CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University celebrated ‘Agriculture Education Day’ here today.The university organized declamation contests and paper reading competitions for the students of senior secondary schools of the surrounding areas and also conducted an exposure visit to the agriculture museum.During prize distribution ceremony, Prof A.K.Sarial, Vice-Chancellor told that this day has been celebrated all over the country today at the initiative of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’Welfare. While elaborating the importance of this day, the Vice-Chancellor said that today was birth anniversary of first Union Agriculture Minister of India and first President of independent India Bharat Ratna Dr Rajendra Prasad.He said that it was imperative to attract youth towards agricultural education to strengthen future agriculture in the country.There is need of massive awareness programmes among the youth ffocusingon various facets of agriculture and allied subject. The students should be made aware and exposed to various facets of agriculture and its relevance in the development of the country and they should be inspired to choose agriculture as a career, engage themselves in agriculture and related activities or become Agri-entrepreneurs.
Prof A.K.Sarial also exhorted the staff and students to make general masses aware of the importance of this day.He appreciated the farming community, scientists, farm officers and farm institutes for making the country not only self-sufficient on food front but food surplus and also informed that even a small state like Himachal Pradesh was self- sufficient on food front due to the collective efforts of all concerned.He said that this day will be celebrated on a larger scale in future.Earlier, the students' welfare Organisation conducted declamation contests and paper reading competitions for around two dozen schools of the Palampur sub-division. More than three hundred students joined the celebrations and took part in the competitions on the topics related to agriculture.Dr Ashwani Kumar Goel, Students’ Welfare Officer and Dr.Pawan Kumar Mehta, Dean, College of Agriculture and Prof Sanjay Sharma also spoke on the occasion. Statutory officers, staff, and students attended the programme.
Results: Declamation competition: First prize was won by Tamana Katoch from Paras Public School, Bhawarna, Second prize was bagged by Nandita from the same school and Third prize went to Priya of Jai Public School, Banuri . Two consolation prizes were awarded to Simran of Jai Public School, Banuri and Sakshi of Govt Senior Secondary School, Sulah.Paper Reading competition: Aditi from Rainbow World School, Bhawarna and Akanksha from Post Graduate Senior Secondary School, Averi shared the first prize, Abhinandan from Viveka Foundation School, Mansimbal and Anshika from Kendirya Vidyalaya, Palampur shared the second prize and Shivali from ABM School, Thakurdwara and Vaibhav from Viveka Foundation, Mansimabal shared the third prize. Varidhika from DAV School, Palampur, Kirti Sharma from Priyadarshni School, Patti and Jyoti from Chand Public School, Palampur got consolation prizes.