Contributed papers presented at the conference organized by Dept. of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University.

The green revolution in India about 50 years ago transformed India's image then as begging bowl to bread basket. This transformation during the 1960s took just about 4 years. The yield increases achieved in wheat and then in rice which occurred in just about half decade is far in excess of the yield increases during the preceding 4000 years. This remarkable feat was achieved with the leadership of the author using the dwarf wheat types which had been produced by Norman Borlaug in Mexico. The research and development of green revolution of wheat and rice at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi was led by the author along with his team of students and co-workers. He has published over 100 papers on green revolution and the ever-green revolution which is a refinement of the former. This book is a compilation of just about 40 of his numerous research papers, monographs and books published by him on this subject. The papers in this book bring out the scientific basis of the modification of the plant type so as to be responsive to exogenous addition of chemical fertilizers and irrigation. The ideal plant type enables capture of adequate sunlight and using the chemical fertilizers added to the soil, produce substantial photosynthetic starch. And because the plants have short and thick culm, they are able to withstand enormous amounts of grains in their ears. This indeed was the basis of breaking the yield barriers associated with native varieties. The book also brings out that green revolution had established the food security at the national level but not at the individual household levels of millions of resource-poor rural small and marginal farming, fishing and landless families. Further green revolution was commodity-centric and the manner of its practice led to environmental degradation and social inequities. This author realized as early as 1972 that system of agriculture in India should be designed to fight both the famines of food and rural livelihoods. In pursuit of it, this author further designed an evergreen revolution with systems approach. What this means is providing concurrent attention to ecological foundations of agriculture and the livelihoods of the rural people. The book also brings out that green revolution was a team effort involving scientists, policy makers, administrators, farmers and students. This book is an outstanding example of green revolution providing a breathing space by putting the cereal grain production rate ahead of the population growth rate and then when food security has been adequately established, the system is changed to achieve productivity in perpetuity without causing environmental and social harm.

This book covers various aspects of Indian agriculture. It consists of 32 chapters that are presented in 12 parts with the following headings: agricultural scenario; revolutions in agriculture; reorienting agricultural research for innovation; improving productivity and production; harnessing agricultural biotechnology; managing plant genetic resources; the role and growth of the seed sector; integrated natural resource management; impact of climate change; innovation in extension; the role of women and youth; and policy reforms for accelerated growth.

Contributed papers presented at the conference organized by Dept. of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University.

A unique examination of the development of the modern Indian economy over the past 150 years.

`A very useful reader, providing an excellent and authentic perspective on higher education and UGC in India' - Educational Review The University Grants Commission (UGC) was established by an Act of Parliament at the end of 1953. Its charter was to regulate and control all tertiary level institutions in the country and to determine standards of higher and professional education. From the time the UGC was set up, there has been an exponential growth in the number of higher academic institutions which today employ more than 400,000 teachers with a student body in excess of 9 million. Recent years have also witnessed the mushrooming of private institutions which are largely beyond the remit of the UGC. The result is a chaotic situation where institutions are free to do what they want with little concern for students. This is the first book length study of the functioning of the UGC and, indirectly, of fifty years of higher education in India. Written by an eminent educationist, it critically examines the way in which the UGC has performed since its inception and determines the reasons for its failure. Dr Amrik Singh maintains that the powers given to the UGC are severely limited and that, combined with poor internal management, this has made it a largely ineffective body. The author offers a number of practical solutions which, if implemented, could go a long way towards ameliorating the problems facing the UGC today. These include: ̈ Amending the UGC Act to grant it more statutory and disciplinary powers. ̈ Adequate financial and administrative support from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. ̈ Expanding the UGC's role of accreditation. ̈ Strengthening the educational structure at the state level. ̈ Designing new modes of testing in universities and colleges. ̈ Encouraging teachers to take a greater leadership role. ̈ Developing mechanisms for student assessment of teachers. This book is neither a scholarly work nor an historical account of the UGC. Rather, it is a critical assessment of an institution whose role is central to the field of higher education in India. Timely and topical it will be of immense interest to educationists and policy makers in the field of higher education, as also to the general reader.

The subject of India's rapid growth in the past two decades has become a prominent focus in the public eye. A book that documents this unique and unprecedented surge, and addresses the issues raised by it, is sorely needed. Arvind Panagariya fills that gap with this sweeping, ambitious survey. India: The Emerging Giant comprehensively describes and analyzes India's economic development since its independence, as well as its prospects for the future. The author argues that India's growth experience since its independence is unique among developing countries and can be divided into four periods, each of which is marked by distinctive characteristics: the post-independence period, marked by liberal policies with regard to foreign trade and investment, the socialist period during which Indira Ghandi and her son blocked liberalization and industrial development, a period of stealthy liberalization, and the most recent, openly liberal period. Against this historical background, Panagariya addresses today's poverty and inequality, macroeconomic policies, microeconomic policies, and issues that bear upon India's previous growth experience and future growth prospects. These provide important insights and suggestions for reform that should change much of the current thinking on the current state of the Indian economy. India: The Emerging Giant will attract a wide variety of readers, including academic economists, policy makers, and research staff in national governments and international institutions. It should also serve as a core text in undergraduate and graduate courses that deal with Indias economic development and policies.

This edited book focus on highlighting the evolution of Indian agriculture over the past 75 years of independence, covering every sector, viz. crop science, horticulture, management of biotic & abiotic stress, post-harvest quality management, livestock, fisheries, mechanization, marketing and human resource development. The book has 30 chapters from most experienced researchers and academicians who are actively engaged in research work on the subject area of the book. The book is in line with the strategy for new India @ 75’ brought out by NITI Ayog. It highlights India’s success stories in innovation, technology, enterprise and efficient management together to achieve overall growth while making available food, required nutrition and others ecological services. It also asses the India’s preparedness in terms of commitment toward sustainable development goal SDG). The book is a relevant reading material for both students and researchers and policy makers.