HYDERABAD, JULY 07, 2025: The 114th Foundation Course for Agricultural Research Service (FOCARS) was inaugurated at ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) on Monday (July 7, 2025). It’s the flagship programme of the Academy where in newly recruited Agricultural Research Service (ARS) probationary scientists are given foundation training.
Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director General, International Crop Research Institute for Semiarid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, while addressing as chief guest, advocated the young scientists not to allow difficulties to surpass their ambition; to work in a team; to do the things differently to achieve many milestones in their career. He motivated the budding scientists by advising them to justify the path they travelled to reach this place by contributing to agricultural growth while meeting the sector demands.
Dr. HP Singh, Former Deputy Director General (Hort. Sciences), ICAR, was the Guest of Honour on the occasion. He highlighted the challenges faced by contemporary agriculture, such as the need for feeding an increasing population, limited availability of natural resources, the need for sustainable use of natural resources and the need for facilitating resilience in agriculture through cutting-edge research. He also narrated the scope of peri-urban horticulture in the context of “Viksit Bharath-2047”. He advocated the budding scientists to emerge as leaders in the sector.
Dr. Gopal Lal, Acting Director, ICAR-NAARM, briefed about FOCARS and the activities of the Academy, and administered the oath of the young probationers.
Scientist probationers, numbering 105, representing 41 disciplines of ARS and 21 states of the Country are undergoing foundation training of 3-months duration. Dr. R Venkattakumar, Principal Scientist and Head, Extension Systems Management (XSM) Division and Dr. Umesh Hudedamani, Principal Scientist, Research Systems Management (RSM) Division of the Academy, are the Course Directors. Faculty, scientists staff of the Academy took part in the inauguration function.
