Dr. V R. P. Sinha
Receiving the ISCA Millennium Award (2008) from the Hon'able Former Prime Minister of India Dr. Man Mohan Singh

Dr. V R. P. Sinha
Receiving the Lal Bahadur Shastri Award from the Hon'able Former Prime Minister of India Sri, Rajiv Gandhi in 1989

Dr. V R. P. Sinha
With the Hon'able Former Prime Minister of India Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1977 explaining the benefits of carp farming for rural development at the occasion of the Foundation Laying Ceremony of the FARTC

Dr. V R. P. Sinha
Awarded the Leadership Award of the ICAR Team award by the former Union Minister of Agriculture Sri, S.S . Barnala (1979)

Dr. V R. P. Sinha
Being awarded the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Memorial Prize by the former Union Minister of Agriculture, Sri Jag Jivan Ram (1976)

Dr. V R. P. Sinha
Being awarded the Hooker Award by the former Union State Minister of Agriculture Sri, Shah Nawaz Khan (1974)

Achievements and Publications

Outstanding Achievement sof Dr.V.R.P.Sinha in different countries

Dr.V.R.P. Sinha's illustrious contributions to the field of biological science, fisheries and aquaculture and their application for the upliftment of poor farmers, fishermen and women in India are well known world over. Dr.Sinha has worked in different countries in Europe, Asia and Africa for over five decades and contributed immensely to the science and society.

Country Achievements

England

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  • The correct identification of sex in the European eels and clarification of the confusion of their sex change
  • He showed for the first time that the Syrski organ in European Eel was not always the testis and thus he did sex identification of the eel correctly.
  • It was also shown that male and female eels live together in fresh and brackish water contrary to the earlier belief that they live separately.
  • Refuted the theory of sex change in eel (ref: J.Zoo.Lond.U.K.150: 371-385, 1966).
  • Developed a new method of otolith preparation for age determination in eels.
  • Exonerated eel as a predator on salmon eggs and fry (ref: Proc. British Coarse Fish . Conf., Liverpool. U.K.2: 40-42.1965,, J. Zool, London, U.K. 153: 99-117.1967, J .Fish, Biol., London, U.K. 1: 279-283).
  • Also controversy about breeding migration of European eel to the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic was clarified (ref,  Proc. Br. Coarse. Fish. Con. Liverpool, U. K., 70-72, 1967).
  • He was awarded the Leverhulme Fellowship at the University of Liverpool in 1964
  • The British Council award for travel  to the U.K. to write a book on eel.
  • The University of Liverpool in 1975, published his book co-authored with Dr. J.W.Jones (ref: The European Freshwater Eel. Liverpool University Press, Liverpool: 146 p.)

Malaysia

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  • As a Principal Scientist he  isolated fish pituitary gonadotropins at  the Tropical Fish Culture Research Institute (TFCRI) in West Malaysia by molecular sieving, the method of separation had a great relevance on other hormone separation research (ref: J. ChromatogNetherlands, 44: 624-28, 1969)  (Please see exhibits 6 )and further worked on spawning of carp (ref: J. Fish Biol., London, UK. 4: 585-592, 1972 J.Endocrin, U.K.54: 87-98.)

Hungary

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  • He postulated a hypothesis on gonadal hydration of carp as a pre-requisite for spawning in nature in the river and in controlled conditions
  • Then he clarified why female major carp do not breed in confined water of ponds although sexually fully matured, (ref: Arch. Hydrobiologie, Stuttgart, Germany 73 (4): 518-536, Curr. Sci., 44(7) April 5, 1975 Hydrobiologia, 72: 193-1976 Aquaculture Hungarica, 4:434-49).

India

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Leadership in Adaptive Research on Carp Farming and Seed Production.

Dr. Sinha returned to India in 1971 and provided the most dynamic leadership in revolutionizing freshwater aquaculture in India and in the region.

