The national symposium on Poultry Worlds: Health, Management and Societal Challenges in India, funded by the University’s IoE program (Project), was conducted by the Department of Anthropology, University of Hyderabad and School of Life Sciences. Dr. Alok K Pandey of the Department of Anthropology, School of Social Sciences and Prof. Nooruddin Khan of the Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences were the convenors of the symposium. The Co-convenors were Prof Apparao Podile, Prof. Sharmishta Banerjee, Prof. Dibakar Das, Prof. B.V Sharma, Dr. Akif Mohammad and Prof. P. Ramu Sridhar.
The symposium was inaugurated on February 15th, 2024 at the Zakir Husain Lecture Hall Complex. The inaugural session was chaired by Prof. Jyotirmaya Sharma, Dean of the School of Social Sciences. Prof. Ajailiu Niumai, Assistant Director, IoE, underscored IoE’s goal of creating world-class institutions for research and training and enhancing the ranking of universities and congratulated the project team for their contribution. Prof. Susen Kumar Panda, Dean of the College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, and Dr. T. Kotiah, Managing Director of Indbro Research and Breeding Farms, were the Guests of Honor. Prof. Panda discussed the sector’s complexities, the critical roles of veterinarians, scientists, and the challenges, particularly in disease management and biosecurity, while commending the symposium’s innovative approach to addressing these issues. Dr. T. Kotaiah commented on India’s poultry Industry. Noting the opportunities present in India and abroad, he talked about the industry’s capacity to grow further despite its challenges.
Prof. K Kumanan, officer-in-charge, TNJFU-Institute of Fisheries and Biotechnology and former Director of Research at Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, delivered the keynote address. Prof. Sharmishta Banerjee introduced the keynote speaker. Prof. Kumanan spoke about how the industry can leverage its strengths to realize its export potential and market growth by addressing the major issues faced by the poultry industry such as emerging infectious diseases and public misconceptions about meat eating. Twelve accomplished speakers from academia, scientific research institutions and the poultry industry engaged in intellectual dialogue in three sessions over the course of the symposium. Talks of the symposium contributed to the understanding of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3 SDG 9 and SDG 12). The symposium was a transdisciplinary collaboration to initiate a multi-faceted dialogue on public health and the socio-economic dimensions of the poultry industry. Academicians, scientists, organizations, and industry experts came together to deliberate on measures needed to manage the animal husbandry sector sustainably to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and ensure the wellness of humans, animals, and the environment.
