Programmes for 2021

  • International Women’s Day: A virtual panel discussion on the Role of Women in Agricultural Sciences (Convener: Dr. K.C. Bansal) on March 8, 2021
  • Foundation Day Lecture: The Foundation Day Lecture was delivered on June 4, 2021 by Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, the 2021 World Food Laureate and Global Leader for Nutrition and Public Health at the WorldFish of the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research
  • Scientific Presentations by Fellowship: Presentation of the newly elected Fellows of all the Sections were organized virtually during June 15-18, 2021. The presentations made by 29 newly elected Fellows including 2 Pravasi Fellows and 2 Foreign Fellows highlighting their accomplishments are as follows:

Translating the Potential of Genetic and Genomic Resources in Rice Improvement by Dr S. Gopala Krishnan; Wide Hybridization for Improving Plant types in Pulses: Mungbean and Urdbean by Dr. Sanjeev Gupta; Accelerated Development of Nutritionally Enriched Maize through Molecular Breeding by Dr. F. Hossain; Collection, Evaluation and Induction of Variability among Forage Crops and Grasses by Dr D.R. Malaviya; Development of Chromosome Segment Substitution Lines (CSSLs) of Rice from Elite x Wild Crosses to Map QTLs/ Genes for Yield Traits by Dr (Ms.) N. Sarla, Mutation Breeding to Molecular Breeding: A landscape of my scienti_c journey by Dr Ram Kewal Singh; Conventional and Molecular Approaches for Development of DYMV and High Temperature Tolerance Varieties/ lines in Indian bean by Dr N. Rai; Post-Harvest Technologies of Potatoes: Development and Adoption by Dr Brajesh Singh; Improvement of Banana through Multi-disciplinary Approaches by Dr (Ms.) S. Uma; Production Enhancing Genetic and Reproductive Technologies in Livestock by Dr Abhijit Mitra; Proteomic Approaches for Ensuring Quality, Safety and Authenticity of Meat and Meat Products by Dr B.M. Naveena; Technological Developments for Milk Based Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals by Dr Ashish K. Singh; Bu_alo Fertility Performance to Milk Exosomes: An Explorative Journey for Pen-side Technologies by Dr D. Singh; Bridging Gaps in Policy with Science: Contributions to Fisheries Resource Management by Dr Pandian Krishnan; Aquatic Bioactive Compounds - Production through Activity Guided Puri_cation, Quality Assurance and Pilot Scale Green Chemistry Process by Dr S. Mathew; Development of Novel Fertilizer Formulations for Improving Nutrient Use E_ciency, Sustainable Crop Production and Maintaining Soil Health by Dr D.R. Biswas; Foundational Contributions of Physics to Modern Agriculture by Dr Prameela Krishnan; Enhancing Productivity of Degraded Land by Intervention of Suitable Ameliorants and Water Management Techniques by Dr V.K. Mishra; Sustaining Agricultural Productivity through Improved Tillage, Residues, Manure and Nutrient Management Practices and Employing Modelling Techniques to Assess the Impact of Such Management Practices Crop Productivity and Soil Health by Dr M. Mohanty; Conservation Agriculture based Sustainable Intensi_cation in India by Dr C.M. Parihar; Laboratory to Land - Loss Less, Feed More by Dr S. Jogaiah; Bio-prospecting of Indian Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: An Evidence based Approach by Dr P.K. Mukherjee; GPMs in Sustainable Management of Crop Diseases by Dr M.K. Naik; Studies on Host Resistance, Variability and Management of Wheat Diseases by Dr M.S. Saharan; Optimal Design of Solar Thermal Devices for Agricultural Applications by using Thermal Modeling by Dr Dilip Jain; Agricultural Machinery for Small and Medium Farmers of India in the 21st Century by Dr H. Raheman; PGR Informatics: A Systematic Way for PGR Management by Dr R.C. Agrawal; Micro- Macro Realities and Policy Coherence in India by Dr Naveen P. Singh; Carving NICHE (Nutrition Information, Communication and Health Education) – A Journey and a Destination to Bridge Nutrition and Agriculture by Dr G.M. Subbarao; Clean Soils: Humanity’s Next Great Challenge by Dr Ravi Naidu; Seeds and Society – Serving Agriculture, Conservation and Sustainable Use by Dr Hugh W. Pritchard; Biobased Functional Biomolecules in Sustainable Agriculture by Dr Vijai Kumar Gupta; Watershed Management Strategic to Improve Hydrology and Water Quality by Dr Indrajeet Chaubey

  • Prof. V.L. Chopra Memorial: A virtual remembrance meeting was held on April 18, 2021 to pay homage to Prof. V.L. Chopra, one of the past presidents of NAAS, who left for his heavenly abode on April 18, 2020, and a book of memoir was released during the AGM on August 9, 2021
  • XV Agricultural Science Congress was held during 13-16 November, 2021 at BHU, Varanasi on the theme of Energy and Agriculture: Challenges for 21st Century

Brainstorming Sessions/ Strategy Workshops/ Experts’ Meet

  • Brainstorming Session on Contract Farming for Commercial Agriculture (Convener: Dr. Anjani Kumar) on March 10, 2021
  • Strategy Workshop on Potential of Transgenic Poultry for Biopharming (Convener: Dr. Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya) on March 15, 2021
  • Policy Dialogue on Biofortification (Convener: Dr. U.S. Singh) on March 26, 2021
  • Brainstorming Session on Gender and Nutrition based Extension in Agriculture (Convener: Dr Ashok K. Singh) on June 28, 2021
  • Strategy Workshop on Drudgery Free Agriculture: Challenges and Way Forward (Convener: Dr. K. P. Singh, Co-convener: Dr. Naresh Kumar Chhuneja) on September 15, 2021
  • Strategy Workshop on Certification of Quality Planting Material of Clonally Propagated Fruit Crops for Promoting Diversification (Convener: Dr. V.K. Baranwal) on September 20, 2021
  • Brainstorming Session on Strategies and Approaches for Promotion of Sustainable Bivoltine Sericulture in India (Convener: Dr. Shailaja Hitalmani, Co-conveners: Drs. S.B. Dandin and S. Rajendra Prasad) on September 22, 2021
  • Brainstorming Session on WTO and Indian Agriculture (Convener: Dr. Sachin Sharma, Co-convener: Dr. P.S. Birthal) on October 7, 2021
  • Brainstorming Session on Secondary Agriculture: Challenges, Opportunities and Way Forward (Convener: Dr. S.N. Jha) on October 21, 2021
  • Brainstorming Session on Agri-startups in India: Opportunities, Challenges and Way Forward (Convener: Dr. Ch Srinivasa Rao, Co-convener: Dr. Ranjit Kumar) on November 5, 2021
  • Roundtable Discussion on Limitations of Global Hunger Index (Convener: Dr. Mahtab S. Bamji, Co-convener: Dr. Rajender Parsad) on November 8, 2021
  • Strategy Workshop on Waste to Wealth – Use of Food Industry Waste as Animal Feed and Beyond (Convener: Dr. N.K.S. Gowda) on December 3, 2021
  • Brainstorming Session on Road Map to Rehabilitate 26 Million ha Degraded Lands by 2030 (Conveners: Drs. Ch Srinivasa Rao, J.C. Katyal and Anil K. Singh) on December 9, 2021
  • Strategy Workshop on Agriculture and Entrepreneurship Models for Quality Fodder Production (Convener: Dr. A.K. Roy, Co-convener: Drs. Amaresh Chandra and D R Malaviya) on December 17, 2021