ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (ICAR-NDRI) celebrated its 104th foundation day on July 2, 2026, at its Karnal campus. The event highlighted the institute's contributions to dairy research and livestock development, with a special focus on the Karan Fries breed of cattle, a high-yielding crossbred dairy breed developed by ICAR-NDRI over four decades.
Karan Fries Breed Unveiled
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Bhatia, the chief guest, unveiled the Karan Fries breed during the ceremony. Addressing the gathering, Bhatia congratulated ICAR-NDRI on completing 104 years and appreciated the institute's efforts in developing the breed. "This breed should be propagated across the country," he said.
Dr Dheer Singh, Director of ICAR-NDRI, noted that it took four decades to develop the Karan Fries breed. He stated that India has become the world's largest milk producer with around 250 million tonnes of milk production, but there is still a need to improve milk quality.
Call for Agricultural Diversification
Bhatia stressed the need to diversify agriculture, promote natural farming, and reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers. He lauded NDRI's clone development programme and urged the institute to further explore opportunities in dairy products and milk exports. He suggested that the institute sign an MoU with Vita and encouraged women farmers to keep cows and buffaloes as a source of income.
Bhatia advised students to visit villages, interact with farmers, and understand ground realities before working on issues affecting the farming community. He also stated that he was ready to donate Rs 5 lakh to all jails in Haryana if they wished to establish dairy farms.
Khet Bachao Abhiyaan Completed
Dr Dheer Singh also shared that the "Khet Bachao Abhiyaan", introduced by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as a month-long initiative from June 1 to 30, was successfully completed by the institute. The foundation day event underscored ICAR-NDRI's ongoing commitment to advancing India's dairy sector.
