#### Dr. Ajeet Kumar Karnataka Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award

Udaipur, In an international conference on “Global Research Initiatives for Sustainable Agriculture and Allied Sciences (GRIAAS-2025)” organized by Aastha Foundation, Meerut and partner institutions, Dr. Ajeet Kumar Karnataka, Vice-Chancellor of Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The event took place at the Directorate of Extension Education, Udaipur.

The award was presented by Dr. S.P. Singh, organizing chairman and scientist at CSAUAT, Kalai, Aligarh (U.P.), in recognition of Dr. Karnataka’s outstanding lifelong contributions in entomology teaching, research, and extension services. Dr. Karnataka has served the agriculture and entomology sector for over 40 years, specializing in beekeeping, pest management in rice, wheat, and sugarcane ecosystems, and soil bio-management.

He successfully introduced Apis mellifera beekeeping in the Terai region, developed management practices that enhanced farmers’ incomes through honey and related products, and improved productivity in cross-pollinated crops. Dr. Karnataka also developed the beekeeping section of the Uttarakhand Government’s Agriculture Portal.

The conference was graced by Dr. Anil Kumar Singh, former DDG-NRM, ICAR, and former Vice-Chancellor of Rajmata Vijayaraje Sindhia Agricultural University, Gwalior, as chief guest. Distinguished guests included Dr. B.K. Chakravarti, former Director of Fisheries, Bangladesh, and former VC of MPUAT; Dr. U.S. Sharma; Dr. Shehnaz Ayub, Director, Bundelkhand Innovation and Incubation Center, BIIT, Jhansi; Dr. R.L. Soni, Director of Extension; along with eminent agricultural scientists and researchers from across India.

The award honors Dr. Karnataka’s decades-long contributions to agriculture and entomology, benefiting both farmers and the scientific community through research, innovation, and extension work.