Anurag University, Dean of Agriculture: Dr. P. Narayan Reddy Interview

Dr. P. Narayan Reddy is the Dean of Agriculture at Anurag University. He has received his B.Sc. (Ag) from Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad. He completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur, specializing in Plant Pathology. For over 32 years, he worked at Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University, in teaching and research. He has more than 100 research publications to his name.

You held key positions at various prestigious organizations throughout your career. What is that one thing that made you excited and walk with Anurag University on the journey?

The opportunity and freedom given by Anurag University to reshape Agricultural education and research for the modern generation that is in sync with emerging technological advances is what excited me towards my journey with AU.

How do you balance the needs of faculty, students, and administration as a dean of Agriculture?

I have a careful allocation of my time towards the needs of faculty, students, and administrative aspects. Each interaction and plan made are meticulously recorded in my diary which helps me to keep track of the requirements and progress made regarding each issue. Apart from this, I also allocate some of the administrative functions to some of the faculty who assist me ably in this regard with strict follow-up. 

As a Dean of - Agriculture, what do you feel is the USP or what are the differentiating factors that make ANURAG UNIVERSITY stand out from other institutions?

The integration of agricultural research and education with modern technological advancements such as IoT, software programming languages, and precision agriculture, as well as including diverse fields as and when they emerge is the USP of Anurag University. Such a diverse and updated educational curriculum is rarely observed in Agricultural education in our country. We have designed a crop cafeteria of all perennial and annual crops for a live demonstration and to gain hands-on experience focusing more on practical skill development.

How do you stay current with the latest trends and developments in the field of Agriculture and incorporate them into the curriculum and programs offered by the institution?

As the wave of AI and more recent technological advancements dominate the way we live, we have designed the curriculum in a manner that would enable the students to adapt to these changes. We interact with experts from these fields and also attend training programs and conferences to stay up to date providing the best resource material for equipping our students to stay abreast. Currently, we have introduced several courses in this regard such as IoT, machine learning, Python programming, and Precision agriculture just to name a few. These courses are unique to the curriculum of Agricultural education in the country with no other university providing a similar course program as advanced as this. Experienced faculty in the above-specialized areas are invited to teach these subjects.

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How well is Anurag University focusing on maintaining industry relationships with companies to leverage them for live projects, training, and placements for the students?

There is a regular collaboration with the Agricultural industry with regards to research where they test their products at the research fields of the university providing an opportunity for the students to be involved and interact with the industry experts about the latest advances being made in the agricultural sector. The students are also exposed to the requirements of the sector through industrial visits. This is a unique opportunity for both the students as well as the experts from the sector to align with one another to meet the requirements of the industry providing the leverage for live projects, training, and placements. Currently, we have entered into collaboration with six agro-based industries. We are also planning to offer certificate courses in these specialized areas to be conducted by industry experts.

What is something an agriculture aspirant can expect from joining the Anurag University?

Anurag University provides a unique skillset set for the Agricultural aspirant by equipping them with the most updated knowledge in the field with practical experience as well as an adaptation to the rapid pace of technology integration in the sector which is not provided by any other university. The certificate courses and the hands-on experience gained will make them industry-ready.

What are the biggest challenges currently facing schools of agriculture, and how do you plan to address them as the dean of agriculture?

Most of the Schools of Agriculture do not align their curriculum with the requirements of the industry or the advancements in technology that are sweeping the sector. It is a backward-looking approach that is plaguing the current education sector. As the dean of agriculture, with my extensive network of industry and academic experts, I have envisioned a curriculum that equips the students with skills that can address the present challenges of the Agricultural sector in our country, as well as adapt them to the global market requirements through courses in agribusiness management and technological advances that are already reshaping the way agriculture is thought about by bringing changes within the permissible limits of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Can you describe the significance and support ANURAG UNIVERSITY provides for entrepreneurship and agricultural innovation?

Unique courses on entrepreneurship and agribusiness management are integrated into the course curriculum that equip the students with the confidence required for innovation in agriculture. The students are also provided with opportunities where they can test their ideas in mini-projects and through internships. The School of Business Management, Anurag University trains the students in learning entrepreneurial skills in agriculture.

How would you promote experiential learning and practical application of knowledge within the School of Agriculture?

The School of Agricultural Sciences accords top priority to practical learning in association with theoretical knowledge. Almost every course in the curriculum has a credit for practical work along with theory. Apart from this, the final year of the course is exclusively designed to train the students with experiential learning where they spend the first three months in villages with farmers to understand the ground realities, known as RAWEP (Rural Agricultural Work Experience Program). Thereafter, they are sent on a three-month internship associated with the industry to adapt to the industry requirements. The last semester of the course allows the students to become entrepreneurs through a project that they would be executing all on their own, known as AELP (Agricultural Experiential Learning Program).