Sri Vijaya Puram, Dec 04: ICAR-CIARI celebrated “Agriculture Education Day” on December 3, 2024, in honor of the birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. In line with this celebration, ICAR-CIARI organized a series of events for school students from December 2 to December 3, 2024. A total of 37 students from grades 5 to 8 participated in painting competition on the theme “Showcase the Charm and Beauty of Rural Landscapes and Farming Life,” representing 12 different schools.
The participating institutions included Vivekananda Kendra Zilla Parishad Vidyalaya Port Mout, Khalsa Public School, Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Ummat Public School, Middle Point, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Navy Children School, Mahatma Gandhi International School, and Saraswati Shishu Mandir Senior Secondary School, along with St. Mary’s School, Government Demonstration Multipurpose School, and Nirmala Senior Secondary School.
On the afternoon of December 2, 2024, a speech competition was held for students in grades 9 to 12, with 37 participants from 12 schools, including St. Mary’s School, Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Navy Children School, Saraswati Shishu Mandir Senior Secondary School, Government Senior Secondary School Port Mout, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Nirmala Senior Secondary School, Khalsa Public School, Rabindra Bangla Vidyalaya, Vivekananda Kendra Zilla Parishad Vidyalaya Port Mout, Kamaraj English Medium School, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School.
On December 3, 2024, students from various schools visited the Garacharma campus to explore the Technology Exposition and Demonstrations. They visited several facilities, including the Ornamental Fish Unit, Fish Pond, Fisheries Museum, Integrated Farming System, Nakshatra Garden, Livestock Farm, Pig Shed, Butterfly Museum, Microplots, Medicinal Garden, Horticulture Plant Propagation Unit, Central Instrumentation Facility, and Library, where they interacted with scientists.
Valedictory function was held on December 3rd. Dr. Sharath Yeligar, Organizing Secretary of the program, commenced the proceedings by welcoming the Chief Guest and the school and college students who participated and excelled in various competitions. Shri D. Karunakaran, Scientist and Nodal Officer, provided a concise overview of the events.
Chief Guest, Dr. Lal Ji Singh, Additional Director Scientist-F and Regional Head of the Botanical Survey of India, underscored the crucial role of agriculture in the advancement of India. He spoke to students, educators, and researchers about the importance of agriculture in the Indian economy, asserting, “India is fundamentally an agricultural nation, with 80% of its population relying on rural agriculture either directly or indirectly. It is essential to engage future generations in agriculture through initiatives like Agricultural Education Day.” Dr. Singh highlighted the necessity for technology-driven innovations to improve agricultural productivity and promote sustainability.
Dr. E.B. Chakurkar, Director of ICAR-CIARI, addressed the students, encouraging students to explore the extensive opportunities available in agriculture, which includes 65 disciplines offered by ICAR. He motivated them to consider fulfilling careers in this field and invited teachers to bring their students to CIARI, describing the experience as both enriching and enjoyable. He emphasized that such visits could ignite a greater interest in agriculture among young individuals.At the end, Dr. Harshang T. Kumarpresented vote of thanks, Smt. Asma Bibi, Senior Technical Assistant coordinated the overall conduct of the programmealong with Shri. Alex Praveen Barla, Senior Technical Assistant, Smt. Nazneen Khan, Young Professional-1 and Mr. T. Adharsh Narayana, Young Professional-1.
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