Former Secretary to Department of Science and Technology calls upon CFTRI to gear up for hunger-free world by 2030

Mysore/Mysuru: CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, celebrated its Foundation Day at IFTTC Auditorium in the Institute campus on Friday.

Padma Bhushan Dr. T. Ramasami, former Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, who was the chief guest, delivered the Foundation Day Address.

Maintaining that achieving sustainable food security for the country’s entire population is vital, Dr. Ramasami called upon CFTRI to gear up to meet the future challenges on the  food front.

Stressing on the need for top Institutions such as CFTRI to upgrade technologies and services in keeping with the current times, Dr. Ramasami said that the Institutions must come up with best plans for the future, instead of harping on the past.

Noting that India has transformed into a food-importing country in the pre-independence days to becoming wholly self-sufficient in a span of few decades post-independence, he underlined the need for ensuring food security for every citizen of the country and the CFTRI has a major role to play for realising this.

Pointing out that India’s self-sufficiency story started with the Green Revolution that took place when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister over five decades ago, Dr. Ramasami said that India saw a fast paced development in food production between 1950 and 1990.

Maintaining that India is now next only to America in food production, leaving our neighbour China far behind, he said that CFTRI has an enormous responsibility to see that the country moves up the ladder in the UN’s global hunger index list.

Regretting that despite technological advances, the country has not done much for ensuring that sufficient food reaches all targeted communities and groups, he  said that CFTRI should work for meeting the UN’s call to make the world free of hunger by 2030.

CSIR-CFTRI Director Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, in her address, explained the growth and achievements of CFTRI  over the years since its establishment in the 1950s.

CSIR-CFTRI Annual Awards (2021-22) were presented to a total of 20 outstanding  Scientists and sections of the Institute on the occasion. Earlier, Dr. H. Umesh Hebbar, Chief Scientist, welcomed. Dr. P. Vijayanand, Chief Scientist  and others were present on the occasion.