In a bid to foster collaboration between the academic community and farmers, around 50 village sarpanchs from Delhi participated in the ‘Vichaar Vimarsh’ seminar organized under the banner of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) in Dwarka. This initiative, supported by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, aims to strengthen the bond between the university and the farming community.

The event saw active participation from the university fraternity and farmers, marking the ‘Amrit Kaal’ at the GGSIPU campus. The university has taken a significant step by establishing a dedicated cell with over 20,000 students engaged in bridging the gap between the academic and farming sectors.

During the seminar, Padmashri Prof. (Dr.) Mahesh Verma, Vice Chancellor of GGSIPU, emphasized the pivotal role of farmers and the rural community in India’s development. He stated, “We cannot imagine a developed India without the involvement of farmers and the rural community.” Prof. Verma underscored the importance of sensitizing farmers to new technologies, improved seeds, and fertilizers for enhancing crop yields. He advocated for the concept of a ‘Digital Gram’ with better health and education facilities.

Chaudhary Surendra Solanki, Farmers’ leader (Pradhan), emphasized the need to develop all 360 villages in Delhi as ‘Model Villages’ for India to truly become a developed nation. He highlighted the potential benefits of organic farming in curbing fatal diseases caused by pesticide use and called upon the university to play a vital role in farmer education.

Prof. (Dr.) Anuj Kumar Vaksha, Director of Viksit Bharat @2047 Cell, welcomed participants and outlined the objectives of the initiative. The ‘Health Mela’ organized earlier benefited over 3 lakh people in the community, providing health services to nearby villagers.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Varun Joshi, NSS in-charge, highlighted the importance of such collaborative efforts in promoting overall community well-being.

The event showcased the commitment of GGSIPU towards fostering a symbiotic relationship between academia and agriculture, contributing to the holistic development of rural areas.