OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS OF DR MC AGRAWAL

Dr Agrawal has also participated and involved in other problems , faced from time to time. For instance, there was no alumni association ,though college of veterinary science and animal husbandry, Jabalpur was established in  July 1948. Dr Agrawal initiated formation of JVC Alumni Association of the college and made Secretary of the association in Feb 1999 which post he held till July 2006-the maximum period an executive is allowed to hold the post. During this period, he published twice the directory of the alumni members, a quarterly JVC alumni association news letter , gathered money and started Gold Medals for the students ,securing highest marks in Gynecology, Microbiology, Pathology, Anatomy etc and started celebrating college foundation day on 8^th July every year. He has made a strong footing of JVC alumni association so that it will continue to exist for ever.

Dr SC Dutt memorial lectures were started by the Department of   Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science and AH, Jabalpur in 1996 but  there was no authentic information regarding the eminent scientist on whose name the lectures were arranged. Therefore, Dr Agrawal decided to gather

all the related information to publish  the same in the book form. Without any financial help and scattered information, it was very difficult to complete the task but with the help of all, particularly family members of the professor , the book was published and inaugurated in the national conference of Indian Association for Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology on 3^rd Dec 2002. The book was distributed to all the Parasitologists free of cost.

As soon as he was made Dean of college of veterinary science and animal husbandry ,Jabalpur he handled the expert team of Veterinary Council of India who visited the college ,after 8 years ,for checking admission system, existing facilities etc The secretary ,animal husbandry department, Madhya Pradesh also visited the college for discussions and we were able to get sanctions of many new items. Arranged training program of State Veterinary officers  two times and organized national conferences on Veterinary Pathology and Surgery    ,during his tenure .  Dr Agrawal inculcated computer culture in the college and prepared many documents for presentation. The important ones were the presentation of the faculty achievements before Agriculture Production Commissioner, Madhya Pradesh and a complete proposal for opening a new Veterinary college at Sagar , as per guide lines  of Veterinary Council of India (the document was used for opening Veterinary College at Rewa as Sagar got a Medical college). Dr Agrawal was also looking after the work of Dean Faculty, on behalf of the Vice Chancellor and has solved amicably many student problems ,including purchase of new bus for Mhow and Jabalpur students ; allowed student tour ,after a pretty long time , to visit important places of the country; enriched college libraries by purchasing veterinary science data base  in form of Vet CD from CABI, U K . Dr Agrawal has been made member of VCI team to review standards of Bikaner Veterinary College and Chairman of the committee of VCI for reviewing facilities of newly formed Veterinary College at Meerut under Sardar Patel Agriculture University.

Dr Agrawal has remained active even after retirement and has devoted his time in social and scientific causes. The Vice Chancellor Dr GP Mishra of newly formed MP Veterinary University made a committee and asked  him  to work on rural  economy so that impact of the university may be visualized. Dr Agrawal suggested to select 6 villages of different economic and social status, and to transfer new technologies to these villages ,and to assess overall improvement because of the technologies within stipulated periods . This may act as a model to be transferred in other villages.

Dr Agrawal utilized his retirement period in writing a research book on “Schistosome and schistosomiasis in South Asia “ as there was no book on this topic although work on this global problem is being carried out in India since more than hundred years. He has dealt the subject authoritatively and has discussed many topics which are relevant in furtherance of research as well as any future attempts in controlling the disease in the region. As there is a need for making comparative studies by the international scientific community on schistosomiasis , the book was published by Springer and being marketed world over ,so that international scientists may assess the book.

It is very necessary that our young generation, science students develop interest in scientific research as no nation can progress without scientific research. Therefore, to acquaint our young generation towards scientific research, Dr Agrawal is writing a book “ Research as a career (in Parasitology)”  which will deal the subject , more comprehensively so that  our young talents may select research as their future career.

Dr Agrawal was awarded Dr SC Parija oration gold medal of Indian Academy of Tropical Parasitology and delivered his lecture “Why schistosomiasis should still be studied in Indian continent” on 13^th Oct 2012 at Shri Auribindo Institute of Medical sciences and Post Graduate studies, Indore, where he advocated the need of starting a National Institute of Parasitology. He further elaborated the idea of National Institute of Parasitology which has been published by Para Sight 2 of IAAVP; this write up was also forwarded to ICAR, ICMR, UGC , the Director General ,ICMR ( Dr VM Katoch ) appreciated the idea which is to be consulted with other eminent personalities to give it a reality.

The Pharmaceutical company, Pfizer India is launching an ambitious program of improving post graduate standards of Veterinary education in India , with the help of their international counterpart and ICAR,VCI. On 5^th Dec 2012 the Head of Indian operations Dr Neil from Edinburg, UK, Dr BK Singh and Dr A.Jain  of Pfizer India  came to Jabalpur , had a personal meeting with Dr Agrawal and requested him to be a part of the program which he very gladly accepted .

Dr Agrawal has always tried to remain in contact with the scientists, young generation (jvc alumni association.blogspot.co.in ), and is contacting them through e-mail ( mcagrawal@yahoo.com ) ,face book, and his  blog (www.indianschistosomiasis.blogspot.com  ;www.indianparasitologists.blogspot.com)  .