DG, ICAR Visits ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai

22 February 2026, Mumbai

Dr M. L. Jat, Secretary, DARE & Director General, ICAR, visited the ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai, today.

During the visit, Dr Jat inaugurated a Start-Up Exhibition showcasing products and innovations from around 25 start-ups supported under the RKVY-RAFTAAR Agri-Business Incubation programme. An interaction session with institute staff and start-up representatives was subsequently held at the Jubilee Hall.

In his address, the DG, ICAR encouraged the institute’s staff to continuously evolve and bring forth their best capabilities to address the concerns of farmers and other stakeholders. He emphasized that the scientific community should remain in a constant state of preparedness while strengthening its fundamental research base. He also urged the institute to align its activities with developments at ICAR Headquarters and work in accordance with the policies of the Government of India.

Dr Jat visited several laboratories, including fibre testing, mechanical processing, nanocellulose pilot plant, biomass characterization, and genomics facilities. He reviewed the status of the institute’s nano fertilizer testing facility and advised scientists to deepen their understanding of the underlying science governing nanofertilizer interactions in plants. He also appreciated ICAR-CIRCOT’s work on enhancing xylitol production using CRISPR/Cas9 technology.

Earlier, Dr S. K. Shukla, ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai presented a brief overview of the institute’s research achievements and new initiatives.

Dr N. P. Sahu, Director, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai and Dr N. G. Patil, Director, ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, New Delhi were also present on the occasion.

On this occasion, three publications—ICAR-CIRCOT: A Glimpse, Udaan, and Amber 2025 were released by the dignitaries.

Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for licensing the technology “Nano-zinc oxide finished cotton textiles” was signed with M/s. VSK Textiles, Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu, in the presence of the DG, ICAR.

(Source: ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai)