SKUAST-K Bags Rs 7.22 Crore in ANRF Research Grants | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has secured a major scientific boost, winning eight high-impact research and development projects worth Rs 7.22 crore from the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).

The funding, awarded through a rigorous national competitive process, is expected to accelerate agricultural innovation and reinforce SKUAST-K’s position as a leading hub for cutting-edge research and technology.

The university emerged successful from a competitive pool of over 12,600 proposals submitted by premier universities and national laboratories across India. Following an extensive peer-review evaluation, eight projects were sanctioned, targeting critical regional challenges including disease-resistant apples, modernising saffron cultivation, climate-resilient beans, pheromone-based moth management, genomic databases for Himalayan sheep, regenerative medicine, advanced diagnostic platforms, and early detection of fruit diseases.

Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai congratulated the principal investigators of the projects, emphasising that these initiatives mark a transformative leap for SKUAST-K. “These projects have the potential to revolutionise regional agriculture, enhance food security, and strengthen environmental sustainability,” he said.

The funding is expected to enable the university to deploy modern scientific techniques and tools across agriculture and biotechnology sectors, providing farmers with innovative solutions and supporting the region’s broader biosecurity and climate resilience goals.

According to university sources, the implementation of these projects will also facilitate skill development among students and researchers, while fostering collaborations with national and international scientific bodies.

The ANRF grants represent one of the largest single-year research funding wins for SKUAST-K, underlining the institution’s growing prominence in India’s agricultural research ecosystem.