Punjab, UK should work together to face common challenges, say PAU officials

As the world gears up for King Charles III’s coronation as the 40th monarch of Britain on May 6, PAU officials dwell upon the royalty’s visit to the varsity in 1977

Drawing attention to various partnerships between Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and institutions in United Kingdom (UK), PAU officials hope that Punjab and UK can work together, sharing their scientific knowledge, for efficient farming techniques and to tackle common challenges, such as climate change. The officials said that such collaborations, with UK and worldwide, can pave way for global change in agriculture and environment conservation.

Over four decades ago, a 32-year-old King Charles had visited PAU. (HT Archives)

“By combining Punjab’s expertise in crop breeding and precision farming with the UK’s knowledge of genetics and robotics, innovative solutions can be developed to enhance crop productivity and sustainability, collaborations in agricultural education and training can equip the next generation of farmers with the skills to navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing agricultural landscape” said Ajmer Singh Dhatt, director of research at PAU.

As the world gears up for King Charles III’s coronation as the 40th monarch of Britain on May 6, PAU officials dwell upon the royalty’s visit to the varsity in 1977. Over four decades ago, a 32-year-old King Charles was captivated by the three-dimensional physiographic model showcasing the entire geographic landscape of the region during his visit to Uppal Museum of water and power resources of northern India.

Reminiscing the visit, PAU vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal, who was PhD student at the time, witnessed the monarch’s curiosity about “Green Revolution”. King Charles was apprised about the different high-yielding crop varieties, soil and water resources, and dairy farming.

“Today, scientific knowledge has transitioned from individual effort to collective ones, and from national to global domain. Collaboration is among the most effective mechanisms for innovation-centric knowledge flows, especially for research and development institutions. As King Charles III prepares to ascend the throne, I believe that his commitment to tackling global warming and environmental issues, evidenced in his past visit to PAU, will be at the forefront of his reign,” said Gosal.

An awardee of “The Royal Society London Bursary”, Gosal pursued his post doctorate at the University of Nottingham. Additionally, he carried out his research at John Innes Centre, Norwich, and visited various educational and research institutions in UK.