From Director's Desk

Globally reckoned as one of the premier institutions in Southern Asian region, the ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) located at Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP is dedicated for research and development in the field of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. On recommendation of Royal Commission on Cattle Plague, the Institute had its genesis as Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory (IBL) on December 9, 1889 at Pune, and later in 1893, it was relocated to Mukteswar amidst the Kumaon Hills, so as to facilitate segregation and quarantine of highly contagious organisms. The Izatnagar Campus of this Institute came into existence in 1913. In 1925, the IBL was re-designated as Imperial Veterinary Research Institute and after independence, the word ‘Imperial’ was replaced with ‘Indian’ to befittingly rename it as Indian Veterinary Research Institute and having headquarter at Izatnagar. The Institute also has two Regional Campuses (at Mukteshwar and Bengaluru) and three Regional Stations (At Palampur, Kolkata and Pune)

In 1983, the University Grant Commission, accorded the status of Deemed to be University to ICAR-IVRI for awarding Doctoral degrees in 22 disciplines, MVSc/MSc in 19 disciplines, and National diploma courses in 9 important disciplines of veterinary and animal sciences, basic sciences and extension education. Since then, the institute has been imparting quality post-graduate education to scholars not only from India but also overseas, and thereby, contributing immensely to the development of quality human resource bestowed with skills and knowledge necessary for meeting the challenges of the new millennium effectively, besides providing continuing veterinary education-cum-hands-on training to field veterinarians.

Empowered with a strong team of 203 highly qualified and motivated scientists duly supported by 239 technical, 189 administrative, 437 auxiliary and supporting staff, who are currently engaged in research, teaching, training, consultancy and technology transfer/ commercialization; the institute’s research is currently addressing all important fields with clear benchmarking of deliverables by undertaking basic, advanced and applied research.

With a view to make the country self-reliant in the production of veterinary vaccines and diagnostics, a major focus of research at IVRI has been the development of more than 50 immunobiologicals in the form of state-of-the art diagnostics and immunoprophylactics for important livestock diseases of economic importance. The institute has played a significant role in developing many scalable and farmers’ friendly technologies in the field of Animal Health and Production through extensive R&D, besides providing many indigenous vaccines, diagnostics, nutritional supplements, formulations, milk and meat-related technologies. In the process, the institute has been granted 30 patents (including one PCT and one joint patent with TANUVAS), and also registered 21 designs and 41 copyrights. So far, 40 technologies (including 11 vaccines, 7 diagnostics, 6 designs 2 feed technologies, 7 livestoc product technologies and 7 miscellaneous technologies) have been commercialized to 148 commercial houses/ entrepreneurs/ NGOs/ government or private organizations. The latest addition to the rich vaccine portfolio of IVRI is the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) vaccine-named as Lumpi-ProVacInd , which was developed in collaboration with NRCE, Hisar and an MoU for its production along with Goat Pox vaccine was signed with IVBP, Pune on 29th December, 2022. The institute has generated a revenue of nearly 10 crores since January 2021 through sale of its technologies.

The Institute is continuously striving to improve the veterinary education and services in the country through its quality HRD programmes, including short-term training courses for the field veterinarians, national diploma courses, summer schools and advanced courses for the researchers and academicians, Internship courses for the undergraduate students, summer training courses for students from other institutes. Under various international projects assisted by FAO/UNDP, TOMBIT, UK and World Bank for Faculty up-gradation, majority of scientists of Institute have received advanced training in their specialized domains at reckoned institutes around the globe.

The institute has been functioning as an apex national nodal agency for testing and monitoring of the animal and poultry vaccines in the country. Further, ICAR-IVRI continues to play an important role in the quality control and potency testing of immunobiologicals for various stakeholders, and having a good liaison with industries, which represents the inherent and fundamental strength of the institute. Recently, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Govt of India has launched the National Animal Disease Control Programme focusing on important animal diseases, viz., FMD, Brucellosis, PPR and Classical swine fever under the Livestock Health & Disease Control Programme (LHDCP). In order to ensure the quality of veterinary vaccines currently being used under this programme; IVRI along with its Regional Campuses at Mukteswar and Bengaluru as well as CCSNIAH, Baghpat have been entrusted with testing and monitoring the quality of vaccines being used under this ambitious programme.

In the light of guidelines of National Education Policy-2020, the institute is in the process of transforming its education system for making it more responsive, vibrant, pragmatic and need-oriented by re-visiting and re-orienting the mandate of existing schools and centers, while creating some new supporting streams for making its degrees, certifications, trainings need-oriented and tailor-made; fostering collaborations with acclaimed national and international institutions and; strengthening core multidisciplinary research areas of emerging importance; while preserving its professional identity and sanctity for the excellence in the field of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.

On an optimistic note, we continue to serve the nation in a more productive and pragmatic way for a brighter, more rewarding and fulfilling tomorrow.

JAI HIND

(Triveni Dutt)