A group of nine students from Minerva University, San Francisco, USA, visited ‘The Millet Lab’ at the Repository of Tomato Genomics Resources, Department of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, on March 13, 2026, as part of their experiential learning program. The visit was coordinated by Ms. Aboli Ingle, Experiential Education Manager at Minerva University, who facilitated interaction between the students and faculty at UoH.
Dr. M. Muthamilarasan, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, welcomed the students representing several countries and provided an overview of the University of Hyderabad, the School of Life Sciences, and the Department of Plant Sciences, highlighting the department’s research ecosystem and translational activities. He also introduced the RTGR and The Millet Lab and their role in supporting research and outreach in crop science.
During the academic session, Prof. Y. Sreelakshmi, Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, presented the research initiatives undertaken at RTGR focusing on tomato genomics, physiology, and crop improvement, while Dr. Muthamilarasan discussed ongoing research in millet genomics, climate resilience, and nutritional security, emphasizing the growing importance of millets in sustainable agriculture and global food systems. Dr. Vadivelmurugan, Assistant Processor, Department of Plant Sciences, joined the interaction with the visiting students.
Following the interactive session, students from RTGR guided the visiting group through the laboratories, greenhouse facilities, and experimental millet fields. The tour provided first-hand exposure to ongoing experiments, molecular biology workflows, germplasm resources, and field-based crop research being conducted in the department. The visiting students actively interacted with research scholars to understand how laboratory discoveries are translated into field applications.
The visit concluded with an open discussion where students explored themes such as agricultural innovation, crop genomics, and sustainability-oriented food systems. The participants found the visit to be an enriching academic experience that connected classroom learning with real-world agricultural research.
Notably, students from Minerva University had previously visited the millet research fields at the University of Hyderabad in 2023, reflecting the continuing academic engagement between the two institutions. More recently, five students from Minerva University also joined The Millet Lab for a short-term internship, further strengthening collaborative learning opportunities.
Such visits highlight the growing international visibility of millet research at the University of Hyderabad and underscore the department’s commitment to global academic engagement, interdisciplinary learning, and research-driven agricultural innovation.