Foundation Day Celebrations at the ICAR – Directorate of Cashew Research – 2025
The 40th Foundation Day was celebrated at the ICAR- Directorate of Cashew Research at Kemminje, Puttur on 18-06-2025. Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Chairman, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), New Delhi, participated as the Chief Guest. Dr. K. Balachandra Hebbar, Director, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, participated as the Guest of Honor. Dr. S.K. Singh, Deputy Director General (Horticulture), and Dr. V.B. Patel, Assistant Director General (Fruits and Horticultural Crops) from New Delhi, also participated in the program online.
Speaking in the program, Dr. Dinakar Adiga, Director of the Institute, gave information about the growth of the Institute. He presented on the various cashew varieties and technologies developed in the Institute. He also remembered all the past directors who worked hard for the growth of the organization. The chief guest, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, spoke on the topic “Horticulture for Sustainable Bioeconomy: Innovation and Emerging Opportunities” and gave information about how horticultural crops grown with modern technology will be useful for farmers. He said that students and farmers can start startup projects with modern technology and horticultural growers can also be encouraged by such projects. He presented his topic through value addition of crops like marigold, saffron, etc.
Deputy Director General of Horticultural Crops, Dr. S.K. Singh, spoke about the importance of cashew cultivation. Cashew is a commercial crop, and it is the basic wealth of the farmers in the rural areas. He said that scientists should work to ensure that the technologies developed in the organization reach the farmers. He gave information about the contributions of the previous directors of the organization to the progress of the organization. Another chief guest, Dr. V.B. Patel, Assistant Director General (Fruits and Horticultural Crops), appreciated the development of the institute and spoke about the opportunities in cashew farming. The institute’s scientist, Dr. Manjunath, K., and his team and Dr. Shamsuddin, M. and team were given awards for the best research papers. On this occasion, the technologies for value addition of cashew apples developed at the institute was licensed to the Punarvi organisation in Parvathypuram district of Andhra Pradesh. Several publications were also released.
The institute’s Principal Scientist Dr. D. Balasubramanian welcomed the guests and Dr. V. Thondaiman, Senior Scientist, proposed the vote of thanks. Another scientist of the institute, Dr. Ashwathi, C., compered the program. Several senior scientists of the institute shared their views online.
