On Guru Purnima's special day, the ‘Madhumaas’ International Hostel was inaugurated by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar. The ceremony was also attended by Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Kailash Chaudhary, and Director General and Secretary of DARE, Dr. Himansha Pathak.
Narendra Singh Tomar commended the ICAR-IARI team for their significant contributions to research, education, and teaching. He acknowledged the Institute's global reputation for its efforts in achieving food security in the country. Recognizing the international education provided by the institute and the increasing enrollment rate of students, the government has supported the construction of student-centric hostels with high-quality facilities and international standards.
Tomar congratulated everyone on the inauguration of the International Hostel 'Madhumaas,' which boasts modern amenities. He emphasized the need for the institute to become a global university with high standards of education and research in agriculture, and he believes that this new hostel is a step towards realizing that goal. He also highlighted the challenges posed by climate change and the increasing demand for food and expressed his confidence in IARI's ability to address these issues.
Kailash Chaudhary, the Union Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, expressed his joy at the construction of the International Hostel, which will contribute to IARI's development as a multidisciplinary university with global standards. He praised the Institute for its advanced crop varieties and technologies, which have played a crucial role in ensuring food and nutritional security in India.
Chaudhary congratulated the Director of IARI for launching undergraduate programs in four subjects, including B.Sc. (Agriculture), B.Tech. (Agricultural Engineering), B.Tech. (Biotechnology), and B.Sc. (Community Science), with a total enrollment of 158 national-level students. He emphasized that these programs would produce high-quality manpower for higher education and create a vibrant campus atmosphere. Chaudhary encouraged the students to learn new techniques and implement them in their own villages to enhance food production and productivity.
The newly inaugurated hostel can accommodate 504 students and includes 400 single-bedded rooms, 56 single-bedded rooms with attached bathroom and kitchen, and 48 family apartments. The complex features a Food Court, Gymnasium, Restaurant, Solar Energy System, Rainwater Harvesting System, Generator-Based Power Backup, Wi-Fi Network, and R.O. water purifiers.
Dr. Himanshu Pathak highlighted the role of ICAR in implementing the New Education Policy 2020 and the significant contributions of IARI in strengthening agricultural research, education, and extension in India. He underscored the institute's phenomenal contributions to various aspects of agricultural development in the country.
