Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSKHPKV), Palampur, concluded its fifth long-duration training course for Indian defence personnel titled “Protected cultivation and value addition of vegetables and horticultural crops.”
The training programme, which commenced on February 9, witnessed the successful participation of 38 defence personnel comprising 23 personnel from the Army, five from the Navy, and 10 from the Air Force.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Ashok Kumar Panda graced the valedictory function as the chief guest and distributed certificates to the participants on the successful completion of the course. Lt Col Harneet Singh Badshah from Alhila Army Station attended the programme as the special guest.
Welcoming the chief guest and special guest, Director of Extension Education Dr Vinod Sharma highlighted the significance of such training programmes in equipping defence personnel with practical knowledge and entrepreneurial skills in protected cultivation and value addition technologies.
Dr Panda congratulated all the trainees for successfully completing the course and appreciated their dedication towards acquiring advanced agricultural skills. He said protected cultivation and value addition technologies held immense potential for generating sustainable livelihood opportunities and strengthening the agricultural economy. He also encouraged the participants to utilise the knowledge gained during the training to promote modern and profitable farming practices.
Lt Col Harneet Singh Badshah appreciated the efforts of the university in organising the skill-oriented programme for defence personnel. He stated that these trainings provided valuable exposure and practical knowledge that could greatly benefit defence personnel during and after their service career. He also lauded the university faculty and coordinators for successfully conducting the long-duration programme.
Training incharge Dr Lav Bhushan presented a detailed report on the course content, practical exposure and training activities conducted during the programme. He also shared the experiences and feedback of the participants, who appreciated the comprehensive and hands-on nature of the training. Dr Bhushan also expressed gratitude to the Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR), New Delhi, for sponsoring such training programmes under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the university.
The university has been actively organising such capacity-building programmes for defence personnel to promote skill development and self-employment opportunities in the agriculture and horticulture sectors.
