India's Scientific and Technological Progress
Introduction
As India is on the verge of completing 75 years of independence, several scientific and technological developments have touched the lives of common people in the last seven decades.
Developments in communications and information technology have enabled timely forecast of weather and early warning of cyclones, saving thousands of lives.
But during these years scientific research combined with favorable public policies - has made India self-sufficient in production of food, milk, fruits and vegetables, drugs and vaccines. All this has had great social and economic impacts and has influenced directly and indirectly the life of ordinary Indians.
As India is on the verge of completing 75 years of independence, several scientific and technological developments have touched the lives of common people in the last seven decades.
Developments in communications and information technology have enabled timely forecast of weather and early warning of cyclones, saving thousands of lives.
But during these years scientific research combined with favorable public policies - has made India self-sufficient in production of food, milk, fruits and vegetables, drugs and vaccines. All this has had great social and economic impacts and has influenced directly and indirectly the life of ordinary Indians.
Agriculture and Rural Development
Agriculture has always been a lifeline for India. From ancient times, agriculture has played a vital role in India’s growth and can be traced back to Indus Valley Civilization. Rich fertile land, plenty of water for irrigation, and domestication of crops and animals were some of the key factors for its success.
Agriculture has always been a lifeline for India. From ancient times, agriculture has played a vital role in India’s growth and can be traced back to Indus Valley Civilization. Rich fertile land, plenty of water for irrigation, and domestication of crops and animals were some of the key factors for its success.
Agriculture after Independence
In 1947, India produced about 6 million tonnes of wheat which was grossly inadequate to meet the total demand forcing the country to depend on large scale imports.
With measures such as land reforms, improvements in irrigation facilities, fertilizer production and Intensive Agriculture District Programme, wheat production rose to 12 million in 1964 – which was still insufficient to feed all Indians.
Severe drought in 1965 and 1966 forced India to reform its agricultural policy. India focused on the goal of food grain self-sufficiency. This ushered in India's Green Revolution.
In 1947, India produced about 6 million tonnes of wheat which was grossly inadequate to meet the total demand forcing the country to depend on large scale imports.
With measures such as land reforms, improvements in irrigation facilities, fertilizer production and Intensive Agriculture District Programme, wheat production rose to 12 million in 1964 – which was still insufficient to feed all Indians.
Severe drought in 1965 and 1966 forced India to reform its agricultural policy. India focused on the goal of food grain self-sufficiency. This ushered in India's Green Revolution.
Green Revolution
In 1965, the government of India launched the Green Revolution with the help of a geneticist, now known as the father of the Green revolution (India) M.S. Swaminathan.
High Yielding Varieties Programme: The plant breeder Benjamin Peary Pal at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) contributed in improving wheat varieties to achieve disease resistance and yield.
The first breakthrough came in 1961 when a dwarf spring wheat variety with the Norin-10 dwarfing gene was grown in IARI. Later semi-dwarf varieties were grown in farmers’ fields, yielding great results.
These developments led to the launch of the High Yielding Varieties Programme covering not just wheat but rice, maize, sorghum and pearl millet.
New farming irrigation methods such as drip irrigation, stronger and more resistant pesticides, more efficient fertilizers, and newly developed High Yield Variety (HYV) seeds helped in proficient crop growth.
Self sufficiency: The All India Coordinated Wheat Research Project under Benjamin Peary Pal remains an outstanding example of agriculture research.
By 1970, wheat production went up to 20 million tonnes and rice production to 42 million tonnes. Thus began the Green Revolution, making India self-sufficient in foodgrain production in the decades to come.
This eventually led to the country becoming more self-sufficient and avoiding mass famine and starvation.
In 1965, the government of India launched the Green Revolution with the help of a geneticist, now known as the father of the Green revolution (India) M.S. Swaminathan.
High Yielding Varieties Programme: The plant breeder Benjamin Peary Pal at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) contributed in improving wheat varieties to achieve disease resistance and yield.
The first breakthrough came in 1961 when a dwarf spring wheat variety with the Norin-10 dwarfing gene was grown in IARI. Later semi-dwarf varieties were grown in farmers’ fields, yielding great results.
These developments led to the launch of the High Yielding Varieties Programme covering not just wheat but rice, maize, sorghum and pearl millet.
