“Horticulture is not just only provides the primary source of food for the native people in the country but it also helps in achieving sustainable development essentially and identically important for nation-building through strengthening the economy. The primordial way of producing essential food provides livelihood to millions of rural folks in the country directly and indirectly thereby makes the nation self-reliant in producing the required amount of vegetables, food, fruits and flowers besides generating employment and revenue identically to propel the country’s development,” asserted the Governor Dr.Tamilisai Soundararajan while addressing the first Horticultural Convocation of Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural University (SKLTSHU) today at PJTSAU University Auditorium, Rajendranagar.
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Farm families toil hard to bring all necessary nutritional food especially the vegetables and fruit on the table of millions of people thereby boosting their immunity and strengthening their physical health, she said, adding that “The COVID-19 pandemic has bring the world exceptionally closer to importance of horticulture and the front line farmers who are toiling hard to feed millions of people and provide them the much needed food to survive besides taking a good care of their health incognito. This trend brings up the United Nations General Assembly to designate 2021 as the “International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IVFV 2021.”
Dr.Trilochan Mohapatra, the secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), said, “I am happy to share that the university has set itself definite and tangible goals on its state priorities. Horticulture crops constitute a significant segment of the total agricultural produce of the country. It is increasingly recognized as a sunrise sector owing to its potential in raising farm income, providing livelihood, nutritional security and getting foreign exchange through export.”
Terming the convocation a historic day for SKLTSHU that coincides with the World Health Day, The Vice Chancellor Dr.B.Neeraja Prabhakar said that “A healthy body requires a balanced nutrient that primarily comes from Vegetables and Fruits. Owing to the importance of vegetables and fruits in daily diet the ongoing year 2021 has declared as the “International Year of Fruit and Vegetables.”
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During the convocation four university gold medals awarded to B.Sc (Hons) Horticulture to OGPA topper of 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 pass out batches. Four university gold medals awarded to M.Sc. Horticulture to OGPA toppers of 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 pass out batches. Similarly, sponsored Gold Medals of Smt.C.Pramila and Sri.C.Jeevan Raj Memorial awarded to OGPA topper Girls of M.Sc Horticulture of 2016 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 pass out batches. University also conferred gold medals to four students who secured the highest OGPA among all in B.Sc (Hons) Horticulture for the same corresponding year pass outs.