  • As a Project Coordinator, he initiated an All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Composite Fish Culture in1971 at the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, to undertake countrywide adaptive research on Carp farming and seed production in different agro-climatic conditions to maximize carp production and popularise carp seed production.
  • His scientific leadership in enhancing pond productivity through multidisciplinary research not only achieved a five fold increase in the national productivity of pond-culture carp from 600 kg/ha/year to the target of 3t/ha/yr in five years at different Centres of the Project but achieved spectacular levels of production in the range of over 3- 10t/ha/yr in the initial years of the Project itself
  • Some of the Press reports are shown in exhibits 7-9.
  • Dr. Sinha being awarded the Hooker Award by the former Union State Minister of Agriculture Sri, Shah Nawaz Khan (1974)
  • The grass carp achieved the world record of growth rate under the Project. All Centres of the Project undertook breeding of carps even exotic carps like grass and silver carp for the first time in different States of India.
  • Exotic carp like grass carp and silver carp were bred in the “bundh types of tank’ in West Bengal for the first time. These step helped popularisation of controlled seed production in the country and also contributed in a major shift from wild seed collection from the rivers to controlled seed production.
  • Thus, India by the end of the last century was producing over 15,000 millions fry annually from over 900 hatcheries and within a decade carp farming became one of the most economic farming practices in these States
  • Dr. Sinha being awarded the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Memorial Prize by the former Union Minister of Agriculture, Sri Jag Jivan Ram (1976)
  • The Project thus provided firm scientific basis and extension support for revolutionizing carp farming in India (ref: Rural Aquaculture in India, FAO/RAP Publication 1999/21, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, FAO of the UN, Bangkok, Thailand).

Transfer of Technology and People Awareness about the Potentiality of Carp Farming

Dr. Sinha, had been equally devoted to aquaculture training and transfer of technology in the country and abroad. Dr. Sinha got deeply involved in organizing various training programs for farmers, women, unemployed youth, tribals, bank officials and for government extension officers in Carp farming and seed production as an Overall-in-Charge of Extension at the CIFRI.

Popularisation of Fish Culture Science in Hindi

  • He was the first to write books on Fish Culture in Vernacular and ICAR published it entitled Misrit Machli Palan (Composite Fish Culture, co- authored with Dr. Dilip kumar) in 1979
  • He authored Machli Palan Ak Udyog (Fish Culture an Industry) to help farmers and entrepreneurs to understand in simple language the principles, practices and benefits of fish culture. The book was published by the ICAR, New Delhi in 1992.
  • Further in 2008 he authored with Dr.Radheyshyam another Hindi Book Bhartiya Jal Jivpalan Udyog.
  • As the Director /Vice-Chancellor, CIFE he organized the first ever All India Symposium in Hindi on Matsaki Vigyan Ke Badhte Charan in Dec.1991
  • Later those papers were compiled as a book.
  • He also initiated and supervised seven books in Hindi by different scientists of the CIFE on different aspects of fisheries including the Fisheries Dictionary.
  • He was awarded Ashirwad award of Rajya Bhasha Parisad in 1992 by Hon'able Union Minister of India Mrs .Girija Vyas.

Other Extension Efforts

He followed the concept of the holistic extension system where research, training and extension are totally integrated.

Dr. Sinha promoted launching of the extension projects on carp farming like, National Demonstration, Lab to Land programmes, Operational Research Programmes, which directly benefited the fish farmers in general and the small and marginal fish farmers in particular.

  • His interests in rural development and gender mainstreaming in aquaculture were visible as the Overall- In- charge of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK/Farm Science Centre) and Trainers' Training Centre (TTC) at Bhubaneswar, with several in-campus and off-campus training and demonstration programmes in the rural areas.
  • He was the first to establish the first Women Cooperative on Aquaculture in Nakhurpatna in Bhubaneswar Orissa, India in 1979. The benefits that the rural poor, unemployed youth and illiterate women derived from the adoption of carp culture as planned by Dr Sinha have been significant and long lasting.
  • Dr. Sinha fully convinced the concerned policy makers and administrators about the potentiality of the carp farming technology, its economic viability and its role in social upliftment of the poor in India.
  • As a result of which, the Central and the State Governments launched various programmes for development of freshwater aquaculture. Presently, aquaculture has made larger contribution than cereal crops, horticulture and livestock production in its over all national GDP and in its annual growth rate. Dr.Sinha being awarded the Leadership Award of the ICAR Team award by the former Union Minister of Agriculture  Sri, S.S . Barnala (1979)

Aquaculture Institution Building, Advancement in Aquaculture Science and Dissemination of Carp farming in the region

Dr Sinha has made specific contributions to Institution building.

  • Under  the leadership of Dr.Sinha the Freshwater Aquaculture Research and Training Center (FARTC) at Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India got started to be established in 1977.
  • The FAO supported the ICAR/Government of India efforts, and a FAO/UNDP Project on “Intensification of Fish Culture and Training” was initiated in1977 at FARTC and then in 1979 another FAO/UNDP Regional Project “On the establishment of Lead Centres in Carp Farming in Asia under  Dr. Sinha as National Project Director.
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  • He also established in 1977 the Farm Science Center (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) and Trainers’ Training Center for Aquaculture, along with the FARTC at Bhubaneswar, which was upgraded as the Central Institute for Freshwater Aquaculture in 1986, a premier institution for research, extension and training for the fish farmers to the highly placed professionals.

