Dr. Shekhar C. Mande , Director General, CSIR visited Union Territory of Ladakh from 7^th – 10^th October. 2021, during which he took a review of S&T Initiatives of CSIR in Ladakh UT. The Team CSIR under the dynamic leadership of Director General, Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, has envisaged a structured proposal to provide better scientific, technical, medical and societal support to Ladakh. In the first phase, six CSIR Institutes viz. CSIR-IIIM, CSIR-IHBT, CSIR-NBRI, CSIR-NGRI, CSIR-CMERI and CSIR-CLRI have evolved the areas & need based proposals to be implemented in the Ladakh Union Territory.

As prelude to this visit of DG CSIR alongwith Directors and Scientists of participating CSIR Labs., a series of meetings both online & offline were held with Sh.R.K Mathur Lieutenant Governor, Ladakh UT, administrative Secretaries and other senior functionaries of the Ladakh UT Govt. 

On first day, Dr Shekhar C Mande, DG CSIR chaired a meeting with district officers of line departments and also interacted with the farmers and entrepreneurs of Kargil district during which he discussed several measures initiated in different sectors like agriculture, horticulture and industries for the economic upliftment of the region. He also said that CSIR endeavour is to facilitate the farmers to get handsome economic benefits of their produce and the CSIR has many initiatives for growers, farmers and entrepreneurs.

Dr Shekahr Mande assured the farmers and entrepreneurs that scientific and technological advisory and support would be provided for further expansion of the crops, their processing, value addition and marketing to achieve self-sufficiency. He further emphasized the need for integration of apiary with aromatic crop production for maximizing farm productivity and profitability.

Dr. D Srinivasa Reddy, Director CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Director CSIR-IHBT, Palmpur, Dr. Vibha Malhotra Sawhney, Head, TMD-SeMI CSIR HQ, Dr. Mahendra P Darokar, Chief Scientist, CSIR, HQ, New Delhi, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Head CSIR- IIIM (Br) Srinagar, Dr. Sumit Gairola, Sr. Scientist and Nodal Scientist, CSIR-Aroma Mission, CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, Dr. Shahid Rasool Senior Scientist & Nodal Scientist, CSIR Initiatives for Ladakh were in DG CSIR Team.

Dr. D S Reddy, Director CSIR-IIIM gave a brief account of the initiatives taken for the upliftment of Ladakh through MAP cultivation. Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Director CSIR-IHBT discussed the measures for the economic upliftment of farmers and also informed about several schemes beneficial for farmers’ economy and value addition.

Kacho Muhammad Ali Khan, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Kargil has briefed the CSIR Team about several schemes of the agriculture department which can best fit into the initiatives of CSIR. The concerned district officers suggested for the growth of leather production in Kargil region. They also stressed on growth of endemic species in Kargil for generation of employment.

On 3^rd day in the forenoon, Dr. Shekhar C Mande, DG, CSIR alongwith his Team including Dr. D Srinivasa Reddy, Director CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Director CSIR-IHBT, Palmpur, Dr. S.K.Barik, Director, CSIR-NBRI, Luknow, Dr. K.J. Sreeram Director, CSIR-CLRI, Chennai, Dr. Vibha Malhotra Sawhney, Head TMD, CSIR, Dr. Mahendra P Darokar, Chief Scientist, TMD CSIR, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Head CSIR- IIIM (Br) Srinagar, Dr. Sumit Gairola, Sr. Scientist and Nodal Scientist, CSIR-Aroma Mission, CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, Dr. Shahid Rasool Senior Scientist & Nodal Scientist, CSIR Initiatives for Ladakh had detailed deliberations with the district officers of Agriculture Production, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Horticulture Development, Famers, Startups and entrepreneurs of Leh District. On this occasion, Sh. Ravinder Kumar, IAS, Secretary to LG & Secretary (PDD/ITI/Animal & Sheep/Coop), Sh. Shrikant Balasaheb Suse, IAS Deputy Commissioner, Leh were also present.

During this interactive meet, it has been noted that the area has a great demand of bulb production of Tulip and Lilium for commercial cultivation, Field/Mobile distillation units for extraction of essential oils, honey production, Fresh fruit packaging and other value added products, facility for Food Processing & testing and Geo-thermal energy for warming the buildings, Leather processing and value added products and the processing and manufacturing of products with higher nutrition using local resources.

