LUDHIANA: The “National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) zonal level elocution competition” was organized today at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).
The teams of nine universities (representing five states) participated in thecompetition and expressed their views vehemently on the theme “Agricultural Education: Shaping India’s Future.” The programme was coordinated and hostedby PAU Directorate of Students’ Welfare.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, said that participation and expression are vital in all spheres of life. All the agricultural universities share a good network with each other, stated he, while highly- praising the efforts of NAAS and performance of the students in the competition.
Observing that agriculture, during last 50 years, has totallychanged, Dr Dhillon said tremendous development has been witnessed, with four-fold increase in farm productivity. He expressed concern over the ever-increasing population, abrupt climate change, depleting natural resources and extremities such as floods, drought and other natural calamities.
Emphasizingon competing at global level, Dr Dhillon said that human resource is a major strength to address agrarian issues.
Earlier, Dr D.S. Cheema, Director Students’ Welfare, welcomed the guests, senior officers of PAU, participating teams and the students. He disclosed that overwhelming response has been received for the competition and that NAAS entrusted the responsibility of hosting the competition to the PAU in view of Golden Jubilee Year of the university. Dr Cheema presided over the prize distribution ceremony and gave away the prizes to winners.
During the competition, the teams of National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal; Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu; YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (YSPUHF), Nauni, Solan; Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalya (CSKHPKV), Palampur; Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU), Hisar; Lala Lajpat Rai Universityof Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LLRUVAS), Hisar; Rajasthan University ofVeterinary and Animal Sciences (RUVAS), Bikaner; Guru Angad Dev Veterinaryand Animal Sciences University (GADVASU); and Punjab Agricultural University(PAU), Ludhiana; participated.
A panel of judges included the experts namely Dr Sandhya Mehta, Deputy Director, Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology, Ludhiana; Dr APS Mann, former Dean of College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, PAU; Dr S.S. Gill, former Director of Extension Education, PAU; and Dr Amarjit S. Hayer, Prof. and former Head of Department of Languages andCulture, PAU.
