NDRI — dosa-diagnostics

The National Dairy Research Institute as country's premier Dairy Research institution has developed considerable expertise over the last five decades in different areas of Dairy Production, Processing, Management and Human Resource Development. Information generated at the Institute and the services offered have contributed to the growth of Dairy Industry as a whole and well-being of millions of milk producers and consumers of milk and milk products. Realizing the challenging need of global Dairy Trade, the Institute is continuously working to develop its R&D and HRD programmes to better serve the nation in terms of food security, employment generation, poverty alleviation and economic prosperity.

The National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal was originally started as Imperial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in 1923 at Bangalore. It was expanded and renamed as Imperial Dairy Institute in 1936 and was known as National Dairy Research Institute after independence in 1947. Subsequently, in 1955, NDRI Headquarter was shifted to Karnal. Facilities at Bangalore were retained to function as a Regional Station to serve the Southern States.

In 1964, Eastern Regional Station of the Institute was established at Kalyani in West Bengal. Both these Regional Stations continue to provide region specific R&D support for dairy development in these areas. In 1970, NDRI was brought under the wings of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to provide greater operational autonomy to the Institute in research management functions. In 1989, status of Deemed University was conferred to the Institute for further strengthening the academic programmes for human resource development.

The National Dairy Research Institute as the premier Dairy Research Institution undertakes research, teaching and extension activities towards dairy development in the country. Being the National Institute, it conducts basic and applied research with the objective to enhance animal productivity and also to develop cost effective technologies for the benefit of the teeming millions. Further, the Institute provides high quality manpower to meet the human resource requirements for the overall dairy development in the country. The Institute also undertakes extension programmes for transferring the know-how from the laboratory to the farmers’ fields.

Dairy Microbiology Division is currently engaged in research, teaching, consultancy, training and technology transfer in specialized field of Dairy Microbiology and food safety & quality assurance. Broadly, the research work of the division covers the areas related to starter cultures and fermented milk products; direct vat starters (DVS); indigenous probiotics, their functional efficacy and gut micro-biota, prebiotics and synbiotics; bioactive peptides, microbial metabolites and bio-preservatives; biosensors and micro techniques for assessing the quality and safety of dairy and other commodity. The Division has played a leading role in establishing National Referral Centre for milk quality and safety under NAIP funded (17.5 crores) project. The faculty is involved in imparting teaching and guidance for both under-graduate and post-graduate programs. The Division offers M. Tech and Ph.D. programs in Dairy Microbiology and FSQA. Besides, division is also contributing in teaching Microbiology courses for B. Tech (Dairy Technology) students. Division regularly organizes need based specialized short term symposia/ conferences/ Seminars covering basic and applied areas of dairy microbiology including quality assurance, food safety, starter cultures and fermented health foods for HRD development in our country.

National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal (ICAR-NDRI), a premier dairy research institute and deemed university of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi under the umbrella of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Government of India and registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, with main administrative offices at No. 1, Rajendra Prasad Road, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001

http://www.ndri.res.in

Key People

Dr. Naresh Kumar (Ph.D. Dairy Microbiology)

Dr. Kumar is currently working as Principal Scientist at ICAR-NDRI, Karnal, India and has experience of 25 years in industry and academia in specilaised field of Food Safety & Quality Assurance. He has leading role in the development of biosensors for rapid detection of contaminants in milk. Kumar has significant contribution as lead investigator in execution of various projects funded by MFPI, NAIP, ICAR-Network, Outreach, Niche area of excellence and ICAR-ILRI. Dr. Kumar has established state of the art infrastructure as “National Referral Centre on Milk Quality and Safety” at NDRI which includes BSL-3 containment under World Bank funded NAIP project. He has developed novel technologies employing markers enzyme(s) and spore germination concept for rapid detection of antimicrobial and pesticide residues on paper strips which are unique and novel innovation at global level. Technologies were also developed for rapid detection of L. monocytogenes, E. coli, coliform, Enterococci in milk employing specific enzyme(s) substrate reactions. These innovations were protected through 8 patents (3 granted) and were licensed to entrepreneurs in India. The research findings were recognized by various peer groups and published in reputed journals. Kumar has significant role as panel member in FSSAI in setting microbiological standards for dairy products as well as codex committee member for providing scientific inputs in policy decisions pertaining to food safety aspects including AMR.