Dr. Asha Dhawan, Dean, College of Fisheries and Dr.VB Joshi, Principal, Veterinary Polytechnic, Kaljharani (Bathinda) of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana retired on 30th of November,
2017. Both the outgoing personalities shared their life experiences in an impressive function organised by GADVASU Teachers Association. Dr. Ashwani Sharma President and Dr Shashi Mahajan, General Secretary along with their executive members organised the farewell show in a meticulous manner.
Dr. Amarjit Singh Nanda, Vice-Chancellor GADVASU praised both the senior faculty members from core of his heart. He said that what GADVASU is today all due to the great and visionary efforts of these types of taskmasters. While describing about Dr. Dhawan her colleague Dr. Meera D Ansal informed that she joined as Assistant Professor in Department of Zoology, PAU in 1991 and was elevated to the post of Dean, College of Fisheries, GADVASU in 2011.
She has significant mile stones to her credit which transformed a small fisheries unit of GADVASU into a well-established College of Fisheries of National repute. Her untiring determined approach also earned substantial funding from national as well as state agencies, for infrastructural development, including well equipped teaching/research labs, instructional farm facilities and the upcoming new building of the College. Under ICAR’s prestigious 'Niche Area Program', she led the team to take up the
challenge of developing aquaculture technologies for salt affected water logged waste lands of South – West districts of Punjab, which transformed more than 600 acres of zero earning salt affected lands into fish/shrimp ponds in last 5 years and ameliorated socio-economic status of debt ridden farming community. Dr. Dhawan also developed low cost fish production technologies for small and marginal farmers of the State by utilizing non-conventional feed resources (especially the agro-industrial by-products and the aquatic plants) in fish feed. Dr. Dhawan also accompanied the Punjab Government Delegation, headed by the former chief minister, S. Parkash Singh Badal, to China to develop linkages with world’s top fish producer for fisheries development in the State.
While sharing the dutiful nature of Dr. Joshi, Dr. H. K. Verma, Director of Extension Education informed that Dr.VB Joshi served the Department of Animal Husbandry, H.P. from October, 1975 to November, 2010 at various positions of Veterinary Officer to Joint Director which includes the experience of working as scientist for 5 years and 7 months in the prestigious Indo-US project on Epidemiology and Immunodiagnosis at HP Krishi Vishavidyalya, Palampur. GADVASU administration acknowledged his potential and appointed him in 2011 in the capacity of Principal at Veterinary Polytechnic and Jt.Dir. RRTC,Kaljharani (Bathinda) after his superannuation from H.P. Government.
Dr. Joshi has been conferred 'Himachal Kesri' award by the Governor of HP for his contributions in the field of veterinary sciences. He was also elected as president of Himachal Pradesh State Veterinary Council for a period of 4 years. Dr. Joshi has also been awarded two Gold Medals by the Indian Veterinary Association for his research and publications in the field of Veterinary Microbiology and Veterinary Pathology.
On this occasion Deans, Directors, Heads of the Departments and a large number of faculty members of the University participated.
