Manashi Baruah - A Vidya Bharati alumni changing the face of agriculture in Assam

Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58% of India’s population. The Economic Survey of India 2020-21 report stated that in FY20, the total food grain production in the country was recorded at 296.65 million tonnes. The agriculture sector in India is expected to generate better momentum in the next few years due to increased investment in agricultural infrastructure and scientific support from the Government as well as private players.  In recent days, due to the pandemic, all the sectors thrived but agriculture saved the country’s economy.

Manashi Baruah, an alumnus of Shankardev Shishu Niketan Jalah, is proudly supporting the farmers through her skills and education. An Agriculture Officer from Chirang district of Assam, Manasi finds innovative methods to overcome various problems faced by the farmers of the district. 

Manashi completed her class 10th from the Vidya Bharati School, where she secured 6th rank in the Asaam state board examination.  She then joined Anundoram Borooah Academy, Pathsala to complete her Higher Secondary course and again secured astounding scores. Belonging to a family, where her father, in spite of being a teacher, is indulged in farming, she got the inspiration to join a course in Agriculture for further studies. 

“No race can prosper until it learns there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.”  

This is something which inspired Manashi, as much her father and her school did to shape her future. She enrolled herself in Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat to complete her B.Sc. in Agriculture Science. Further she studied Masters in Agriculture from the Central Agricultural University, Barapani Shillong. She currently works as an Agriculture officer in Assam. Her roles and responsibilities include ensuring that all the agricultural practices & products are in lieu of the state & local regulations, checking, investigating, sampling and testing every crop and products, to determine whether they are complying with the state & local rules and regulations.  She is further required to meet the farmers and solve their problems. 

“Who still think that agriculture is done with the help of plough and ox, they need to wake up. The field has applied many innovative techniques of science and technology to improve crop production, increase the amount of nutrition in fruits and vegetables, etc. Thus, the science of agriculture is vast and needs more young and creative minds to develop this field further and meet the demands”, mentions Manashi.

If you are Vidya Bharati alumni and associated with any kind of social work, kindly fill your details at https://www.vidyabharatialumni.org/social-service-survey