Vice Chancellor of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Prof Rajeshwar Singh Chandel has received a prestigious invitation to attend the ‘At Home’ reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi to mark the 75th Republic Day celebration.

An official spokesperson said here on Wednesday that this recognition positions Prof Chandel among a distinguished group of academicians invited to attend the prestigious event.

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The invitation to Rashtrapati Bhavan is for Prof Chandel’s noteworthy contributions to the promotion of natural farming across the nation, he added.

“As the Executive Director of Prakritik Krishi Khushaal Kisan Yojna, Prof Chandel spearheaded the natural farming movement in Himachal Pradesh. He is also a member of a national committee, which is chaired by the Union Agriculture Minister and is dedicated to advancing the cause of natural farming in the country,” he said.

Under his visionary leadership, UHF Nauni has taken a pioneering role in generating scientific data on natural farming methodologies, he said, adding that this has not only gained acclaim within the Indian scientific community but has also garnered attention internationally.

In addition to sharing expertise through capacity-building programmes for Krishi Vigyan Kendras and university scientists nationwide, the university has been recognised as a partner institution in the International Initiative for Agro-Ecological Crop Practices funded by the European Commission, the spokesperson said.

This initiative involves 15 renowned institutions from 11 countries, with UHF Nauni being the sole university representing India in the project, he added.

Prof Chandel has also been instrumental in formulating a comprehensive natural farming curriculum for both agriculture graduates and school students at the national level. Furthermore, the university is actively collaborating with NABARD and the Agriculture Department of Himachal to provide handholding support to various Natural Farming Farmer Producer Companies established in the state. Prof Chandel’s multifaceted contributions, especially in natural farming, have significantly enhanced the university’s stature not only nationally but also on the global stage.