Palampur varsity scientist to represent India at global animal welfare congress

In a proud moment for Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSKHPKV), Palampur, Vice Chancellor Dr Naveen Kumar announced that Dr Ankaj Thakur, Assistant Professor at the Department of Livestock Farm Complex, has been selected to represent India at the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE) 2025 Congress in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Dr Thakur will attend the prestigious global forum on animal behaviour and welfare science from August 4 to 8. He has been awarded the ‘International Travel Award’ valued at £1,555 (approximately Rs 1.77 lakh), jointly administered by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), UK, and its Congress Attendance Fund (CAF). He was selected from a competitive pool of 112 international applicants.

Dr Thakur’s research focuses on the welfare and physiological resilience of migratory Gaddi goats in the North-Western Himalayas. His pioneering work led to the development of the world’s first structured welfare assessment protocol for migratory goats—an innovation significant for traditional transhumant livestock systems. His research was guided by Dr ML Kamboj (ICAR-NDRI, Karnal) and Dr. P.K. Dogra (CSKHPKV, Palampur).

Dr Naveen Kumar lauded Dr Thakur’s achievement, calling it a reflection of the university’s scientific excellence and commitment to sustainable livestock development. Dean Dr AK Panda and Dr Shivani Katoch, Head of the Department, also congratulated him, emphasising the college’s dedication to research innovation.