Agricultural Education Day 2020 celebrated at Dr.M.G.R FC&RI, Ponneri

To commemorate the birthday (3 December) of the first Indian Union Agriculture minister (1946) and the first President of Independent India, Bharat Ratna, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research is celebrating the aforesaid date as ‘Agricultural Education Day’ every year in India. By this initiative, the ICAR aims to develop interest in agriculture and allied sciences among the school and college students and to choose 'agriculture' as their professional & research career or engage themselves in farming as agripreneurs/aquapreneurs. In compliance with it, Dr.M.G.R Fisheries College and Research Institute, Ponneri celebrated the day virtually with the theme of “Green Earth – by the Students’ for the Students’” through ‘Google Meet’ platform for the benefit of students of Panchayat Union Primary School, Nagamangalam, Trichy.

The celebration began with the welcome address of Mr. T. Bhuvaneshwaran, IV B.F.Sc who also served as Master of Ceremony for the event. Dr. B. Ahilan, Dean, Dr. M.G.R FCRI, Ponneri delivered presidential address of the event in which he encouraged the school students to take up agriculture and allied subjects as their career options. Dr. D. Manikandavelu, Professor and Head, DAEM & Vice President, Students’ Association in his felicitation address stressed on the need of agriculture as core activity among students for better future of earth and mankind. The Highlight of the event was an awareness debate in Tamil entiltled "இன்றைய சூழலுக்கு அதிக பயன் தருவது கரிம (organic) வேளாண்மையா? கனிம (inorganic) வேளாண்மையா? in which the institute’s students H.Lisha (IV B.F.Sc) and S.Abirami (II B.F.Sc) spoke for organic agriculture whereas M.Kokilarani (IV B.F.Sc) and M.Alwin Peter (II B.F.Sc) spoke for inorganic agriculture. Mr. P. Sundar, B.Sc (Agri)., MBA (Agri Business Management) a practicing Horticulturist served as the Judge of the debate. The virtual event had 100 participants which include 30 school students in addition to IV B.F.Sc, PG and Ph.D students and teaching staffs of the institute. The event concluded with the vote of thanks proposed by. S. Ashik Ahamed (IV B.F.Sc). Dr. C. Lloyd Chrispin, Asst. Professor, DFEES did the overall coordination of the virtual event.