HT Correspondent

JORHAT, July 8: The 8th DN Barua Memorial Lecture, organised as part of the 3rd DN Barua Memorial Tea Colloquium, was delivered by Dr VM Tiwari, Director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), at the Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI), Cinnamara, on Tuesday.

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According to an official statement, Dr Tiwari spoke on the theme “Water, Climate Change and Sustainability”, highlighting the critical economic and ecological importance of water resources, particularly in the context of climate change and population pressures.

He stressed the urgent need for climate-resilient strategies, especially in the ecologically sensitive and biodiversity-rich northeastern region of India.

The event also featured an invited lecture by Somnath Bhattacharyya, Deputy General Manager at Premier Irrigation ADRITEC, along with Saikat Basu from the same organisation, on “Modern Aspects of Irrigation in Tea.” 

They discussed how erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and extreme weather events are increasingly threatening tea production, and emphasised the importance of advanced irrigation systems to mitigate water stress, optimise fertilizer usage, and boost crop resilience and productivity.

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The colloquium saw the presentation of 28 technical papers by young scientists and researchers from TTRI, divided into a non-evaluated session for scientists and technical officers, and an evaluated session for research associates, fellows, and assistants.

In the evaluated session, Dr Ajmeri Sultana Rahman secured the first position, followed by Dr Avishek Dolai in second place, and Rupjyoti Das in third.

All participants received certificates and mementos, with awards presented to the top performers.

In her welcome address, Tea Research Association (TRA) Chairperson Nayantara Palchoudhuri thanked Dr Tiwari and the invited speakers for their participation.

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She highlighted the significance of merging the DN Barua Memorial Lecture with the annual colloquium since 2023, calling it a fruitful initiative.

Palchoudhuri also paid tribute to Dr DN Barua, a pioneering Tocklai scientist remembered for his contributions to tea science and his wide-ranging interests in mythology, astrology, music, and cricket.

Among the dignitaries present were former TRA Chairman and renowned tea planter PK Bezboruah, TRA Director Dr Venkatesan Selvaraj, Chairman of TRA North Bengal Committee Shiv Kumar Saria, and a panel of judges comprising Dr Jayanta Deka, Dr Kartik Neog, Saria, and Deboshyam Baruah.

The programme was attended by several tea planters, researchers, dignitaries from Jorhat, and former and current Tocklai staff.

It concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr Selvaraj, who acknowledged the efforts of all participants, guests, and organisers for the successful hosting of the colloquium.