate School of Indian Agricultural Research Institute was held on 13 February, 2010. Her Excellancy Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India, was the chief guest. Shri Sharad Pawar, Union Minister of Agriculture, and Prof. K.V. Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, also graced the occasion.

HE Smt. Patil highlighted the importance of agriculture in India. She said that in our country agriculture provides employment to 60 % of the work force and contributes 18 % to our GDP. India supports 18 % of global population and 15 % of livestock on less than 5 % of the world’s water resources and 3 % of global land. She suggested that IARI should strive continuously for excellence, review their own performance constantly through self appraisal, and try to involve organizations like National Innovation Foundation, who are working to support grassroot innovation and traditional knowledge in research activities.

      At this convocation 75 M.Sc. and 69 Ph.D. students received the degrees. Shri Mridhul Chakraborti (Genetics) and Shri H.B.Santosh (Genetics) received the 'Best Student of the Year 2009' award for Ph.D. and M.Sc. respectively; besides five students received 'IARI Merit Medals' for their outstanding academic performance in Ph.D. and M.Sc. respectively. Five faculty members, viz Dr A.D. Munshi (Vegetable Sciences), Dr Y.S. Shivey (Agronomy), Dr S.D. Singh (Environmental Sciences), Dr D. K. Singh (Agricultural Engineering) and Dr V.T. Gajbhiye (Agricultural Chemicals) received 'Best Teacher Awards'.

      Dr A.K. Singh, Deputy Director-General (NRM), ICAR, New Delhi, received the 10th Hari Krishna Shastri Memorial Award for his outstanding research contribution in the area of Natural Resource Management (Water Management). The award carries Rs. 25,000 in cash and a Commendation certificate. Dr Srinivasa Rao Cherukumalli, Principal Scientist, Soil Science, Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad received the 16th ‘Sukumar Basu Memorial Award 2007-08’ for his outstanding research contributions in the area of Soil Science. The award careers Rs.10,000 in cash and a Commendation Certificate. Dr K.V. Prasad, Sr. Scientist, Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, IARI, New Delhi received the 14th Dr B.P. Pal Memorial Award for the year 2009, for his outstanding research contributions on “Developing new varieties of chrysanthemum and roses through induced mutation and tissue culture". The award careers Rs.10,000 in cash, Medal and a Commendation certificate.

40^th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture

      This series of annual lectures was initiated by Indian Agricultural Research Institute, in 1968 in reverence to Late Shri Lal Bahdur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India, Shastri ji symbolises the very simplicity of Indian life a vast cultural milieu and the triumph of a sovereign nation striving to meet the aspirations of its people. He is the epitome of our national pride. The 40th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture was delivered by Dr Deepak Pental, VC, University of Delhi, on 11 February, 2010 on ‘Achieving the elusive second green revolution: can research and development help; Dr Pental emphasized the need to apply modern science and technology for improvement of crops and consolidated multidisciplinary efforts in crop breeding to improve productivity and quality related traits. He pointed out that China has shown phenomenal growth in productivity of important crops during the past decade through application of scientific technologies. He suggested that centers for improvement of each crop should be developed with adequate funding and infrastructure support. More scientists for specific breeding programmes and related sciences should be employed and young scientists should be trained in cutting edge technologies. He also stressed that administrative and political hurdles should not come in the progress of research and development for improving crop production and quality at this particular stage for achieving food and economic security in the country. He expressed that India can and must initiate massive efforts for improving research and development for higher production and improved quality of all major crops for food and commerce.

      Dr S.L Methta, former VC, MPVAT, udaipur, who presided over the function, also emphasized the need for collaborative efforts of scientists and of administrators and politicians to improve crops and overall integrated growth of agricultural systems. He gave examples of success achieved in innovations of improvement of horticultural crops production in some parts of Rajasthan.

      Dr H.S. Gupta, Director, IARI, welcomed the Speaker, Chairman and other dignitaries present on the occasion. He highlighted the importance of this prestigious lecture and paid tribute to late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri ji, the illustrious son of India, who invoked the reverential slogan “Jai Jawan – Jai Kisan”. The Jawan, guarding our frontiers and the Kisan in the agricultural field helping to ensure food security to the countrymen are fundamentally to sustain as an independent sovereign nation. Dr. S.L. Mehta introduced the worthy speaker Dr Deepak Pental to the dignitaries present on the occasion. Dr H.S.Gaur, Dean and Joint Director, IARI presented the vote of thanks to the Speaker, Chairman and other dignatories present on the occasion.