On June 11, 2025, the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Chandigarh, proudly announces the successful conclusion of its two-day regional workshop on "Teachers Training and Capacity Building on Medicinal Plants Value Chain." This was held from June 10th to 11th, 2025. This highly impactful event, organized jointly by NITTTR Chandigarh, RCFC of Joginder Nagar (HP), and Vidya Bharati, brought together 120 enthusiastic teachers from schools across Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, UT Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and UT of Ladakh, marking a significant step towards promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
The workshop was inaugurated on June 11th with the esteemed presence of Gulabchand Kataria, Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the UT of Chandigarh, as the Chief Guest.
In his inspiring address, Kataria lauded NITTTR Chandigarh for organizing such crucial educational and training events, emphasizing the paramount importance of biodiversity conservation.
He highlighted the ‘Vidya Bharati movement’ and its remarkable reach of 10 crore people from 2 crore families actively involved in establishing domestic medicinal plant gardens (Aushadhiya Vatikas). Sharing poignant personal memoirs from his childhood in rural Rajasthan, he underscored how his grandmother instilled in them the values of natural resource conservation through daily life, resonating deeply with the audience.
Following the address by the Governor, a booklet titled "Cultivating Success: A Case Study on Omprakash passion for medicinal plants" was officially released.
Deshraj Sharma, Regional Head of Vidya Bharati North India, also graced the occasion and strongly advocated for more such training programs for teachers, envisioning a large national movement to empower communities in conserving medicinal plants and natural resources.
Dr. Bholaram Gurjar, Director, NITTTR Chandigarh, extended a warm welcome and expressed his sincere gratitude to the guests and all participants. He specifically praised the Department of Rural Development for their extraordinary efforts in orchestrating such a community-relevant and impactful educational and training event. Dr. Gurjar further elaborated on NITTTR's commitment, now as a deemed university, to consistently prioritize and implement mass-scale training programs on themes of significant community relevance.
Dr. Upendranath Roy, Head of Department of Rural Development, NITTTR Chandigarh, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the country's medicinal plant production, highlighting its immense potential for achieving self-reliance through a robust medicinal plant economy for farming families. This presentation set the stage for a series of engaging and insightful discussions and presentations that unfolded over the two days, marked by enthusiastic participation and response from all attendees, notably with a strong presence and active involvement of women farmers and teachers in the dialogues.
The workshop schedule included enriching sessions on "Educating Young Minds about the Importance of Herbal Plants," "Establishment of Herbal Gardens," and "Multiple Benefits of Medicinal Plants," delivered by experts such as Er. Sunil Dhiman, Om Parkash, and Dr. Baljinder Kaur. A highly anticipated field visit was organized on the afternoon of June 10th to the Herbal Park at Savahitkari Jitender Veer Senior Secondary School, Sector 71, Mohali, where participants were introduced to an impressive collection of 150 herbal species meticulously conserved by Omprakash, Regional Environment Coordinator, Vidya Bharati.
A key highlight of the workshop was a stimulating competition among participants to identify 10 medicinal plants and compose an essay on their medicinal usage. The competition winners were:
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First Prize: Sapna Sharma, Bhartiya Vidyamandir, Katra, J&K
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Second Prize: Rachana, SSb Sarswati Bal Mandir, New Delhi
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Third Prize: Surinder Kumar, SBM Saraswati Vidya Mandir, Uchana Mandi (HP)
The event concluded with a successful awards ceremony, celebrating the participants' dedication and knowledge. NITTTR Chandigarh remains committed to fostering such vital initiatives that contribute significantly to national development and environmental stewardship.
