A group of Taiwanese scientists from National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine (NRICM) Taipei, Taiwan were recently in India to explore the Dhauladhar mountain ranges of Himalayas, a treasure trove of flora, medicinal herbs and fauna.
The aim was to look into prospects of conducting research and development activities in collaboration with the scientists from India’s premier research agency CSIR’s lab Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology in Himachal Pradesh’s Palampur, said Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director of the CSIR-IHBT.
Dr Rakesh Kumar , Principal Scientist from the IHBT said that the directors of both the institutes discussed in detail various R&D activities of their respective institutes. The IHBT celebrated its 37th Foundation Day on 2nd July, 2019 which saw Prof Akhilesh Kumar Tyagi, JC Bose National Fellow, Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi delivering lecture on “Approaching Bioeconomy through Agri-biotechnology”.
The delegation also visited various labs such as GIS data base, pilot plants, pharmacology and toxicology laboratory, LC-MS, metabolomics, proteomics facility, nanobiology lab, bioinformatics, food & nutraceutical, tissue culture, hydroponic, NMR and GC-MS facilityvarious labs, Chandpur farm, Biodiversity farm of CSIR-IHBT.
Led by Professor Fang-Rong Chang Director, NRICM, the other members of the delegation were Dr Lie-Chwen Lin, Research Fellow/Director Division of Chinese Medicine Literature and Informatics; Dr Mayeesha Yu-Hwei Tseng and Dr Chang-Chang Chen, Assistant Research Fellows.
The delegation also visited pharmaceutical industries of nearby areas in Paprola and Nagrota Bhagwan of district Kangra in the State where they were made aware of different herbs used in Ayurvedic, Unani and Sidha Medicines and their formulation array using quality tested herbs, minerals and other ingredients.
While talking to The Pioneer, Dr Sanjay Kumar told about the CSIR Phytopharmaceutical Mission and CSIR-Aroma Mission wherein about 1.5 crore quality planting material of Stevia rebaudiana has been raised for nation-wide cultivation and cultivation of wild marigold, damask rose, Indian valerian and lemongrass in HP in 256 hactres respectively.
“With 7.6 tonnes of high grade tagetes oil, the State became the highest producer of tagetes oil and benefited 728 farmer families,” said Dr Sanjay Kumar.
