ICAR-IARI, New Delhi Organizes Teachers’ Day Lecture

7 September 2026, New Delhi

ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, organized the Teachers’ Day Lecture 2026 on the theme ‘Reorienting Indian Agriculture for Self-sufficiency in Pulses and Edible Oil’ in New Delhi.

Dr Ch. Srinivasa Rao, Director, ICAR-IARI, spoke on the significance of Teachers’ Day and the important role of teachers in shaping scientific institutions and generations of researchers. Dr Rao reflected on the fundamental role of people and teachers in building strong scientific institutions. He emphasized that institutions are not built merely through equipment, scientific programmes, laboratories or buildings, but through people and people are shaped by teachers.

Welcoming the gathering, Dr Anupama Singh, Joint Director (Education) & Dean, ICAR-IARI, highlighted the significance of Teachers’ Day and the invaluable role of teachers and mentors in shaping individuals, institutions and society. She emphasized that teachers play a lasting role in nurturing knowledge, values and the next generation of professionals and researchers.

Prof. R. B. Singh, Former Director, ICAR-IARI and Former Director, CAU, Imphal, chaired the programme and introduced the speaker, Dr H. S. Gupta, Chairman, Assam Agriculture Commission, Former DG, BISA and Former Director, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi.

Prof. R. B. Singh appreciated the thought-provoking lecture and highlighted the enduring role of teachers and mentors in strengthening agricultural education and research.

Delivering the Teachers’ Day Lecture, Dr H. S. Gupta shared his experiences, including his tenure of nearly five years as Director of ICAR-IARI, Dr Gupta acknowledged the contribution of his teachers and mentors to his professional journey. He emphasized that scientific progress is a collective endeavour and underlined the importance of pursuing research and development with a focus on national and societal needs.

Dr Gupta also highlighted the unique role of farmers as teachers, noting that farmers are not merely recipients of agricultural technologies. Scientists working in the field also learn from farmers and their experiences of dealing with the uncertainties and complexities of agriculture. Emphasizing the responsibility of teachers towards the next generation, Dr. Gupta urged educators to encourage students not merely to learn answers but to ask questions. He observed that while a good scientist solves problems, a great scientist identifies problems that are worth solving. He further stressed that recognizing “we do not know” is often the beginning of good science.

Dr Gupta emphasized that the strength of a premier institution such as ICAR-IARI cannot be measured merely by its infrastructure, but by the quality of its people, its scientific culture and the scientists it produces. Recalling the Institute’s association with distinguished scientific achievements, he underlined that the most important outcome of a research institution is not merely its research papers or technologies, but the scientists it nurtures.

He urged faculty members to nurture students who can eventually surpass their teachers, describing this as one of the greatest compliments a teacher can receive. Turning to the theme of the lecture, Dr Gupta recalled the historic contribution of ICAR-IARI to Indian agriculture and noted the Institute’s role in generating and disseminating technologies that contributed to the Green Revolution. Recalling the vision of former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, he emphasized that while many priorities could wait, agriculture could not.

Dr Gupta highlighted the continuing challenges faced by India in achieving self-sufficiency in pulses and edible oils, stressing the need to enhance domestic production and productivity of these strategically important crops. He discussed the importance of improving oilseed yields, highlighting the scope for increasing productivity through better technologies, improved varieties and efficient agricultural practices.

(Source: ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi)