TIRUCHY: By elevating pulses and millets into value-added products, India can secure a massive footprint in the global market, observed N Kalaiselvi, Director General of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) here on Friday.
Addressing the graduates during the fourth convocation at National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, Thanjavur (NIFTEM-T), Kalaiselvi stated that India has not only been accredited as a big global market player but also a country which is capable of facing and solving diverse challenges.
“Under the Viksit Bharat scheme, the country would become a fully developed nation by 2047 in terms of science and technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly the food processing industry," claimed Kalaiselvi.
Pointing out that the country has been witnessing a vast development in Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, biotechnology, robotics, precision farming, smart packaging, alternative proteins and nutritional food products, she said, “Our scientists have been developing not only tasty and low-cost food products but also products with solutions for lifestyle diseases."
She also advocated that the experts should prioritise identifying the unexplored Indian pulses in the global market and produce value-added products from pulses and millets, which would have a great global market value and align with the changing trend of the oats market.
Kalaiselvi appealed to the scientists not to limit their research to mere presentation of research papers but to create an impact with their new findings. She also asked the new graduates to concentrate on academic ventures as well as entrepreneurship.
Later, Kalaiselvi conferred degrees upon 63 UG graduates, 40 PG graduates and seven PhD. NIFTEM-T Director V Palanimuthu welcomed and presented the annual report.