Blitz Bureau
NESTLED in the lap of the Himalayas and blessed with lush biodiversity, India’s northeast region (NER) is a land of hidden treasures. Its vibrant landscapes, rich culture, and vast pool of resources offer immense potential for innovation. Now, with the transformative power of biotechnology, the NER is not just preserving its natural heritage but also scripting a new chapter of growth and sustainability.
Imagine a region where farmers cultivate medicinal plants that fuel both health industries and local incomes, where young researchers develop resilient crop varieties that withstand changing climates, and where bio-entrepreneurs thrive by transforming indigenous knowledge into global products.
This vision is steadily turning into reality, thanks to the North Eastern Programme Of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
Harnessing resources Since 2010, DBT has consistently allocated 10 per cent of its annual budget to specialised programmes in the NER, aiming to bridge the gap between potential and prosperity. These initiatives focus on harnessing endemic bioresources, promoting biotech education, and creating employment opportunities through bio-based entrepreneurship.
Biotechnology thrives on knowledge and innovation. Recognising this, the DBT has launched multiple educational and training programmes focused on NER: Twinning R&D: The programme was initiated in 2010-2011 towards developing core competence and capacity in various areas of biotechnology through collaboration of Institutes from northeast India with other leading Institutes across the country. It has catalysed vibrant collaborations between 65+ institutions from NER and those from the rest of India in various spheres of biotechnology, where close to 650 R&D projects have been supported.
Biotech hubs: Since 2011, a network of 126 biotech hubs were established across NER, providing necessary infrastructure in universities/ colleges/ institutions and the required training in sophisticated technologies to support and promote biological sciences / biotechnology education and research. Awareness in schools Biotech labs: To create awareness among school students about biological sciences and also to provide an environment of access to a well-equipped laboratory, DBT initiated a programme for establishing ‘Biotechnology Labs in Senior Secondary Schools (BLiSS)’ in NER in 2014.
VRP Programme: The Visiting Research Professorship Programme was initiated in 2015, to utilise the expertise of outstanding scientists for bringing advancements in the biotechnology and life science-related activities in various institutions of research and higher learning in northeast states. Specialised training: Chemical Ecology Programme between NER and Bengaluru institutes trained and equipped young scientists from the NER to produce quality research outcomes.
To emphasise services to farmers, and academics, the ‘DBT-North East Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology (DBT-NECAB): Phase III’ project has been supported. Similarly, to strengthen citrus research in NER, facilities were established at Institute of Horticulture Technology (IHT), Mandira, Assam. In view of promoting sustainable bioresources, a total area of 64.1 acres was covered for captive cultivation of selected medicinal crops like Curcuma caesia and compoundrich lemongrass (elemicinrich and methyl-eugenolrich).
About 649 farmers and entrepreneurs from NER benefited from the training and awareness programme. Additionally, an essential oil distillation unit has been installed at Mudoi village, Arunachal Pradesh, to support farmers in revenue generation. Furthermore, the Docynia indica, commonly known as Assam apple or wild apple, has been successfully explored towards making value-added products such as pickles, jam, candy, juice, etc.
Major achievements
Bacterial blight-resistant introgressed rice variety Patkai: A rice variety has been developed by AAU-Assam using introgressing blight-resistant from improved samba mahsuri (ISM) into Ranjeet Sub1 background. Lateral flow assay for the rapid detection of brucellosis: A chimeric protein conjugate based Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) for the detection of anti-brucella antibodies in multiple livestock was standardised. The analytical sensitivity considering iELISA test as gold standard with sera sample revealed significant positivity in lateral flow tests. Mobile app – Pig Disease Diagnosis Expert System (PDDES), a computer-based application to assist in the diagnosis of pig diseases or medical conditions was developed. Using PDDES, veterinarians, farmers, and other swine industry professionals can quickly identify and treat diseases to minimize their impact on pig production and profitability.
By harnessing the region’s rich biodiversity and empowering local communities through education, research, and entrepreneurship, the Department of Biotechnology’s initiatives are not only preserving cultural and ecological heritage but also driving sustainable economic growth.
As northeast India continues to evolve into a hub of bio-innovation, it sets a remarkable example of how science and tradition can coexist to shape a prosperous and sustainable future.
