The 50th foundation day of ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources was a momentous occasion, marked by the presence of distinguished guests Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR, and Dr. D.K. Yadava, Deputy Director General (Crop Science). Dr. G.P. Singh presented a comprehensive report highlighting the institute’s significant achievements, setting the stage for the 12th Dr. Harbhajan Singh memorial lecture. The Director General’s address was particularly noteworthy, as it outlined a strategic roadmap for the institute’s future endeavors, emphasizing the development of a safety duplicate genebank and the importance of focusing on potential crops in the context of nutrition and climate change. The celebration was further enhanced by several key inaugurations and launches. The Director General inaugurated a refurbished PEQ greenhouse for imported germplasm and a state-of-the-art Genome Editing laboratory, underscoring the institute’s commitment to advancing plant genetic research. Additionally, four books were released, and a new app was launched, demonstrating the institute’s efforts in knowledge dissemination and technological innovation. The unveiling of a specially designed logo for the golden jubilee year celebration symbolized the institute’s pride in its half-century of contributions to plant genetic resources conservation and utilization, setting the tone for future aspirations and achievements in this critical field of agricultural science.
