Garhwal Post Bureau
Pantnagar, 26 Mar: Under the Viksit Bharat Abhiyan, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, successfully organised the “Agri Technothon 2026.” The event was conducted under the leadership of Dean, Postgraduate Studies, Dr Lokesh Varshney.
A total of 24 teams participated in the event, presenting innovative ideas related to agriculture and rural India. The participants showcased models and solutions on important themes such as agricultural technology, sustainable farming, value addition, rural entrepreneurship, and digital agriculture. After a rigorous evaluation process, 10 outstanding teams were selected, who will now get the opportunity to represent the university at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Manmohan Singh Chauhan, attended the programme as the Chief Guest. He appreciated the innovative ideas of the students and felicitated the winning teams and organising committee. In his address, he stated that such events encourage young talent and play a significant role in making India self-reliant in the field of agricultural innovation.
On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, and Purdue University, USA. From Purdue University, Dr Gerald Shively, Associate Dean (International Programs), and from Pantnagar University, Dr Lokesh Varshney, Dean, Postgraduate Studies, signed the MoU in online mode in the presence of the Vice-Chancellor. The document was exchanged with Dr Krishna Nemali from Purdue University. This collaboration marks an important step toward strengthening international academic and research partnerships.
The successful holding of the event was made possible with the significant contributions of organising committee members Dr Ranjan Srivastava, Dr Sandeep Arora, Dr Anita Rani, Dr VK Singh, Dr Ruchi Gangwar, Dr Sakshi Chauhan, and Dr Ankur.
At the end of the programme, Organising Secretary Dr Sakshi Chauhan proposed the vote of thanks. Faculty members, research scholars, and a large number of students were present on the occasion. The event proved to be a significant step toward promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector.
