Cultivating careers in farming, the Guru Kashi University way

VS Bhavan Reddy, the CEO of city-based Maestro Dynamics, the only authorised admission and marketing partner for Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo (Punjab) in South India, is jubilant these days over a growing preference of the youth to pursue agriculture and related courses.

Though the growth has been noted over a decade, there is a perceptible change of late, he says. "We have a good number of students joining the Kashi University noted for its expertise in various agri-related disciplines every year. Now that ICAR accreditation has also been obtained for Guru Kashi, we see more and more students joining the Punjab university, going forward."

Besides admissions to suitable candidates, Maestro Dynamics also claims to offer 100% placement assistance to the students of agriculture and its related streams. "This has been our prime focus from the beginning," Reddy informs.

The Maestro Dynamics CEO seeks a good future for B Sc Agriculture, a four-year course. Asked why he has sought to promote a Punjab varsity, he notes that though there are many engineering colleges in South India, the region lacks colleges which offer agriculture courses with expertise suited to meet the multifarious demands of the sector.

The college well-equipped with R&D labs and sound industry linkages can be opted for by seeking to turn agriculture field professionals or stream into agri business area. It is high time the nation produced specialists in agriculture in order to help farmers reap fruits of their hard work with frugal spending.

Only a specialist in the field who has a keen sense of sectorial realities and growing challenges would know how to help the farming community use fertilizers and pesticides minimally and take to other means to reap good harvest. One also needs to be fully conversant with the hurdles in way of accessing liberal loans by the farmers and help them accordingly. With the increase in population day after day, there is increase in the requirement of food.

To take India to top position in agricultural field, the nation is in need of well-educated and trained professionals to make cultivation profitable for the farmers. "I believe in the future of agriculture with a faith born not of words but of deeds," says Bhavan Reddy.

Maestro Dynamics has its head office located in Hyderabad and has branches in Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Vijayawada. Guru Kashi University (GKU) is established by the Act of the Legislature of the State of Punjab, under the "Guru Kashi University Act 2011" (Punjab Act No 37 of 2011), to provide education at all levels in all disciplines of higher education.

Guru Kashi University is now accredited by ICAR too. It is noted for its illustrious service to agriculture education, under the guidance of Chairman Gurlabh Singh Sidhu, Managing Director Sukhraj Singh Sidhu, Chancellor Dr J S Dhaliwal, Vice-Chancellor Dr J S Dhillon.

VISION

GKU spells its vision as turning into a globally compatible university providing unparalleled educational opportunities for learners, especially from marginalized sections of society, to turn scholarly and talented youth with a blend of entrepreneurship, innovation and ethics.

MISSION

As far as its mission is concerned, GKU says it set out to create industry-relevant and future-ready knowledge and skills in the fields of science, technology and humanities to transform learners and equip them with all that is needed so that they will become entrepreneurs or innovators committed to cultural, economic, environmental and social advancement in their region in particular and the world at large.

GKU is a residential university with separate hostels for boys and girls housing more than 7000 students. The University provides education through variety of disciplines at all levels of education -doctorate, post graduate, graduate and diploma programmes.

Bhavan Reddy who hails from Nellore is keen on promoting the cause of Indian agriculture. He urges students to opt for agriculture courses and insists that everyone in the society have a minimum knowledge of the subject.

Dr Ashwini Sethi, Director of GKU, says GKU provides a wide range of courses (100+), of which the university college of agriculture (UCOA) has a prominent place. It offers many courses like agricultural BSc (Bsc Ag), masters and PhD. Sethi says the university during 16 years of its glorious journey helped many a student realise his or her dream of contributing their mite to the strength of agriculture sector in the country.

He notes it has been fulfilling for him to spread its reach. He said the varsity is now keen on imparting its knowledge and expertise to the youth from from all parts of country, especially South India. GKU-educated youth are finding good positions and finding their footing as agri experts whether it is to help farmers adapt to new challenges and practices or set up agri business themselves.

On the demand for agriculture education, he stresses that the GKU is overwhelmed with responses from prospective students. He hopes the like-minded leadership of Maestro would help promote the specialty of GKU in this part of the country. He says he sees their collaboration is not only mutually beneficial but champion the interests of farming community at large.

Krstardhi Maestro's new initiative

Krstardhi is a dream venture of Maestro Dynamics. It is in the pipeline in the field of agri business. We will acquire land banks in different areas to support farmers and establish laboratories. We will train farmer in adopting new and efficient practices of farming. The goal is to build and adapt modern technology based on traditional time-tested methods of Indian cultivation.

"Maestro proudly announces Krstardhi as its vision and mission

we are taking steps forward to accomplish the dream in both ways with the motive of raising the numbers of farmers as well as maximising their profits. This is a semi-commercial project to revolve around the farmer by treating him as our family member. Team Maestro assures each farmer that we will always be there for them. We invite people with expertise in the field to join hands with us for Krstardhi," says Bhavan Reddy