Dr.V.R.P.Sinha with the Hon'able Prime Minister of India Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1977 explaining the benefits of carp farming for rural development at the occasion of the Foundation Laying Ceremony of the FARTC

  • He provided leadership in the research studies on fish breeding, pond dynamics. pond microbiology, pond productivity management, fish nutrition and feeds and fish diseases  (ref: Aquacultura Hungarica, 2:105-116, Inland J. Fish, 27 (1&2): 193-200, Resource Management and Optimisation, New York 1(4): 331-334, Aquacultura Hungarica 3; 201-206 and 4; 103-110, Revue Ges. Hydrobiology: 71 (6) 807-812, Aquaculture; 58:111-122, Arch. Hydrobiol.106 (2): 299-311, Aquacutura Hungarica 5:113-118, 127-132 and 219-226. Arch. Hydrobiol, 11(2): 309-315, Int. Revue Ges,Hydrobiol . 72 (3): 297-305). This resulted in multidisciplinary approach to improve pond productivity and thus helped in upgrading the technology of freshwater aquaculture.
  • Dr. Sinha as a director played a pivotal role in upgrading the Central Institute of Fisheries Education at Mumbai, India to the status of an University in 1989 and became the founder Vice-Chancellor of the Institute and continued his endeavour for HRD for fisheries and particularly aquaculture (Exhibit 10).

  • Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai, became Deemed University under Dr.Sinha

    Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, established under Dr.Sinha
  •  His expertise and experience have been utilized by several national and international agencies, both governmental and private.

Dr.V.R.P.Sinha receiving the Lal Bahadur Shastri Award from the Hon'able Prime Minister of India Sri, Rajiv Gandhi in 1989

Dr Sinha receiving the ISCA Millennium Award (2008) from the Hon'able Prime Minister of India Dr. Man Mohan Singh

Thailand

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As a Senior Aquaculturist (Research and Training) of the FAO/UNDP Project on the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia at Bangkok (1986-88) assisted the member countries of Asia in prioritising their research and training needs and organized and conducted the training of Scientists and Technicians of Asian and African Countries in carp farming in India and shrimp farming in the Philippines.

Nepal

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As a Senior Aquaculturist (Research and Training) of the FAO/UNDP Project on theNetwork of Aquaculture Centers in Asia at Bangkok (1966-68) assisted to strengthen the National Canter on Aquaculture at Janakpur, Nepal.

The Philippines

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  • As a Senior Aquaculturist (Research and Training) of the FAO/UNDP Project on the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia at Bangkok (1968-88), he overviewed the NACA Lead Center activities on Shrimp Farming at Iloilo under the Project
  • He was a Visiting Professor at the International Rice Research Institute, the Philippines to lecture on Paddy cum Fish Culture for the course on “Prosperity through Rice” (1984)
  • As a TAC Panel Member of the CGIAR/FAO and the World Bank, discussed the role of  CGIAR in international fisheries research and made assessment of International Center of   Living Aquatic Resource Management (ICLARM) now The World Fish Center as an associated center for CGIAR support (1990)

Mynmar

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As a FAO/UNDP consultant to the Government of Myanmar, identified the research and training facilities required for a National Fisheries Institute and also prioritised the research programmes to be undertaken in the proposed Institute (1987

Ghana

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As a FAO/RAF/UNDP consultant assessed the potentialities for aquaculture development in Africa and formulated appropriate policies, plans and packages of training programme for further development of aquaculture in African Countries

MALAWI

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As a World Bank consultant reviewed the Fisheries Research in Malawi, East Africa(1998)

Bangladesh

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  • As a World Bank consultant for the development of Ox bow Lake fisheries in Jessore in Bangladesh, evaluated the project and made recommendations for physical investment for developing the water bodies into viable fish farm and for carp hatchery and nursery(1978)
  • As a FAO/UNDP Senior Specialist (Research Management and Development) and Team Leader of the Project (1992-94), then as a World Bank and Winrock International and Arcadis-Euro Consult (1999-2001) assisted the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute to strengthen it to undertake fisheries and aquaculture research relevant to the development of the fisheries sector.
  • Also assisted to establish there a high degree of technical and managerial capacity in planning, management and implementation of research.