Faculty Of Agriculture, Govind Ballabh Pant University Of Agriculture Technology, Pantnagar

About Faculty Of Agriculture, Govind Ballabh Pant University Of Agriculture Technology, Pantnagar

Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar was established in 1960 by an Act of the State Legislature of Uttar Pradesh (XLV of 1958) in the Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand). It was dedicated to the nation on 17th November 1960 by the First Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.
G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology has the privilege of having the first centre of communication within any State Agriculture University in India. Although the Communication Centre was created in 1970, its roots can be traced back to the first decade Communication function had earlier been carried out by several different units scattered throughout the University. The journey towards communication centre was started with realization of need for communication for fulfillment of teaching, research and education mission of the first agricultural university. The generous grant from Ford Foundation helped in procurement of equipments, getting overseas training and consultant services. University remodeled one wing of the College of Agriculture for the Communication Centre and administratively reorganized some of it personnel to provide the initial staff. Subsequently, new positions were added and people were recruited to fill them.Communication was recognized as an important input for development to disseminate and create dialogue among different stakeholders about the technologies and issues of agriculture, environment and sustainable development. G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, established a Communication Centre with the help and support from ICAR and UNDP. A humble beginning was made with establishment of radio studio and procurement of television equipments. Over the years the Centre has flowered into a full-fledged Directorate. The Directorate now has well developed infrastructure of radio programme production, video production, photography and audio visual media. It operates in close collaboration with well trained faculty members and technical personnel of the Department of Agricultural Communication. In past it was supported by UNDP/FAO/ICAR funds for international training of faculty in communication, visit of international experts to develop curriculum and initiation of Master’s and doctoral programmes in Agricultural Communication at the College of Agriculture.

After independence, development of the rural sector was considered the primary concern of the Government of India. In 1949, with the appointment of the Radhakrishnan University Education Commission, imparting of agricultural education through the setting up of rural universities became the focal point. Later, in 1954 an Indo-American team led by Dr. K.R. Damle, the Vice-President of ICAR, was constituted that arrived at the idea of establishing a Rural University on the land-grant pattern of USA. As a consequence a contract between the Government of India, the Technical Cooperation Mission and some land-grant universities of USA, was signed to promote agricultural education in the country. The US universities included the universities of Tennessee, the Ohio State University, the Kansas State University, The University of Illinois, the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Missouri. The task of assisting Uttar Pradesh in establishing an agricultural university was assigned to the University of Illinois which signed a contract in 1959 to establish an agricultural University in the State. Dean, H.W. Hannah, of the University of Illinois prepared a blueprint for a Rural University to be set up at the Tarai State Farm in the district Nainital, UP. In the initial stage the University of Illinois also offered the services of its scientists and teachers. Thus, in 1960, the first agricultural university of India, UP Agricultural University, came into being by an Act of legislation, UP Act XI-V of 1958. The Act was later amended under UP Universities Re-enactment and Amendment Act 1972 and the University was rechristened as Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology keeping in view the contributions of Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant, the then Chief Minister of UP. The University was dedicated to the Nation by the first Prime Minister of India Pt Jawaharlal Nehru on 17 November 1960.

The G.B. Pant University is a symbol of successful partnership between India and the United States. The establishment of this university brought about a revolution in agricultural education, research and extension. It paved the way for setting up of 31 other agricultural universities in the country.