JOIN USTheir hearts beat for agriculture and they dream of bringing in a revolution to farming in the country.
Gold medallists of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (UAS-B) want to work for strengthening Indian agriculture with technology and empowering it with youth participation.
At the university’s 48th convocation on Sunday, three BSc (Agriculture) graduates won as many as nine gold medals each.
In all, the university awarded 129 gold medals to 16 undergraduate, 21 postgraduate and 13 PhD candidates.
In all, 566 undergraduate candidates, 59 PhD, 169 MSc (Agri) - Bangalore, eight MSc (Agri) - Shimoga, seven MTech (Agri Engg) - Bangalore, six MSc (Forestry) - Ponnampet (Kodagu district) and 32 MBA (ABM) candidates - Bangalore were conferred degrees.
Two of the BSc graduates who have been awarded nine gold medals for excellence in academics dream of making it big as IAS officers to intervene at policy level in improving the situation of agriculture in the country.
Speaking to reporters after the convocation, Akshatha H, one of the candidates, said, “I want to explore ideas that would make youth hold on to agriculture.
It is all our responsibility to do it.” She plans to pursue postgraduation in Agri-economics.
“By the time I complete PG, I want to have cleared the civil services exam,” said the student, adding that she was particular about completing her education in India and did not want to go abroad.
N M, a native of Tumkur, also wants to make it as an IAS officer. She is currently pursuing MSc in Entomology at UAS, Bangalore.
“I want to ensure a corruption-free system to help the programmes reach farmers,” she said.
Backbone of her family
Asha I S, a student from Chikmagalur, also has won nine gold medals. Currently pursuing MSc in Genetics and Plant Breeding, she seeks to ensure a comfortable living for her family.
Though she is keen on continuing academics, she faces financial constraints.
“I would love to pursue academics, but I might not be able to, as I would have to look after my family.My parents worked hard to support my education, but now I would like to take care of them.”
Mamathalakshmi N, a PhD candidate who was awarded four gold medals, is working with an aim for technology transfer to farmers.
Farmers get 20 pc tech
“Only 20 per cent of the technology available gets transferred to farmers,” she said, sharing her plans to find solutions to farmers’ problems in the State.
Her research thesis focused on agriculture labourers in Karnataka.
She has already been appointed as an assistant professor at UAS, Bangalore, and is currently part of four projects including one on integrated farming system and another on greenhouse technology.
Bhuvana N, a postgraduate student, won three gold medals for excelling in MSc, Agriculture Extension.
At present, she is pursuing master’s in Humboldt University and plans to do PhD in the Netherlands.
Her focus is to study the technology in the European Union and implement that in India, she said.