RONO HILLS, 14 Oct: A weeklong ‘National hands-on training programme on orchid cultivation, micro propagation and clonal fidelity testing’ began at Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) here on Friday.
The programme is being jointly organised by RGU’s botany department and Agartala (Tripura)-based National Institute of Technology, under the ‘synergistic training programme utilising the scientific and technological infrastructure’ of the union science & technology department.
RGU Vice Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha in his inaugural address spoke about various aspects of “income generation by encouraging local entrepreneurs in the field of orchid cultivation using micro propagation techniques.”
The VC also highlighted “the role of universities and researchers in disseminating knowledge of biotechnology among the people for entrepreneurial startups.”
RGU Pro-VC Prof Amitava Mitra dwelt on “economy generating potential from orchid-based entrepreneurial business in the state,” and Nagaland University’s Botany Professor Chitta Ranjan Deb spoke about the initiative taken by the central government in “facilitating biotech hub in Northeastern India.”
He also emphasised on the role of universities in empowering the local people in orchid cultivation to boost the economy of the state.
The first day’s programme ended with a hands-on laboratory training conducted by RGU research scholars Dunyak Ado, Bengia Mamu, and Tadu Yaniya.
