National Science Day: Winners of quiz competition felicitated at Nauni varsity

“Empowering Indian youth for global leadership in science and innovation for Viksit Bharat” served as the theme for celebrating the National Science Day today at the Department of Plant Pathology in collaboration with the Himalayan Phytopathological Society at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.

The event was graced by the presence of Dr Sanjeev Chauhan, Director Research, as the chief guest, and Dr Manish Sharma, Dean, College of Horticulture, as the guest of honour.

Dr Satish Sharma, Head, Department of Plant Pathology, presented a comprehensive report highlighting the department’s ongoing initiatives to foster scientific curiosity and innovation among students.

A key highlight of the celebration was the felicitation of winners of the postgraduate quiz competition. Dr Satish Sharma announced the winners, with Sakshi Sharma and Aman Chauhan receiving a cash prize of Rs 10,000 in the PhD category, and Gitanjali and Shubham were awarded Rs 10,000 each in the masters’ category.

The day also marked the culmination of a five-day training programme on mushroom cultivation, sponsored by Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Himachal Pradesh. The training, coordinated by Dr Dharmesh Gupta and Dr Abhimanyu Thakur, saw the participation of 20 farmers from various regions of the state.

The chief guest distributed bags of spawn and certificates among participating farmers, empowering them with practical skills and resources.

In a significant step towards promoting scientific writing and communication, the Department of Plant Pathology’s publishers and e magazine — Technology Notes — released a special children’s issue. This edition features articles authored by postgraduate students of the department, showcasing their research and insights.

Dr Satish Sharma emphasised on the department’s commitment to nurturing students and encouraging their active participation in scientific endeavours.

Dr Sanjeev Chauhan lauded the department’s efforts and urged farmers to actively engage in training programmes offered by the university. He highlighted the importance of such initiatives in promoting scientific advancements and empowering the agricultural community.

The National Science Day celebrations underscored the Department of Plant Pathology’s dedication to fostering scientific excellence and contributing to the nation’s progress through education, research and outreach.

Dr Manish Sharma, Dean, appreciated efforts of society for encouraging academic pursuits in the department and congratulated the winners. Several events were organised at the university during the National Science Day celebrations.

The Department of Food Science and Technology is organising a two- day training for students on value links, while a partner convening of northern region on transformative pathways through Agroecology in collaboration with Consortium for Agroecological Transformations also began today.

A programme — “ICAR winter school on balancing conservation and utilisation: Towards sustainable forestry practices” — also started at the university for scientists of different universities.