Under CSIR Initiatives, CSIR-IIIM, Jammu has started some activity at the Agriculture Farm, Palam-Leh. DG, CSIR alongwith his whole team has also visited Palam Farm to have onsite review of the activity going on there.

DG, CSIR assured the farmers, startups and entrepreneurs that the CSIR labs. would come up with the robust solutions for the requirements and avenues with special emphasis on the economic prosperity and self sustainability of the region.

On 3^rd day, DG, CSIR had an in person meeting with Shri. Radha Krishna Mathur, Lieutenant Governor and other senior functionaries of Ladakh (UT).

The Ladakh UT was represented by Sh. Umag Narula, IAS, Advisor to Lt. Governor; Dr. Pawan Kotwal, IAS, Principal Secretary, PD & MD; Sh. A.K. Sahu, IAS, Secretary, Housing & Urban Development; Sh. Swagat Biswas, IAS, Secretary, Industries & Commerce; and Sh. Ravinder Singh, IAS, Secretary, Agriculture & Horticulture whileas CSIR was represented by Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Director General & Secretary, DSIR; Dr. Vibha Malhotra Sawhney, Head, TMD-SeMI CSIR HQ; Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Director CSIR-IHBT, Palampur; Dr. S.K. Barik, Director, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow;  Dr. K.J. Sreeram Director, CSIR-CLRI, Chennai; Dr. D.S. Reddy, Director CSIR-IIIM, Jammu; Dr. Mahendra P. Darokar, Chief Scientist, CSIR, HQ, New Delhi; Dr. Vineet Gahalaut, Chief Scientist, CSIR-GNRI, Hyderabad; Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-CMERI Ludhiana Centre; Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Scientist In-Charge, Srinagar Centre of CSIR-IIIM; Dr. Sumeet Gairola, Nodal Scientist for CSIR Aroma Mission activities in Ladakh  and Jammu & Kashmir and Dr. Shahid Rasool, Nodal Scientist, CSIR Initiatives in Ladakh.

During this meeting, DG, CSIR in his opening remarks, has briefed about the CSIR Initiatives in Ladakh (UT) and said that the purpose of his visit to take the stock of various activities being implemented by CSIR in Ladakh (UT).

Dr. Vibha Malhotra Sawhney, Head, TMD-SeMI, CSIR HQr, New Delhi made the detailed presentation on the progress updates under various projects that are being implemented by CSIR in Ladakh (UT).

Lieutenant Governor, Shri. Radha Krishna Mathur while interacting with the CSIR Scientists, expressed his concern regarding the problems being faced by the people of Ladakh (UT) and requested CSIR for the S&T solutions. He appreciated the efforts of CSIR in RT-PCR COVID-19 testing in Ladakh and the implementation of various projects for some of the challenges identified earlier like introduction of high value cash crops, Pashmina goat fodder plants, night soil composting, Sea Buckthorn berry harvester, Ecological mapping and Leather value chain etc.

During the deliberations, the major points emerged during the interactions of CSIR-Team with Farmers, Entrepreneurs and other Stakeholders held at Kargil on 7^th October and Leh on 9^th October putforth were as under :

1. Bulb Production of Tulip and Lilium for commercial cultivation: Training by CSIR and Linkages with TRIFED, APEDA for marketing.
2. Agro-Processing:
• Installation of Field/Mobile distillation units for extraction of essential oil: Rose, Tagetes etc.
• Honey production along with Flowering plants: establishment of clusters including NGOs.
3. Food Processing : Crispy Fruit, Fresh fruit packaging, and other value added products utilizing local resources.
• Common facility for Food Processing.
• Food testing laboratory/ collection centre.
4. Geo-thermal energy for warming the buildings: pilot in Govt. buildings
5. Leather : processing and value added products.
6. Fodder :Processing and manufacturing of products with higher nutrition using local resources.

Lieutenant Governor, Ladakh (UT) appreciated and thanked Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, DG, CSIR for his personal visit to Ladakh to take stock of activities being taken up by CSIR in Ladakh (UT).

Dr. Shekhar C. Mande DG, CSIR thanked LG Ladakh UT for sparing his valuable time and guiding Ladakh (UT) officials and CSIR Scientists for implementing “CSIR Initiatives in Ladakh”.