The ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, marked its 37th Annual Day at its Kausalyaganga Campus, Bhubaneswar. Established in 1987 under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the institute stands as a premier research hub for freshwater aquaculture in India. Dr (Mrs) Dhriti Banerjee, Director of Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, accompanied by esteemed guests Dr Amaresh Kumar Nayak, Director of ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, and Dr Debasis Dash, Director of Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar.
Dr (Mrs) Dhriti Banerjee, in her address, commended ICAR-CIFA on its journey and stressed the importance of protecting nature. She highlighted the collaborative efforts between ICAR-CIFA and Zoological Survey of India, announcing an upcoming memorandum of understanding (MoU) for joint research endeavours.
Dr. Amaresh Kumar Nayak lauded ICAR-CIFA’s remarkable achievements in fisheries science, particularly its initiatives for the upliftment of marginalized sections and women empowerment. He advocated for increased collaboration to address food and nutritional security challenges.
Dr. Debasis Dash emphasized the significance of collaboration between Institute of Life Sciences and ICAR-CIFA across various life science domains.
Dr. P. K. Sahoo, Director of ICAR-CIFA, outlined the institute’s achievements, including successful breeding programmes, technological innovations, and collaborations. He highlighted the commercialization of several technologies, development of apps for fishery promotion, and certification of various methodologies and products.
The event witnessed the release of nine publications and the felicitation of winners of memorial awards. Representatives from collaborating organizations and retired employees of ICAR-CIFA also participated in the event.
Dr. Jitendra Kumar Sundaray extended the vote of thanks, concluding the celebration of ICAR-CIFA’s 37th Annual Day with a spirit of collaboration, innovation, and commitment to furthering freshwater aquaculture research in India.
