IPEMA and Poultry India Host Vice-Chancellors Conclave on Veterinary Education and Industry Collaboration
IPEMA and Poultry India Host Vice-Chancellors Conclave on Veterinary Education and Industry Collaboration
Vice-Chancellors’ Conclave Sparks Dialogue on Aligning Veterinary Education with Industry Needs Organized by IPEMA/Poultry India | In collaboration with Huvepharma | Co-hosted by MAFSU, Nagpur
Lonavala, Maharashtra: In a significant step toward bridging the gap between veterinary education and industry demands, the Indian Poultry Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA)/Poultry India, in collaboration with Huvepharma and co-hosted by Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University (MAFSU), Nagpur, successfully conducted a one-day Vice-Chancellors’ Conclave on “Dynamics of Veterinary Education Ecosystem to Meet Animal Husbandry Industrial Needs.” Held on 7th July 2025 in Lonavala, the event witnessed the participation of leading academic heads, industry experts, and policymakers.
The conclave aimed to reimagine veterinary education in alignment with India’s evolving livestock and poultry sectors, emphasizing interdisciplinary skills, entrepreneurship, and practical exposure. The platform facilitated active dialogues between academia, regulatory bodies, and industry to develop an agile, industry-ready veterinary workforce.
Key Participants and Addresses
Distinguished participants included Vice-Chancellors of veterinary universities, Directors of ICAR institutes, senior officials from the Veterinary Council of India (VCI), and industry stalwarts such as:
- Mr. Uday Singh Bayas, President, IPEMA/Poultry India
- Dr. Dinesh Bhosle, Vice President, Alltech Nutritional Alliance (ANA), India
- Dr. Sandip Ingle, Vice-President, VCI, New Delhi
- Dr. R. G. Bambal, Joint Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry & Secretary, VCI
- Mr. O. P. Singh, CEO, Huvepharma, Pune
The conclave commenced with a keynote address by Dr. Niteen Patil, Vice-Chancellor, MAFSU, who laid the foundation for discussions focused on modernizing curricula and strengthening industry-academia collaboration.
Poultry India Initiatives and 2025 Expo Preview
Highlighting Poultry India’s role, Mr. Uday Singh Bayas shared the success of the 16th Poultry India Expo held in 2024, which attracted over 40,000 visitors and 400+ exhibitors from 50+ countries. He extended an invitation to the upcoming 17th Poultry India Expo, scheduled for 25th–28th November 2025 in Hyderabad, promising a larger, more impactful event with a dedicated Knowledge Day for academia on 25th November at Novotel, Hitech City.
Mr. O. P. Singh, CEO of Huvepharma, invited all dignitaries and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to fostering industry-academia collaboration for sustained sectoral growth.
As a token of appreciation, IPEMA/Poultry India presented commemorative mementos to all speakers and extended personalized invitations for the 2025 Expo.
Panel Discussions
The conclave featured four key panel discussions:
- Insight of Challenges, Problems and Opportunities in Poultry Sector
Moderators: Dr. Mahesh Patlapati and Dr. N. V. Kurkure
This session brought together experts from poultry research, production, and policy—including Dr. R. N. Chatterjee, Mr. Ranpal Dhanda, Dr. Ajay Deshpande, and Mr. B. S. Rana—to discuss pressing challenges and innovation opportunities.
- Optimizing Dairy Sector Performance for Tomorrow’s Needs
Moderators: Dr. B. N. Tripathi and Dr. Dinesh Bhosle
Experts deliberated on strategies to enhance productivity, sustainability, and technological integration in the dairy sector.
- Reimagining Small Ruminants, Pig, and Allied Sectors Optimization for Sustainable Future
Chair: Dr. Manish Kumar Chatli, Rapporteur: Dr. Waqar Khan
This session highlighted innovations in underrepresented livestock sectors and their potential to contribute to nutritional security and rural livelihoods.
- Integrating Veterinary Educational Institutions with Industry Needs
- Moderators: Dr. Niteen Patil and Dr. Shirish Upadhye
Panellists including Dr. K. S. Anil, Dr. Mandeep Sharma, Dr. P. K. Shukla, Mr. O. P. Singh, and senior VCI officials emphasized the need for aligning veterinary education with entrepreneurship, business management, public health, and cross-disciplinary innovation.
Outcomes and Forward Path
The conclave underscored the urgent need to revise the MSVE 2016 curriculum, which currently lacks components aligned with modern industrial and technological trends. Notably, VCI officials announced that the upcoming MSVE 2024 framework—under active government consideration—will incorporate competency-based, flexible, and industry-integrated models of education.
India’s livestock economy contributes 30.23% to agricultural GVA and 5.5% to GDP. However, the sector is served by just 67,784 registered veterinarians, far below the estimated requirement of 1.1–1.2 lakh professionals, highlighting the pressing need for academic reforms.
Closing and Invitation
The conclave concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. Dinesh Bhosle, who lauded IPEMA/Poultry India and Huvepharma for leading this vital conversation. MAFSU was also appreciated for its co-hosting support.
Looking ahead, all stakeholders were encouraged to participate in the 17th Poultry India Expo 2025, themed “One Nation, One Expo,” which will showcase over 500 exhibitors, 50,000+ visitors, and 35,000 sqm of cutting-edge displays, promoting innovation, collaboration, and India’s rise as a global poultry powerhouse.
