MPEDA and RGCA Join Hands with Bharathidasan University for Technological Innovations in Fisheries Sector

KOCHI:
Aiming to give a fillip to technology and skill development in the fisheries sector, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA), the Technology Incubation Centre of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) will collaborate with Bharthidasan University (accredited A grade by NAAC), Tiruchirapalli, the biggest university in Tamil Nadu.
In recognition of its milestone achievements, Bharathidasan University has now affiliated MPEDA – RGCA as an accredited research centre for conducting research leading to Ph.D.in marine sciences. MPEDA – RGCA, the youngest among the aquaculture R&D centres in the country, has made creditable achievements in aquaculture technology development and has been making rapid strides over the last few years.
“MPEDA – RGCA is a highly multidisciplinary organisation with strong inter-disciplinary linkages and has crossed many milestones towards achieving excellence in aquaculture. Time is now ripe for MPEDA – RGCA to associate more with the aquaculture industry and also with other research organizations,” said Dr. A. Jayathilak, who is the Chairman of MPEDA and the President of RGCA.
MPEDA – RGCA has been doing yeoman service to the aqua sector through the establishment of a pioneering Broodstock Multiplication Centre for Litopenaus vannamei (white leg shrimp) at Visakhapatnam; Aquatic Quarantine Facility (AQF) for L. vannamei in Chennai; and the NABL-accredited pathology and genetic laboratories at Sirkali (Tamil Nadu). It has also fastened the diversification of India’s aquaculture by providing seed and culture technologies for the commercial production of species like Asian Seabass, Mangrove Crab, Pompano, Cobia, Artemia and GIFT.
B. Sreekumar, Secretary, MPEDA noted that RGCA can take the Indian aquaculture industry to new heights in the coming years through the transfer of the already standardized technologies, plans and other relevant information.
Dr. R. Babu Rajendran, Registrar, Bharthidasan University, has informed that discussion is also underway for entering into another MoU with MPEDA-RGCA for faculty exchange, students’ training/internship and other collaborative research programmes.
The decision of MPEDA to associate with the Bharathidasan University was formalized at a meeting held at the University on Tuesday. It was attended by Dr. R. Thirumurugan, Controller of Examinations; Dr. Arthur James, Head, Department of Marine Sciences; Dr. P. Santhanam, Asst. Professor, Department of Marine Sciences; Bharathi Dasan University; Dr. S. Kandan, Project Director; Dr. T. G. Manojkumar, Project Coordinator; and Dr. Anup Mandal, Project Manager, MPEDA – RGCA.