CSIR-IIIM awareness programme under CSIR-Aroma Mission at Kishtwar

Kishtwar, Apr 19: CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu in collaboration with J&K Senior Citizens Council and Youth for Peace, Kishtwar conducted an awareness programme “Catalyzing Rural Employment through Cultivation, Processing, Value Addition & Marketing of Aromatic Plants” under CSIR-Aroma Mission on 19-04-2018 at Dak Bunglow, Kishtwar. A team of scientists comprising of Dr. Parvaiz Qazi (IIIM Nodal, CSIR-Aroma Mission), Dr. Sumeet Gairola (IIIM Co-Nodal, CSIR-Aroma Mission), Dr. V.P. Rahul, Dr. P. Sultan, Dr. Naveed Qazi and Dr. Vikas Babu interacted with a group of 300 farmers, 200 students and more than 200 other participants. Dr. Naved Qazi welcomed the guest and provided introduction to CSIR-IIIM. Dr. Sumeet Gairola gave detailed introduction about CSIR- Aroma Mission to the participants and thanked them on behalf of Director, CSIR-IIIM, Dr. Ram Vishwakarma. Dr. Parvaiz Qazi shared the details of aromatic crops suitable for Kishtwar district and said that Kishtwar is very suitable for temperate aromatic crops like Lavender, Rosemary, Salvia, etc. He said that Director, CSIR-IIIM, Dr. Ram Vishwakarma is very keen to see the cultivation of these crops in Kishtwar and adjacent areas at the earliest. Chief Guest of the programme Mr. Abrar Ahmad Choudhary, SSP, Kishtwar in his address pressed for the need of adopting new systems of farming with latest scientific interventions. Dr. V.P. Rahul, Dr. P. Sultan and Dr. Vikas Babu interacted with different groups of farmers and discussed about the agrotechnologies developed by CSIR-IIIM. Research scholars from CSIR-IIIM, Anil Raina, Kanwaljeet Singh, Amit Kumar and Shahnawaj Khaki also attended and helped farmers to understand about the CSIR-Aroma Mission. Mr. Abdul Majeed Bichoo, State President, J&K Senior Citizens Council facilitated the awareness programme and informed participants abut CSIR-Aroma Mission. Other dignitaries who attended programme were Mr. Abdul Salam Bhat, Mr. Manmohan Gupta, Mr. Riyaz Ahmad Zargar, Mr. Jagdish Raj, Mr. Ramesh Chandra Sen, Dr. Ashiq Hussain, Adv. N.D. Qazi and Mr. Showket Ashai.