31 Mar 2014|Noida | ICAR – Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi
Amity University signs MoU with Indian Council of Agricultural Research to conduct research activities alongwith work on technology transfer in the area of agriculture
Today is a historical day for Amity University when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was signed to promote Scientific Education and Research for the benefit of agriculture. The MoU was signed by Mr. Arvind Kumar, Deputy Director General (Education), ICAR and Dr. B.L. Arya, Registrar – Amity University Uttar Pradesh in the august presence of Dr. S. Ayyappan, Director General – ICAR & Secretary – DARE; Mr. Arvind Kaushal, Secretary – ICAR; Mr. P.K. Pujari – Addl Secretary – ICAR, Dr. B Meenakumar- DDG – Fisheries, Dr. Ashok K Chauhan, Founder President – Amity Group, Mr. Atul Chauhan, Chancellor – Amity University at ICAR – Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
Mr. Arvind Kumar, Deputy Director General (Edn), ICAR while signing the MoU with Amity University commented that this MoU is unique in many ways. With this MoU a new era in Public Private Partnership initiative has started. ICAR and Amity has agreed to collaborate in the broad areas of Education, Research, Technology demonstration and transfer.
The MoU listed the following areas of co-operation between Amity University and ICAR amongst others:
1. Both ICAR and Amity will recognize the faculty of partner institutions for teaching purposes.
2. Science and technical staff of ICAR will be able to register for PhD program with Amity University
3. Post Graduate Students of Amity University will be able to carry out their research work at Institutes / centres of ICAR.
4. Students and faculty of Amity can use laboratories and other facilities of ICAR.
5. Scientists of ICAR may deliver lecture at Amity University as Visiting Faculty
6. ICAR and Amity will work on collaborative research programs in the areas of national interest related to improvement of agriculture.
7. ICAR will assist Amity University in technology demonstration and transfer involving famers, farms and rural enterprises and rural non-governmental organization and self help societies.
8. Amity University will help ICAR in technology demonstration and transfer to industrial clients other than the rural enterprises.
Dr. S. Ayyappan, Director General – ICAR & Secretary – DARE said that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research is an apex organization in the country spearheading agricultural research, education and extension activities for productivity enhancement and diversification of Indian agriculture. The comprehensive initiatives taken by the Council have led to notable accomplishments in natural resource management, input use efficiency, climate resilience, secondary agriculture and economic transformation of farmers though technological interventions.
Dr. Ashok K Chauhan, Founder President – Amity Group said that this collaboration will result in research activities in different fields of agriculture which will result in food security and agriculture development of our country. Dr. Chauhan said that Public Private Partnership is the demand of the time since it generates a synergy between best brains and best infrastructure. Remarking on the contributions of ICAR, Dr Chauhan said that ICAR has transformed India from begging bowl to basket of grains and has done lot of work towards food security.
Mr. Atul Chauhan, Chancellor – Amity University said that agricultural research is very important for the development of any nation and Amity has always given lots of focus in scientific research activities in agriculture through its Universities and institutions spread all over the country. Amity has strong focus on Nanotechnology, biotechnology, post harvest technology & cold chain management, organic agriculture etc. Mr. Chauhan added that at Amity University, currently 103 government approved research projects are operational, 541 patents have been filed, over 600 books authored, 3032 research papers published in leading journals.
Swami Atma Priyananda, Vice Chancellor – Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Dr. W. Selvamurthy, President – Amity Science Technology & Innovation Foundation, Dr. Sunil Saran, Vice President - Amity Science Technology & Innovation Foundation, Prof. Ajit Varma, Advisor – Amity Institute of Microbial Sciences were also present during the MoU signing ceremony.
Senior Officials from Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity Institute of Microbial Technology and Amity Institute of Applied Sciences were present during the session.