LUDHIANA, DECEMBER 2:-College of Agriculture (COA), Punjab Agricultural University held its 49th annual meet of Alumni Association, today. Hundred of old graduates of the College from India and abroad came to attend the meet. Dr. Gurbachan Singh, Chairman, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), New Delhi and a PAU alumnus was the Chief Guest while Dr. Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU presided over. On this occasion, Dr. D.R.Bhumbla, the senior most graduate of the College was honoured by the Vice-Chancellor. Dr. Bhumbla was the graduate of 1944 batch of COA, Faislabad (Pakistan), the parent institute of PAU. He served PAU as Head of Soils Department and later rose to the position of Agricultural Commissioner, Govt. of India and Vice-Chancellor, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Singh said PAU has earned great respect in ICAR and other international institutes in the world. The country has great hopes from PAU scientists to provide new need-based technologies that could boost to the crop productivity which has been stagnating for quite some the now and to address the emerging agrarian constraints. In the second half of the event, Dr Singh delivered a keynote address on ‘Future climate change scenario and food security in India’. He delved that climate change is a global phenomena that can impact all forms of life and agriculture. Discussing the issues of current concern, Dr. Singh attracted attention of scientists toward reducing land: man ratio, burgeoning population, erosion of bio-diversity, water depletion and deforestation among others. Discussing the reasons for climate change, he said that composition and circulation of atmosphere and oceans, hydrology cycles and land surface activities were important. He said that deviation in temperature from -1 to +4 oC and annual precipitation from -20 to + 200% were the indicators of climate change that affect the phenophases of crops. He discussed the direct and indirect effects of increasing level of carbondioxide and highlighted strategies to deal with it. Among the strategies were: reclamation of waste/degraded lands, bridging yield gaps through strengthening technology delivery mechanisms, strategy for improving soil health, developing climate resilient agriculture and efficient weather based forecasting system. He responded to queries parried by the delegates.
Dr. Dhillon in his remarks highlighted the achievements of old graduates of the college who played a key role in bringing green revolution. He highlighted several areas like food processing, bio-energy and climate change in which the future research priorities are focused. Responding to the climate change scenario, Dr. Dhillon said that research needs to be reprioritized toward developing appropriate cropping patterns, stability of technology performance and knowing new research requirements. Giving example of the prevailing agrarian constraints, he said that these were not the fallout of green revolution but were the result of the efforts toward addressing food insecurity problem in which the farmers unmindful of the consequences resort to using inputs including agro-chemicals and pesticides injudiciously and mining natural resources excessively.
A special event of the meet was the honouring ceremony in which the alumni who rose to coveted position were honoured which included Dr. Gurbachan Singh, Chairman ASRB, Dr. Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU; Dr. M.S.Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, MSKJ University of Agriculture & Technology, Banda (U.P.); and Sh.Kahan Singh Pannu, IAS, Chairman, Punjab Pollution control Board.
Besides, the alumni who rose to the position of Deans/Directors were also honoured. They were; Dr. Ramesh Kumar, Director, Directorate of Floriculture Research (ICAR), New Delhi; Dr. (Mrs.) Indu Sharma, Project Director, Directorate of Wheat Research (ICAR), Karnal; Dr. Narpinder Singh, Dean, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Dr. M.S.Mahal, Director, Punjab Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute, PAU; Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, Director of Research, PAU; Dr. Gursharan Singh, Dean, Postgraduate Studies, PAU; Dr. Devinder Singh Cheema, Dean, College of Agriculture, PAU.
In addition, several scientists of the College who brought laurels to PAU by winning various awards were also honoured. They included Dr. Gurmit Singh Butter, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Gumber, Dr. Satish Kumar Narula, Dr. Tarlochan Singh Thind, Dr. Wasakha Singh Dhillon, Dr. A.K.Dhawan, Dr. M.S.Gill, Dr. Gursewak Singh, Dr. Jit Singh Sandhu, Dr. Harmel Singh, Sh. Sandeep Singh, Dr. Harminder Singh and Dr. Anil Kumar Sharma.
Several students of the College who are pursuing their degrees were also honoured for their academic and sports accomplishments. The honoured students included; Amandeep Kaur, Dharminder Bhatia, Gurjinder Aulakh, Gurmail Singh, Amrinder Kaur, Rajdeep Singh, Lovepreet Kaur, Harmanjit Singh, Arjun Singh, Lovelean Kaur.
Another important attraction of the meet was the welcome poems by Dr. S.S.Gill, Dr. B.S.Sooch and Dr. G.S.Sandhu which portrayed the activities/achievements of the College and alumni. Two books- ‘Zari Mushaira, Tari Mushaira’ and ‘ Scientific rearing of queen bees’ were released.
Prominent alumni who attended the meet included former Vice-Chancellors, PAU-Dr. Khem Singh Gill, Dr. A.S.Khehra, Dr. G.S.Kalkat, Dr. M.S.Kang , Dr. K.S.Aulakh and Dr S. S. Johl; Members of PAU Board of Management, Dr. B.S.Boparai and Mrs. Urwinder Kaur Grewal; and PAU Deans, Directors and Officers and serving and retired faculty members. The delegates were welcomed by the Dean, COA and President of the Alumni Association, Dr. D.S.Cheema and the stage was managed by the association Secretary, Dr. P.S.Aulakh while Dr. Allah Rang, proposed his vote of thanks.
