LUDHIANA, JANUARY 26 : The Republic Day was celebrated at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) with great fervor. Dr R. K. Mahay, PAU Registrar, unfurled the national tricolour. In his address, Dr Mahay paid rich tributes to national martyrs. Offering the Republic Day greetings to the audience comprising of Deans, Directors, Officers, faculty members, employees and students of PAU, Dr Mahay said that we live with pride and honour because of the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters- S. Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev and many more".
He congratulated Drs Surjit Patar and Dr K.L. Chadha, the two former faculty members of PAU who have been awarded Padma Shri, this year. They have made great contribution to the society and brought honours to PAU, he remarked.
Highlighting the achievements of PAU and Punjab state, Dr Mahay said, ‘ PAU has been instrumental to bring green revolution in the country. He said that the contribution of PAU has been got noticed nationally and globally. The farm technologies evolved by PAU scientists have changed the landscape of Punjab and has made it a leading agricultural sate which now produces 22% wheat, 11% rice, 10% cotton, 37 % honey and 50% mushrooms of India, despite its being only 1.53 % geographic area of the country.
"The ever-growing demand of food is posing great challenges for scientists and planners", he said adding that the country is looking toward Punjab to give a lead for another green revolution and we must work hard to emerge as a leader again. Dr Mahay said that frontier technologies to address national food security concerns and make agriculture climate resilient, prudent management of natural resources, efficient transfer of technology and institutional capacity building through collaborative approach should be the focus areas. He attracted the attention of all those present on the occasion to the prevailing social evils, such as drug addiction, gender bias, indiscipline, lack of work culture, cultural decline, etc. and said that these were detriment to progress.
Earlier, Dr D.S.Cheema, Dean College of Agriculture –cum- Director Students Welfare welcomed the Chief Guest, Deans, Directors, Officers, Additional Directors, faculty and students, who participated in the programme. Dr Mahay inspected the parade by the NCC contingent of PAU.
