With recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Eastern Regional Station (ERS) of ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) was established in 1970 at Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) as a joint venture between ICAR-IVRI and All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health (GoI) to train specialists in veterinary public health, leading to the degree of Master in Veterinary Public Health (MVPH) of University of Calcutta. In 1987, the Regional Station was shifted to erstwhile Bengal Veterinary College campus and thereafter, the Directors of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service of Eastern and North-Eastern States recommended strengthening of this regional station of ICAR-IVRI to address the regional problems. Govt. of West Bengal provided 1.5 acres of land at Belgachia, Kolkata for establishment of its own administrative-cum-laboratory building and 30 acres of land at Kalyani for development of experimental farm complex in 1996. Accordingly, the Regional Station started functioning in its own establishment w. e. f. December 25, 2002.

The Regional Station is at present engaged in basic and applied research on various animal diseases prevalent in eastern and north-eastern region. The station also undertakes systematic epidemiological survey contributing to address the zoonotic and other animal diseases of importance in the region. Further, the scientists are making concerted efforts in development of improved diagnostics and disease monitoring system to address the animal health issues for all-round development of animal resources.

Eastern Regional Station, ICAR-IVRI, Kolkata is engaged in imparting post-graduate education under the aegis of ICAR-IVRI (Deemed to be University), Izatnagar. Specialized training courses in the frontier areas of veterinary science are also organized for the field veterinary veterinarians in collaboration with Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department of State Govts. The Regional Station is regularly conducting capacity building programme on “scientific goat and pig farming” mostly for unemployed youths, farmers and entrepreneurs. Training on “Laboratory Diagnosis of Animal Diseases and Zoonoses” is also organized for veterinary officers. Apart from these, off-campus training programmes mostly on zoonotic diseases (zoonotic tuberculosis, anthrax and rabies), antimicrobial resistance of food and companion animals etc. are also conducted for awareness among the livestock owners, meat handlers and farmers.

Further, the regional station is acting as a window for dissemination of technology at the grass-root level for improvingthe socio-economic status of resource poor farmers and empowering women of the region through implementation of different flagship programmes such as Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SC SP), Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) and North Eastern Hill (NEH) programmes. Under these programmes, different activities including distribution of inputs (animals/birds and feed supplements), organization of animal health and vaccination camps and Kisan Goshti-cum-Awareness Camps are conducted to improve the livestock health and production. Further, at Kalyani campus of the regional station, an elite flock of black Bengal goats and Ghungroo pigs are being maintained. After selective breeding and propagation, the germplasm of Ghungroo pigs and black Bengal goats are disseminated to resource poor farmers with a focus to make them “ATMANIRVAR” and improve livelihood security through enhanced farm income.

Eastern Regional Station, ICAR-IVRI, Kolkata, is also organizing as well as participating in exhibitions/melas from time to time by setting up of exhibition stalls where technologies developed by ICAR-IVRI are showcased and demonstrated to various stakeholders, including the farmers and entrepreneurs. Besides, the scientists are also participating in Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav (MGMG) Programme in adopted villages and organizing interface meet to improve the awareness of farmers about zoonotic diseases and scientific animal husbandry.