India
The seventh international “Fascination of Plants Day” around 18 May 2024 will be launched by plant scientists across the world under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO).
The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture and sustainable production of nutritious food, as well as for horticulture, forestry and the production of plant-based non-food products such as paper, timber, chemicals, energy and pharmaceuticals. The role of plants in environmental conservation is also a key message.
One Day Plant Awareness Programme will be organized for the Students. The programme will include:
- Visit to CSIR-NBRI Botanic Garden and its facilities.
- Visit to Exposition of the CSIR-NBRI.
- Interaction with the scientists.
- Thematic presentations.
Events organized on the occasion of the Fifth International Fascination of Plants Day 2019 on 24 May, 2019 at Department of Botany, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi – 110062
- Guided visit to herbal garden
- Guided visit to research facilities in various labs
- Lecture on the importance of plants
- Distribution of Certificate of Participation to the students
“Fascination of Plants Day” (FoPD) was celebrated in the Department of Botany, University of Delhi from 10.00AM to 11.30Am on 20th May, 2019. Fifty six students and two teachers from Queen Mary’s School, Northend, Model Town, Delhi participated in the celebrations. In his introductory address, Head, Department of Botany, Prof. K. S. Rao highlighted the significance of FoPD and the significant contributions of the Botany Department in the areas of plant tissue culture and plant biotechnology. Eminent Professors of the Department, Prof. S. B. Babbar, Prof. Suman Lakhanpaul and Prof. P. L. Uniyal spoke about various aspects of plants life, such as, plant diversity, importance of plants, domestication of crop plants and the role of plants in conservation and greening of earth. During the open day, students were informed about the scope of studying botany and various facilities available in the Department for pursuing higher studies.
Events planned for FoPD 2019 on 18 May, 2019 at Department of Botany, Jamia Hamdard
- Popular thematic lecture
- Visit to different laboratories
- Discussions/deliberations on importance of plants (medicinal plants in particular) for sustainable development
- Visit to Herbal garden
A one day event will be held on 13th May 2019 at CSIR-NBRI. The Botanic Garden and all the Research Laboratories of the Institute will be open for all between 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Some of the major attractions would be:
- Guided visit of school children to different plant houses in the Botanic garden
- Screening of science films
- Interactions with the scientists
On May 18th, 2019 European Plant Science Organization (EPSO) in association with Amity University Haryana joined their hands to celebrate the fifth international “Fascination of Plants Day” (FoPD). To generate awareness among school children, a team from AUH travelled to the RPS International School, Rewari, Haryana. Dr. Kaustav Bandyopadhyay, Amity Institute of Biotechnology gave a popular lecture in front of the students of 12th grade, science. The lecture was entitled ‘Can we save our planet (and ourselves)?’. The first part of the talk described how the population of 7-10 bn by 2050 would bring unbearable pressure on environment and food security. Dr. Bandyopadhyay also told the students that doubling the current agricultural yield in a sustainable manner is the only possible solution for this. The second part of the lecture featured the current advances in transgenic technology to meet multiple problems in the agricultural sector. Dr. Bandyopadhyay also reminded the students that multiple fronts are active against bringing in new technologies, but the future generation must become advocates of science, and conservation of plants. He also encouraged the students to become plant biologists in future.
FoPD celebrations in the School of Life Sciences, Jawahar Lal University, involved an invigorating lecture by an eminent world renowned Plant Scientist, Prof. Govindjee, University of Illinois, USA. He enlightened about 100 children from various schools in New Delhi, India, with the unique world of plants. He focused on an important universal topic, Photosynthesis, Making it very interesting by including song videos on photo synthesis. After an interactive session with the speaker, the children were taken around various facilities in the school which included central instrument facility, glass houses for transgenic and non-transgenic plants and nursery for experimental plants including medicinal plants. The event coincided with golden jubilee celebration of JNU and was encouraged by vibrant presence of faculty, staff, students, school co-ordinator, national co-ordinator and Dean, School of Life Sciences and Rector and PRO of JNU. The Students gave a very good feedback on the event.