Bhubaneswar: In a significant boost to agricultural research and education in Odisha, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University and the ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute (ICAR-CRRI), Cuttack, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to forge a long-term collaborative partnership
The agreement aims to advance cutting-edge research in rice science, climate-smart agriculture, and allied fields while enhancing the quality of postgraduate studies and student training. ICAR-CRRI, a leading national institute dedicated to rice research since its establishment in 1946, brings decades of expertise in varietal improvement, sustainable production, and addressing challenges like waterlogging and climate resilience.
As part of the collaboration, scientists from ICAR-CRRI will act as co-guides and members of advisory committees for SOA research scholars. In turn, students, faculty, and scholars from SOA will gain access to CRRI’s advanced facilities for hands-on research activities. The partnership will facilitate joint research programs, collaborative projects, and the sharing of instrumentation and library resources between the two institutions.
The MoU was signed by Vice-Chancellor of SOA Prof Pradipta Kumar Nanda and Director of ICAR-CRRI, Cuttack, Dr GAK Kumar. The MoU signing ceremony was attended, among others, by Dean Prof Santosh Kumar Rout, Director, CIBR, Prof H N Thatoi, Associate Professor Dr Anshuman Jena and Assistant Professor, CIBR, Dr Megha Kaviraj, .













