Udaipur,  The 26th Foundation Day of Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT), Udaipur, will be celebrated with grandeur on Saturday, November 1. The ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the New Auditorium of Rajasthan College of Agriculture. Before the formal proceedings, the Chief Guest will offer floral tributes to the statues of Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap and Dr. A. Rathore.

The Coordinator and Dean of Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Dr. M.K. Mahla, informed that the Chief Guest of the function will be Dr. Bhagwati Prasad Saraswat, Vice-Chancellor of Kota University and Acting Vice-Chancellor of Mohanlal Sukhadia University. The event will also be graced by the former Vice-Chancellors of MPUAT — Dr. V.V. Singh, Dr. S.L. Mehta, Dr. U.S. Sharma, Dr. N.S. Rathore, and Dr. Ajeet Kumar Karnatak — as Guests of Honour. The ceremony will be presided over by the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of MPUAT, Dr. Pratap Singh.

The celebration will feature special lectures, academic presentations, and the release of publications highlighting the university’s achievements in research and extension activities. The event will be attended by senior officials, members of the University Council, deans and directors, former professors, and a large number of students.

Seven Decades of Agricultural Progress

The foundation of agricultural education, research, and extension in Rajasthan began with the establishment of the S.K.N. College of Agriculture, Jobner, the state’s first agricultural college. Later, in 1955, the Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, was established. The second agricultural university of the state — Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT) — initially known as the Agriculture University, Udaipur, came into existence on November 1, 1999, following the bifurcation of the Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner.

The Ordinance No. 6 of 1999, issued by the Government of Rajasthan and subsequently enacted as law in May 2000, provided MPUAT its statutory status. The university was founded considering the vast geographical diversity of Rajasthan — encompassing varied crops, cropping systems, climates, and soil types. It has been particularly beneficial for the tribal regions of Southern Rajasthan, where it has accelerated location-specific agricultural and technological programs.

MPUAT became fully functional on December 1, 1999, and currently oversees a network of Agricultural Research Stations (ARS), Sub-Stations (ARSS), Livestock Research Stations (LRS), Dryland Farming Research Centres, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) spread across Udaipur, Rajsamand, Dungarpur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara, and Pratapgarh districts.

Over the past two and a half decades, MPUAT has made significant contributions to agricultural education, research, and extension and continues to play a leading role in driving technological advancements and improving the livelihoods of farmers in the tribal and rural belts of Southern Rajasthan.

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