SHILLONG, July 26: Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, Secretary of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Additional Secretary of DARE, visited the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region in Umiam and the College of Agriculture in Kyrdemkulai on Saturday to review regional research and academic initiatives.
At Umiam, Tripathi inaugurated a Solar Biomass-Based Hybrid Dryer, a technology designed to provide an energy-efficient solution for drying agricultural produce and enhancing post-harvest management.
During a combined review meeting with scientists from ICAR-ATARI and ICAR-NBPGR, he commended the staff for their work in developing technologies specifically suited for the North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region.
Later, at the College of Agriculture (Central Agricultural University) in Kyrdemkulai, Tripathi inaugurated an Examination-cum-Smart Classroom.
During an interaction with students, he advised the institution to appoint teaching assistants for the BSc Agriculture and BSc (Hons) Natural Farming programmes.
He also recommended the implementation of an elective course system to improve academic flexibility and the quality of education.
During the event, CAU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Anupam Mishra outlined the university’s contributions to agricultural development in the Northeast across its 13 constituent colleges.
Tripathi also inspected the college library and laboratories, expressing satisfaction with the academic infrastructure.
The programme was attended by Prof. Ram Singh (Dean, College of Agriculture), Prof. D. Thakuria and Dr. Sanjay Swami, alongside faculty members and students.
