As agricultural inputs form the base of biotechnology, harnessing its applications across various walks of life will help lift the socio-economic status of farmers, noted renowned industrialist Dr. Pramod Chaudhari, Founder Chairman of Praj Industries. Dr. Pramod Chaudhari was felicitated by Dr. Anand Deshpande CMD of Persistent Systems in honour of being the first Indian recipient of the prestigious George Washington Carver Award 2020, at a function hosted by United Western Business Forum held at Hotel Sayaji, Wakad earlier today. Guests of honor gracing the dais included Mayor of Pune City Muralidhar Mohol, PMRDA Commissioner Dr. Suhas Diwse. Other dignitaries present included members of United Western Business Forum Milind Mahajan, Navnath Gaikwad, Mukesh Pharande, Pravin Gathe along with Dr. Ravindra Utgikar and Ghanshyam Deshapnde from Praj Industries.
Dr. Chaudhari said biofuels are redefining transportation fuel mix with applications across all modes of mobility namely surface, air and marine. Biofuels being low carbon fuels contain GHG emissions and help combat evils of climate change. Agricultural feedstock for production of biofuels provides an additional source of income to farmers. He elaborated on bio based renewable chemicals and materials as a new frontier of bioeconomy. Dr. Chaudhari remarked that an entrepreneur must have vision as well as the passion for the work, with never say die spirit.
City Mayor Muralidhar Mohol mentioned that Dr. Chaudhari’s stellar achievement is a matter of great pride for Puneites. A brochure of the United Western Business Forum was released at the hands of the Mayor. He said it was an honor for Pune to have its citizen chosen for the international award. “Pune is a hotbed of entrepreneurship in the country and examples such as Dr Chaudhari will inspire many city youth,” Mohol said.
Dr. Anand Deshpande stressed upon the importance of knowing the dynamics of an entrepreneurial venture. He said an entrepreneur should always think about achieving the next level for his business, because any business can stagnate if not further ignited after reaching a certain level of success. Also important is delegation in an entrepreneurial organization as that will create future leadership and leave the entrepreneur free to seek new opportunities, he said. Dr. Deshpande also suggested that there should be a wide base of mentors who can guide the entrepreneurs in case of difficulties.
Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations IIT Bombay, Dr. Suhas Joshi, lauded the work done by Dr. Chaudhari for the institution. He informed that the Parimal and Pramod Chaudhari Center for learning and teaching at IIT Bombay has been received very well. The center helps faculty at IIT B and others to improve their teaching skills. He also mentioned that IIT B is in advanced stages of discussions with Dr. Chaudhari for starting a lifelong learning center for IIT B Alumni. It has a strong base of 65000 plus alumni who are working across various segments in the world and a lot of them have an urge to learn new things from the institute so the idea of such a center is conceived, added Joshi.
Dr. Divase pointed out that biotechnology had the potential to make agriculture sustainable and economically viable. This will also help reduce urban influx and pressure on cities, he said. “The experiences in the current Covid pandemic have brought home to youth the importance of moving back to fields rather than seeking opportunities in big cities,” he said.
