Technology missions as a way to achieve set goals

Abstract

My esteemed members of the General Body and Executive Committee of the Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding and Fellow Scientists: I consider it a privilege and honour to be the President of one of the oldest, largest and prestigious societies of the country, namely, the Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding. I had the privilege of being associated with this society for a long time ever-since I joined the then Botany Division (now Division of Genetics) of the IARI in 1952 and served it in various capacities as a Member, Secretary, Vice President and President. Thanks to the great vision of the founding fathers of the Society who met at the Indian Science Congress held at the Holy City of Banaras in 1941 and took a decision to start our Society to strengthen plant breeding and genetics and enable our scientists to pUblish the results of their investigations in the Society's official publication, The Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding. Sir T S Venkataraman, Dr W Burns, Dr K Ramaiah, Rao Bahadur Chowdhury Ram Dhan Singh, Dr B P Pal, are some of the main persons who laid the foundation to this Society. Dr B P Pal the doyen of the Plant Breeders of India was instrumental in nurturing this Society in various capacities for a number of years and took personal interest in the growth of the Society till his death., Great many scientists, past and present, who played a critical role in the agricultural development of India were the office bearers of this Society. On this occasion let us remember all these great men, follow their footsteps and take the Society to new heights in the years to come.