CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu celebrated the 141st Birth Anniversary of Col. Sir R.N.Chopra, the Founder Director of IIIM, here today.

To commemorate his birth anniversary, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM, Jammu alongwith Scientists, Technical & Administrative Staff, Scholars and other workers paid respectful homage to him by offering floral tribute over the statue of Col.R.N.Chopra.

On the occasion, which addressing the gathering, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed recalled the mission and vision of this great son of the soil and told that Col. R.N.Chopra was a pride of Jammu, known as father of Indian Pharmacology, who at that time when no facilities were available, had done quite remarkable work on Cannabis and other potential medicinal plants.In 1964, he was first to introduce Mentha arvenisis, to India, later named as Mentha Shivalik and brought it under cultivation by which India became its largest exporter in the world.

Dr. Ahmed added that Col. R.N.Chopra, about more than 80 years ago established this institute of national importance in the area of natural products drug discovery and started the journey of Science here.

He further entrusted his S&T colleagues of CSIR-IIIM that the real tribute to this great scientist would be if we strive hard to accomplish his dreams of doing cutting edge science which would have far reaching impact nationally and globally as well.

Prominent among many other present were Er. Abdul Rahim, Head RMBD & IST, Dr. Anindya Goswami, Sr. Principal Scientist, Dr. Asha Chaubey, Head, Fermentation and Microbial Biotechnology Division, Dr. Dhiraj Vyas, Head, Plant Sciences and Agrotechnology Division (PSA) and Dr. Saurabh Saran, I/C Technology Business Incubator and AIC.