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Your Excellency Shri Surjit Singh Barnalaji, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Dr.M.L.Choudhary, Horticulture Commissioner, Government of India, Prof. P. I. Peter, Chairman, Health India Laboratories,
Honored Members of Research Advisory Board of World Noni Research Foundation, Eminent Scientists, Doctors, Pharmacologists, other dignitaries, delegates, Media, Press, Ladies and Gentlemen,
A very pleasant NONI morning to you all. Today, we all have assembled here to participate in Noni Search 2007 – the Second National Symposium with the theme “Noni for Health and Wellness”. We are most fortunate to have our
Honored Chief Guest H.E. The Governor of Tamil Nadu for inaugurating this most unique conference. Our Chief Guest is known to me ever since he was the Union Minister of Agriculture, Government of India. He is a dynamic personality and well known for his contribution to the development and prosperity of our great nation. He has always appreciated the scientists for their contribution in making the country self-sufficient not only on food front but also in many other fields as well.
Your Excellency, we are extremely grateful to you for having accepted to inaugurate the Noni Search 2007 in spite of your hectic daily schedule. We feel honoured with your august presence. We are very eagerly waiting for your inaugural address which will give us many future directions on the research and development and the role that this wonder plant will play in our country’s “Health and Wellness” programme.
I had the opportunity to inaugurate and attend the First National Symposium, Noni Search 2006, at Hyderabad in October 2006 and the Proceedings of the Symposium will be released by our Chief Guest today. Over a period of years, a treasure of information on Noni has been collected and compiled by Prof. P.I. Peter and the same has been edited as Noni Monograph which also will be
released
today.
The World Noni Research Foundation is the brain child of Prof.P.I.Peter and is a non- profit, self-sustaining, independent, registered trust of likeminded scientists who believe in generating scientific knowledge upto the molecular level on various aspects of this plant. The Foundation has six research programme areas namely Crop Research, Plant Protection Research, Food Science Research, Clinical Research, Pharmacological and Experimental Research. Each research programme area is headed by an eminent scientist. With my involvement as Chairperson, we are streamlining the research, strengthening the collaboration in various fields like agriculture, bio-science and medical science and also organize symposium. Noni Search 2007 is being attended by agricultural scientists, bioscientists, biotechnologists, medical doctors, pharmacologists and farmers who are growing Noni for sustainable income, a few promoters of Noni, consumers of Noni for health and wellness, planners and policy makers and they all will also deliberate and discuss various issues pertaining to Noni for two days in Six Technical Sessions viz., Crop Improvement, Crop Production, Crop Protection, Post Harvest Technology and Noni for Health including Pharmacological, Clinical and Therapeutic aspects.
I do not want to take much of your time. I only would like to say that Morinda citrifolia L., the underutilized but wonder fruit crop with full of nutrients is slowly vanishing due to genetic erosion. It is the right time that we have to conserve the genetic diversity and make use of this fruit and other parts of this plant in Wellness program for not only human beings but also in cattle, poultry and fishery. Before I conclude, I would like to say that Noni is the Fruit of the 21st Century” in providing Nutritional Security and Wellness Security to millions of people around the world and also provide sustainable income to the farmers.
Once again I express my gratitude to Your Excellency for the kindness shown to us by participating in this vital symposium and inaugurating the same.
I am sure that the delegates will find the deliberations of the symposium interesting and useful. Finally, I have every hope that the outcome of the symposium will add to the existing knowledge and pave way for further research on Noni.
Noni Namashkar
Jai Hind
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