Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 12: Prof. Parshant Bakshi, a distinguished academic figure in the field of Fruit Science with over two decades of experience, has been awarded a prestigious Fellowship for his exceptional work in Fruit Science. Currently serving as the Head of the Division of Fruit Science in the Faculty of Horticulture & Forestry at SKUAST-Jammu and Incharge of the Centre for Organic and Natural Farming, Chatha, Dr. Bakshi has made remarkable contributions to the agricultural community, is all set to embark on a journey of international learning and collaboration. He has been awarded a prestigious fellowship under the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) is an initiative of ICAR that aims to promote excellence in higher education and agricultural research. His selection to undertake an International Training and Exposure visit at IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia reflects his outstanding contributions to the field of Fruit Science and his dedication to advancing agricultural education and research.
During his visit to IPB University in Bogor, Indonesia, Dr. Bakshi will participate in an intensive training program for 50 days w.e.f. October 16, 2023.
The program is expected to provide him with valuable insights and exposure to the latest developments in the field of tropical fruit production especially durian, avocado, dragon fruit, ATS and jointly preparation of policy papers and research projects with his counterparts in IPB in related areas. Dr. Bakshi expressed his enthusiasm about this opportunity, saying, “I am truly honored to have been selected for this prestigious fellowship.
This experience will not only broaden my horizons but also enable me to bring back valuable knowledge and practices to benefit our students and the broader agricultural community.” Dr. Bakshi expressed his gratitude to Prof. B.N.Tripathi, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor SKUAST-J, Dr. R.C.Aggarwal, National Director, NAHEP, and Prof. Vikas Sharma, Coordinator, NAHEP IDP SKUAST-J, for granting him a fellowship to pursue an International Training/Exposure visit at IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia.
Dr. Bakshi’s impressive career has spanned teaching, research, extension and project management. He has provided guidance to numerous undergraduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. students in the field of Fruit Science, having supervised 9 M.Sc. and 6 Ph.D. students as the major advisor, and contributed as an advisory member for 36 M.Sc. and 30 Ph.D. students.
His influence extends beyond academia, with a notable portfolio of 120 research papers published in national and international journals like Scientia Horticulturae, Food Chemistry, Journal of Food Science & Technology, 11 review papers, 30 book chapters, 12 books, and 40 popular articles.
His outstanding achievements in the field have earned him recognition, including the Fellowship Award from the Hi-tech Horticultural Society of India in 2012 and the Best Citizen of India Award in 2014 from the International Publishing House. Dr. Bakshi is a life-member of 15 professional societies related to Horticulture and allied Sciences.
His past achievements include, being awarded the MASHAV fellowship by the Ministry of External Affairs, Israel, and being nominated as an expert from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, to participate in the International Workshop and Regional Expert Consultation on Strengthening Mountain Agriculture Development and Food Security and Nutrition Governance in Beijing, China, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He has also delivered an invited lecture at an International Conference on Global Initiatives for Sustainable Development in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Bakshi’s contributions to the field are notable, including his work on the rejuvenation of mango in Raj Bhawan, Jammu, control of black tip of mango, high-density orcharding in mango and guava, maturity indices of sub-tropical fruits, strawberry cultivation, and molecular characterization of walnut and mango. His work has significantly improved the income of farmers in the region, particularly in mango, guava, strawberry, anardana, aonla, apple, and walnut production. He has also introduced new fruit varieties such as Jammu mango (Selection- 5), JWSP-06 and SJPW-1 (Walnut varieties) and Lime selection 1001 (Lime variety).
As a passionate educator and advocate for sustainable agriculture, Dr. Bakshi has a substantial online presence.
His YouTube channel, [@parshantbakshi](link to the channel), has garnered over 10,352 hours of viewed time and 3.57 lakh views.
The channel features informative videos on high-density planting, mango rejuvenation, pit preparation, and fruit plant planting, providingb practical knowledge to fruit growers. Additionally, his web lectures on fruit production technologies, propagation of fruit plants, and orchard layout are valuable resources for aspiring farmers, students, and teachers. His contribution in DAKSH KISAN as Coordinator(s) for online material generation for farmers in hindi and dogri language on Organic input certification, Production of Designer fruit plants, Promotion of Niche crops are duly acknowledged.
Dr. Bakshi’s commitment to environmental conservation is exemplified by his planting of over 13,000 fruit plants under the "Save Horticulture" initiative over the past seven years. He actively encourages individuals to plant fruit or herbal plants on their birthdays as a sustainable and eco- friendly gesture.
Notably, Dr. Bakshi’s video on "Walk and talk in Dogri: Strawberry Organic Farming" received the prestigious title of the best language video in Dogri at the Manage Agri Film Festival 2022, held at the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, on March 11, 2022.
Dr. Parshant Bakshi’s unwavering dedication to advancing horticulture and his remarkable achievements in the field continue to make a significant impact on the agricultural community. |
