On June 09, 2025, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan laid the foundation stone of the Shri Ann Global Centre of Excellence and Advanced Phenomics Complex at the ICAR-Indian Shri Ann Research Institute. Government has approved Rs 250 crore for this major initiative, aimed at advancing millet research and innovation on a global scale.
This development follows the government’s decision on March 18, 2023, to upgrade the institute into a Global Centre of Excellence under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The centre will operate through seven core components focused on promoting and disseminating millets (Shri Ann), recognized for their nutritional value and climate resilience.
During the event, Chouhan sampled various millet-based products and praised their health benefits and contribution to sustainable agriculture. He emphasized that millets, as superfoods, are not only rich in nutrients but also enhance soil health and reduce environmental impact.
Addressing the media, the Minister reiterated the government's commitment to promoting millets globally and expressed hope that the new facility would strengthen India's leadership in millet innovation. Dr. C. Tara Satyavati, Director of BASRI Anusandhan, presented an overview of the institute’s activities and its future plans.
Chouhan, along with other dignitaries, visited incubation centres, interacted with startups and farmer producer organizations (FPOs), and participated in a tree plantation drive on campus. One entrepreneur, Ram Subba Reddy, shared how he left his job in Delhi to start millet cultivation and processing, which has now grown into a successful business providing employment to many others.
Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary, Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummula Nageswara Rao, Member of Parliament K. Visvesvar Reddy, ICAR Director General Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, and the Vice Chancellor of PJTSAU, along with senior officials from various ICAR institutions were present on the occasion.
