Why do we celebrate National Fish Farmers' Day on 10th July and why Prof. Dr. Hiralal Choudhury is remembered on this day ?

                   

                            The “Blue Revolution“ in India started with the development of seed production technology through induced breeding (Hypophysation) by Prof. Dr. Hiralal Choudhury under the guidance of Dr. K. H. Alikunhi as head at the erstwhile “pond culture division” of CIFRI at Cuttack, Odisha (presently Central Institute of Fresh Water Aquaculture, CIFA, Bhubaneswar) during late fifties. The major carp culture sector owes its present flourishing status to Prof. Choudhury, who ushered in the system of “Induced Breeding of Major carps” through administration of carp pituitary extract in the breeding of major carps and also standardized the system. It was on 10^th July 1957, the first success in induced breeding was achieved at Angul in Odisha by Dr. Choudhury with the support from Dr. Alikunhi. The spawns that was successfully raised into Fry and later into Fingerlings. This pioneering work over years has led to aqua-explosion in the country principally through quality major carp seed production and supplies to fish farmers for culture from hundred of hatcheries that sprang in the country based on induced breeding technology. Indian Fisheries sector has made great strides in the past five decades showing eleven fold increase, from 0.75 million tones in 1950-51 to 9.58 million tones in 2013-14. At present, India is the second largest aquaculture producer of the world just next to china. Besides providing livelihood security to cover 14 million people, the sector has been one of the major foreign exchange earners.

                  These successes were considered the best research success in the field of Aquaculture in the region. The credit for these successes goes to Prof. Hiralal Choudhury the “Father of Induced Breeding” and the international scientist.

                 For this success Govt. of India in 2001 declared 10^th July as “National Fish Farmers' Day”.

(Dr. Hiralal Choudhury born at Kubazpur village at Sylhet, Assam on 21^st November 1921).