ICAR–IIAB, Ranchi Celebrates 14th Foundation Day

9 October 2025, Ranchi

ICAR–Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Garhkatanga, Ranchi, celebrated its 14th Foundation Day with great enthusiasm and participation from scientists, faculty, staff, and students. The event also saw active involvement from faculty members of neighbouring ICAR institutes in Ranchi. The celebration highlighted the institute’s remarkable contributions to agricultural biotechnology, focusing on sustainable farming, genetic improvement, and socio-economic growth in Eastern India.

The Chief Guest, Dr S. R. Das, Honorary Professor, Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, OUAT, Bhubaneswar delivered the Foundation Day Lecture. In his lecture, he emphasized the growing importance of plant breeding and biotechnology in achieving food and nutritional security amid climate change. Dr Das lauded ICAR–IIAB’s efforts to integrate cutting-edge science with farmers’ welfare and urged the scientific community to continue developing high-yielding and climate-resilient crop varieties to ensure prosperity for the farming community.

Addressing the gathering, Dr D. K. Yadava, Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR, appreciated the institute’s pivotal role in developing region-specific technologies and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations that address emerging agricultural challenges.

Dr Sujay Rakshit, Director, ICAR–IIAB, welcomed the gathering and presented an overview of the institute’s achievements, research initiatives, and academic progress. He emphasized ongoing efforts toward enhancing crop resilience, improving genetic resources, and promoting agripreneurship among youth. Dr Rakshit expressed gratitude to the institute’s staff and students for their dedication and lauded the contributions of the founding Directors and Officers on Special Duty for laying a strong institutional foundation.

Dr Abhijit Kar, Director, ICAR–National Institute of Secondary Agriculture, Ranchi, also addressed the event, highlighting the academic partnership and collaborative efforts between NISA and IIAB. He commended the faculty and staff for their contributions and assured continued institutional support and cooperation.

Introducing the speaker, Dr Vijay Pal Bhadana, Joint Director (Research), ICAR–IIAB, acknowledged Dr Das’s outstanding contributions to rice breeding, particularly the development of mega rice varieties covering nearly 75% of the cultivation area in Eastern India.

The Foundation Day celebrations also featured two resource lectures by eminent scientists Dr Jitendra Thakur, Group Leader, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, and Dr Jitendra Giri, Scientist–VI, National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi who shared insights on emerging trends and applications in agricultural biotechnology.

Outstanding staff and students were felicitated for their exceptional contributions to research and institutional development. The formal programme concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr Kishore Krishnani, Joint Director (Academics), ICAR–IIAB.

In the evening, a cultural programme added colour to the celebration, showcasing the creativity and talents of the institute’s students and staff, symbolizing unity, enthusiasm, and the vibrant spirit of ICAR–IIAB.

(Source: ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Ranchi)