New farming irrigation methods such as drip irrigation, stronger and more resistant pesticides, more efficient fertilizers, and newly developed High Yield Variety (HYV) seeds helped in proficient crop growth.
Self sufficiency: The All India Coordinated Wheat Research Project under Benjamin Peary Pal remains an outstanding example of agriculture research.
By 1970, wheat production went up to 20 million tonnes and rice production to 42 million tonnes. Thus began the Green Revolution, making India self-sufficient in foodgrain production in the decades to come.
This eventually led to the country becoming more self-sufficient and avoiding mass famine and starvation.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
The ICAR is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Formerly known as Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, it was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture.
The ICAR has its headquarters at New Delhi.
The Council is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.
With 101 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.
Role in Green Revolution: The ICAR has played a pioneering role in ushering Green Revolution and subsequent developments in agriculture in India through its research and technology development.
Food and nutritional security: It has enabled the country to increase the production of foodgrains by 5.6 times, horticultural crops by 10.5 times, fish by 16.8 times, milk by 10.4 times and eggs by 52.9 times since 1950-51 to 2017-18, thus making a visible impact on the national food and nutritional security.
Promoting higher education: It has played a major role in promoting excellence in higher education in agriculture. It is engaged in cutting edge areas of science and technology development and its scientists are internationally acknowledged in their fields.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
The ICAR is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Formerly known as Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, it was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture.
The ICAR has its headquarters at New Delhi.
The Council is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.
With 101 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.
Role in Green Revolution: The ICAR has played a pioneering role in ushering Green Revolution and subsequent developments in agriculture in India through its research and technology development.
Food and nutritional security: It has enabled the country to increase the production of foodgrains by 5.6 times, horticultural crops by 10.5 times, fish by 16.8 times, milk by 10.4 times and eggs by 52.9 times since 1950-51 to 2017-18, thus making a visible impact on the national food and nutritional security.
Promoting higher education: It has played a major role in promoting excellence in higher education in agriculture. It is engaged in cutting edge areas of science and technology development and its scientists are internationally acknowledged in their fields.
History: The journey of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), popularly known as Pusa Institute, began in 1905 at Pusa (Bihar) with the generous grant of 30,000 pounds from an American philanthropist, Mr. Henry Phipps.
The name of ARI was changed to Imperial Institute of Agricultural Research in 1911 and, in 1919 it was renamed as Imperial Agricultural Research Institute.
Following a devastating earthquake on 15th January 1934, the institute was shifted to Delhi on 29th July 1936.
Post independence, the institute has been renamed as Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).
It attained the status of a Deemed University in the year 1958.
Departments: The institute was then known as Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) which functioned with five departments, namely Agriculture, Cattle Breeding, Chemistry, Economic Botany, Mycology and Bacteriology (added in 1907).
Contributions: During the fifties, the advancement of scientific disciplines constituted the core program of IARI and provided the base for its fast expansion in the 1960’s and 1970’s. ]
The green revolution that brought smiles to millions of Indians bloomed from the fields of IARI with the development of famous wheat varieties which contributed an estimated one billion tons of additional production.
As the Mother of several ICAR institutions, IARI continues to be the leading institution for agricultural research, education and extension in the country.
History: The journey of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), popularly known as Pusa Institute, began in 1905 at Pusa (Bihar) with the generous grant of 30,000 pounds from an American philanthropist, Mr. Henry Phipps.
The name of ARI was changed to Imperial Institute of Agricultural Research in 1911 and, in 1919 it was renamed as Imperial Agricultural Research Institute.
Following a devastating earthquake on 15th January 1934, the institute was shifted to Delhi on 29th July 1936.
Post independence, the institute has been renamed as Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).
It attained the status of a Deemed University in the year 1958.
Departments: The institute was then known as Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) which functioned with five departments, namely Agriculture, Cattle Breeding, Chemistry, Economic Botany, Mycology and Bacteriology (added in 1907).
Contributions: During the fifties, the advancement of scientific disciplines constituted the core program of IARI and provided the base for its fast expansion in the 1960’s and 1970’s. ]
The green revolution that brought smiles to millions of Indians bloomed from the fields of IARI with the development of famous wheat varieties which contributed an estimated one billion tons of additional production.
As the Mother of several ICAR institutions, IARI continues to be the leading institution for agricultural research, education and extension in the country.
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