37th Foundation Day Celebration

The ICAR – National Research Centre (NRC) on Mithun, Nagaland, celebrated its 37th Foundation Day on 15th October 2024 with great enthusiasm. The event was graced by Shri Gabriel D. Wangsu, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary, Dairy Development, Fisheries, Food & Civil Supplies, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, as the Chief Guest. Dr. Dheer Singh, Director, ICAR – National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, was the Special Guest, and Shri Hage Tari, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Dairy Development (AHV&DD), Government of Arunachal Pradesh, attended as the Guest of Honor along with Dr. Rajan Sharma, Joint Director (Research), ICAR-NDRI.

As part of the celebrations, a one-day regional workshop on the “Development of the Dairy Sector in Northeast India with Special Reference to Mithun (Bos frontalis)” was organized. The workshop saw participation from 50 dairy farmers from Kohima and Dimapur, who were provided with input materials to promote dairy farming, supported by the NEH Fund of ICAR-NDRI, Karnal.

An interactive session was also held, chaired by the Hon’ble Minister, Shri Gabriel D. Wangsu, with senior officials of AHV&DD, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, and scientists from NRC Mithun. The focus of the session was the roadmap for Mithun sector development in Arunachal Pradesh, culminating in the release of the policy paper, “Roadmap for the Development of Mithun Sector in Arunachal Pradesh”, by Shri Wangsu. Dr. Girish Patil, S., Director of NRC Mithun, provided a detailed overview of the policy paper and highlighted key deliberations.

Speaking at the event, the Hon’ble Minister Shri Gabriel D. Wangsu remarked, “Mithun, a gentle giant, is a living indicator of environmental quality. Where Mithun thrives, we can be assured that the natural environment is in its best condition.” He emphasized the importance of revitalizing the Mithun sector in Arunachal Pradesh through the adoption of scientific practices such as semi-intensive rearing and urged the scientific community to develop Mithun meat adulteration detection kits for quality control.

The day also included the Foundation Day Celebrations, where Dr. Girish Patil, S., provided an overview of the institute’s significant achievements over the past year, including the submission of the Nagami Mithun breed registration, the development of an AI-based parasite detection tool, the launch of the m-Anitra app, and Mithun stress studies. Dr. Dheer Singh delivered the Foundation Day Lecture on the Development of the Dairy Sector in the Northeast Region, with a special focus on Mithun.

Staff members were awarded appreciation certificates, and several informative leaflets aimed at educating farmers were released. The Hon’ble Minister, in his address, praised the institute's efforts and lauded the dynamic leadership of Dr. Girish Patil, S., for spearheading strides in the Mithun sector. He also advocated for the creation of Mithun Research and Training Facilities in Arunachal Pradesh. During the function, an MoA was also signed with Mr. Bhanupratap Singh, NEAFI, Guwahati for capacity building of Mithun farmers with the collaboration of ICAR - NRC on Mithun, Nagaland.

The event saw participation from various dignitaries, including Dr. D. Longri, Director of AHV, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, and representatives from CPWD, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, Government of Nagaland, as well as faculty from CVSc, Jalukie and the School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University. The program concluded successfully, marking a significant step forward in the development of the dairy sector in the Northeast with a special focus on Mithun.