CSIR-IHBT Institute celebrated its 39th Foundation Day

“Innovation Leadership: Learnings from a Personal Journey”

CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur celebrated its 39th Foundation Day on 2
nd July 2021 through virtual mode. In the beginning, Dr. Sanjay Kumar,
Director of the institute welcomed and introduced the honoured guests Padma-Vibhushan Dr.
Raghunath A. Mashelkar and Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR & Secretary
DSIR, Government of India.
On this occasion, Dr. Raghunath A. Mashelkar, National Research Professor, Former
Director General CSIR & Chairman, National Innovation Foundation delivered a foundation
day lecture on the topic “Innovation Leadership: Learnings from a Personal Journey”. While
congratulating the CSIR-IHBT family on the foundation day, he delineated on leadership
quality and highlighted the significance of innovation. He stressed that scientific leadership
calls for microscopic understanding with telescopic vision. He further said that leader must
have purpose, perseverance and passion for leading an organization. He emphasized on the
importance of high aspiration along with creative thinking and risk bearing ability. He
appreciated the efforts of CSIR in serving the nation during COVID-19 pandemic and
converting adversaries to opportunities.
Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR greeted the CSIR-IHBT staff on its
foundation day. To begin with, he expressed his gratitude to Dr. Mashelkar for his
motivational talk. In his presidential address, he appreciated the research and development
work, scientific achievements and contribution of CSIR-IHBT to the society. He expressed
hope that the institute would be able to fulfil its scientific and social obligations by moving
ahead at a faster pace in the coming times. He said that cultivation of crops Asafoetida and
Saffron would be a pioneering step in fulfilling the honourable Prime Minister’s resolve of
self-reliant India.
Earlier, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Director CSIR-IHBT presented the annual report of the institute
for the year 2020-21. He said that the institute is continuously striving towards the goal of
discovery, innovation, development and dissemination of processes, products and
technologies from Himalayan bio-resources for societal, environmental, industrial and
academic benefits. The institute is providing end-to-end agrotechnology to the farmers for
cultivation of asafoetida and saffron in Himachal Pradesh. He informed the august gathering
that the institute is playing a significant role in cultivation of floral and aromatic crops,
besides honey production. These crops are expected to play an important role in doubling the
farmer’s income and make them self-reliant.
Dr. Mashelkar inaugurated incubation facility for production of Vitamin D2 enriched shiitake
mushroom, besides releasing annual report of the institute and ‘Manual on Saffron Cultivation
in Non-traditional Areas’. Further, Dr. Mande laid the foundation stone for a dispensary at
CSIR-IHBT. The tree plantation was also done by the honoured guests through virtual mode
during this program.
On this occasion, nine Memorandum of Understanding and Technology Transfer agreement
in different areas of crop cultivation and product development were signed.
The program was attended by faculties of adjoining institutes, doctors, local entrepreneurs
and farmers, CSIR-IHBT staff & scholars and media representatives. The program concluded