ICAR- Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (ICAR-CIWA), Bhubaneswar celebrated National Science day on 28th February, 2020. On this occasion, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Dash, Dean CAET, OUAT was the Chief Guest. The programme was attended by 30 farm women from Sakhigopal block of Puri district in Odisha.
The inaugural session began with the invocation of ICAR Song. Er. Chaitrali S Mhatre, Nodal Officer, delivered welcome address. She briefed about the importance of the occasion and the theme “Women in Science”.
Dr. Sanjay Kumar Dash, Chief Guest started with congratulating the institute for celebrating National Science day and wished for the bright future of the institute. He stressed on the importance of science in day to day life. He also interacted with farm women by giving them household examples in which science plays an important role. Queries of farm women regarding the facts and myths in the food processing were also clarified by him.. He stressed upon the future collaboration between both organization for achieving a common goal of empowering the women.
Dr. S. K. Srivatsava, Director ICAR-CIWA, delivered the presidential talk. He insisted the importance of positive thinking, emphasising that one good thought can lead to a great work. He also insisted in the role science has played for advancing the field of agriculture and the quality of life of farm women.
On this Occasion summer seed kit (pumpkin, bitter gourd etc) were distributed to all the farm women. In the technical session lectures on Family poultry farming for ensuring economic and nutritional sustainability was delivered by Dr. A. K. Panda; Local food: A treasure of nutrition was delivered by Dr. Jyoti Nayak and Value addition to food: A scientific way to women empowerment was delivered by Dr. Tanuja Somarajan. Interactive games were played with the women for inculcating importance of equal nutrition and group work.
The successful organization of the National Science Day celebration was done by the following committee, Er. Chaitrali Mhatre, Nodal Officer; Dr. Tanuja Somrajan Co-nodal officer, Er. Pragati Kishore Rout , Member.