Secretary DARE & DG, ICAR visited ICAR-IISR, Lucknow^th, 2023

Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Hon’ble Secretary, Department of Agriculture Research and Education, Govt. of India and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi visited ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow on April 14, 2023. DG, ICAR inaugurated the Post-harvest Engineering Laboratory in the Division of Agricultural Engineering and discussed about the various jaggery-based value added products being prepared in the Unit.

At the outset, all the dignitaries paid floral tributes to Bharat Ratna, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the Father of Indian Constitution, on the occasion of his 132^nd birth anniversary. Dr. R. Viswanathan, Director, ICAR-IISR, Lucknow welcomed the Secretary, DARE & DG, ICAR, the guests and other participants and gave an overview of the sugar scenario in the country. Dr. Viswanathan highlighted that India has emerged as the largest sugar producing country of the world, surpassing Brazil and as the second largest sugar exporter of the world, thereby generating foreign exchange worth Rs. 40,000 crore. He briefed about the major technologies and achievements of the Institute. Dr. J.K. Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries), ICAR, in his remarks, emphasized on sharing of research and other facilities among all the ICAR Institutes located at Lucknow.

Addressing the staff of ICAR-IISR, ICAR-CISH and ICAR-CSSRI Regional Centre, Lucknow at IISR, Lucknow, Dr. Pathak congratulated all the staff for their excellent work carried out in their respective fields of research. Dr. Pathak urged the Directors of the ICAR Institutes at Lucknow to organize a brain storming meeting for collaborations and sharing of facilities among them. ICAR has to work in a very focused manner with an emphasis on the motto ‘One scientist- One product’ and this will help in realizing the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of making India the most developed country, by the next 25 years. Hon’ble DG highlighted the constitution of an Education Hub as a part of IARI Mega-University in which, ICAR Institutes of Lucknow are also participants. He also assured that the most of the vacant posts of the scientists will be filled up within the next two years. Dr. Pathak visited the various fields and laboratories of the Institute. Live demonstration of machinery for sugarcane agriculture was also conducted on this occasion. A tree was planted in the Institute premises by Dr. Pathak.

On this occasion, three jaggery-based products viz., ragi mushroom cookies and mushroom chocolates made by the entrepreneurs of KVK, ICAR-IISR, Lucknow and wheat based jaggery biscuits made by Jaggery Unit of IISR, Lucknow were also launched by Dr. Himanshu Pathak. Dr. Uttam Sarkar, Director, ICAR-NBFGR, Lucknow, Dr. R.K. Yadav, Director, ICAR-CSSRI, Karnal, Dr. T. Damodaran, Director, ICAR-CISH, Lucknow and Dr. A.D. Pathak, Ex-Director, ICAR-IISR, Lucknow were also present during the interactions. Dr. A.K. Sah, Principal Scientist and In-Charge, Extension & Training Unit proposed vote of thanks to the guests and all the participants.