21-Day Winter School on Emerging Biotechnological and Biorational Interventions Inaugurated at ICAR-NIBSM, Raipur

27 January 2026, Raipur

The ICAR-sponsored 21-day Winter School training programme on “Emerging Biotechnological and Biorational Interventions for Mitigating Insect Pests and Pathogens of National Importance in Crops” was inaugurated today at the ICAR– National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur.

The Chief Guest Dr Sachidanand Shukla, Vice-Chancellor, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, emphasized the importance of orientation-based capacity- building programmes and highlighted the role of emerging biotechnological and biorational interventions in addressing challenges of insect pests and plant pathogens under changing agro-ecological scenarios.

Dr P. K. Rai, Director, ICAR-NIBSM, stressed the importance of integrated pest management, with reduced reliance on chemicals and greater adoption of biocontrol-based approaches for sustainable management of biotic stresses in crops.

Dr Anil Dixit, Joint Director, ICAR-NIBSM and Course Director, briefed the participants about the objectives and structure of the Winter School. He stated that the programme is a capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening the scientific and technical competencies of young scientists through a judicious mix of expert lectures, interactive sessions, hands-on practical demonstrations, and field exposures.

All the Joint Directors, scientists, faculty members, and staff of ICAR-NIBSM were present during the inaugural programme.

A total of 25 participants from 11 states, representing various ICAR institutes and State Agricultural Universities, have enrolled in the Winter School.

The Winter School will be conducted from 27 January to 16 February 2026 at ICAR- NIBSM, Raipur.

(Source: ICAR– National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur)