Garhwal Post Bureau
Pantnagar, 28 Aug: Vice Chancellor of GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Dr Manmohan Singh Chauhan took over on 29 August 2022 and very successfully completed his three-year tenure today. Under his leadership, the university has achieved many new heights during this period. The work of accreditation pending for two years was completed.
The Vice-Chancellor promoted 109 scientists, which had been pending for years. By organising three consecutive convocations, 4809 students were awarded degrees. The university also conferred an honorary degree on National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in the 34th convocation, received blessings of President Draupadi Murmu in the 35th ceremony, and conferred honorary degrees on Padma Shri awardee Premchandra Sharma and CDS General Anil Chauhan in the 36th ceremony.
Improvement of the infrastructure including main roads of the university, renovation of Gandhi Hall and main gates of Phoolbagh and Nagla, new hostels, research teaching institutes, training centres, women’s gymnasium, wellness centre, Madhuvatika, Vrikshayurveda Shodh Kendra, Devki Nandan Agarwal Student Recreation Centre, etc., were inaugurated by the Governor and the Chief Minister.
During his tenure, GBPUAT, Pantnagar, became the first University among 71 agricultural universities having QS World Rankings. It rose from 311th position in 2024 to 209th position in 2025. In these three years, the university received many honours, prominent among which are Outlook Agritech Summit and Swaraj Award, Agriculture Leadership Award, and Honorary Colonel Commandant title by NCC, along with many scientists also received prestigious honours. Five ACRIPS research projects funded by ICAR received the Best Centre honour. While a total of 22 varieties of different crops were released, 13 patents were granted. In honour of Operation Sindoor, a variety of mango in the university has been named Sindoor. More than 2000 research papers were published in various prestigious journals. Four varieties of wheat were registered with the Plant Species Protection and Farmers Rights Authority of the Government of India. MoUs were signed with 52 institutions of the country and abroad to make research more dynamic and for technology transfer.
More than 100 seminars, symposiums, etc., were successfully organized on various topics, while the organisation of the 17th Agricultural Science Conference was also held. During the International Millet Year 2023, many programmes were organised to create awareness, including the Sri Anna and Millet Mahotsav. The university also participated in the G-20 programme. Research on honey was given a new impetus. Work was started in the direction of breed improvement and cloning of Badri Cow in the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in collaboration with NDRI, Karnal. Pantja Goat and Uttarakhand Fowl are also being protected.
According to Director, Communication, Dr JP Jaiswal said that, while on the one hand the students benefited from the educational activities, on the other hand, more than 10,000 trainings and demonstrations were organised by the Directorate of Extension Education and KVKs to reach the new technologies developed by the university to the farmers. Special trainings were organised for the farmers of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. KVKs actively participated in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. Programmes were broadcast by Pantnagar Janvani for the benefit of farmers under the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, courtesy of KRIBHCO. More than 2000 farmer-friendly talks/programmes were broadcast by Community Radio ‘Pantnagar Janvani’.
To bring the activities of the university to the national scene, more than 1000 news were sent to print and electronic media in three years, and more than 150 episodes were uploaded on YouTube Channel (Pantnagar TV).
The tenure of Vice-Chancellor Dr Chauhan has been extended for the next 6 months from 29 August 2025. Vice Chancellor Dr Chauhan has thanked the Governor and Chancellor of the University Lt General Gurmit Singh, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Uttarakhand, and all the people of the policymakers and the faculty members, employees and students of the university for their cooperation.
