Special features of the organization
Himalayan Research Group aims to bring economic prosperity to the local communities in an ecofriendly manner with application of scientific innovations and technology transfer. Ensuring active participation of people is the key to success of HRG programmes over the past one decade. HRG has taken several initiatives at the grass roots level ranging from community empowerment to conservation of biological diversity. Professional and motivated team of HRG has been instrumental in introducing science based entrepreneurship in rural areas of Himachal Pradesh. Mushroom cultivation, medicinal plants cultivation, aromatic plants cultivation and processing, vermicomposting, fodder cultivation and silage making, solar energy use in space and water heating, tribal development, tourism and floriculture constitute major areas of work. Hardcore research was limited to standardisation of agro technology of endangered Himalayan Medicinal Plants, fungal endophytes of Himalayan Yew, forest and horticulture diseases. Community organisation, technology training and entrepreneurship development through backward and forward linkages were promoted to sustain the activities on long term basis. Dr. Maninder Jeet Kaur, Secretary, HRG was awarded prestigious Department of Science and Technology Govt of India National Award for women development through application of science and technology 2006 on 11 May 2007 by the then President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. HRG is supported by DST under their long term CORE programme for technology extension in rural areas since 2005. Main achievements of HRG activities include self sustaining models of button mushroom cultivation for development of household level micro-enterprise in rural areas and cultivation of high value medicinal plant Chirata through organised women groups for their economic empowerment. In addition model for low cost floriculture, Fodder Development, popularisation of Solar Energy use in space & water heating and lighting are equally successful. Work for linkages of agriculture and household activities with tourism in tribal areas of Kinnaur are also emerging as model for employment generation and agriculture product sale but activities are still in the early stages.
