Earth and Habitat (Commonwealth Union) _ The DST-Technology Enabling Center (TEC) at the University of Ladakh (UoL) recently hosted the successful ‘Ladakh Agrithon 2024,’ a landmark event that united technocrats, researchers, entrepreneurs, startups, and progressive farmers to explore and present cutting-edge agricultural solutions.
This event, held at UoL’s Leh campus, provided a vibrant platform for showcasing innovative ideas and product prototypes across various agricultural themes, including precision agriculture, crop and horticulture farming, farm mechanization, digital agriculture and automation, supply chain and logistics, post-harvest and food technology, and overall agricultural innovation.
Chief guest Dr. Sandipan Mukherjee, Head of the GB-Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, lauded the TEC-UoL team led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. S.K. Mehta for their efforts in organizing the Agrithon. He highlighted the significant projects from the GB-Pant Institute addressing Ladakh’s cold arid agricultural conditions, emphasizing their potential impact on similar environments.
Nawang Tundup, I/C Registrar of UoL and Co-Coordinator of TEC-UoL, reaffirmed the center’s mission to foster a robust technology development ecosystem and support emerging agripreneurs in Ladakh. The event was also marked by a warm welcome from Jigmet Stobdan, Co-Coordinator of TEC-UoL, and a detailed overview by Dr. Mohd Rafee, Co-Coordinator of TEC-UoL.
A diverse jury panel, including experts like Dr. Rakshak Kumar from Tripura University and Sonam Lotus from IMD, evaluated 35 participants showcasing a wide range of agricultural technologies and ideas. The entries were judged based on novelty, commercialization potential, and societal impact.
The Agrithon concluded with the announcement of winners and runners-up in various categories, who were awarded cash prizes and certificates of appreciation. Dr. Mehboob Ali, Co-Coordinator of DST-TEC, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all participants and attendees, and shared the organizers’ enthusiasm for future events promoting agricultural innovation in Ladakh.
The event not only facilitated the exchange of groundbreaking ideas but also set the stage for future advancements in agricultural technology, contributing significantly to the sustainable development of Ladakh’s agricultural sector.
