Strengthen India’s preparedness against emerging viral threats: ICAR scientist

Yashpal Singh Malik, Deputy Director General (Education), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, has emphasised the need to strengthen India’s preparedness against emerging viral threats through advanced diagnostics, disease forecasting, indigenous vaccine development and effective surveillance.

Dr. Malik was inaugurating VIROCON 2026, a national conference on ‘Viruses in a Changing World: Ecology, Evolution and Future Preparedness,’ organised by the Indian Virological Society (IVS), New Delhi, in collaboration with ICAR–Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram.

He called for greater convergence among virology research institutions to promote scientific innovation and self-reliance in line with the concepts of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat. Stressing the importance of reliable and validated research data before publication, Dr. Malik advocated prioritising human resource development, particularly young researchers and students, through interdisciplinary training, scientific seminars and collaborative research.

Referring to avian influenza outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic, he highlighted India’s growing capabilities in pathogen identification and disease modelling, including contributions from the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases.

ICAR-CTCRI director G. Byju highlighted the need for interdisciplinary research and collaborative efforts to address emerging viral threats.

T. Sajitha Rani, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University, was guest of honour.

The three-day conference, which concludes on Friday, brings together scientists, academicians, research scholars and industry professionals from across India. The event is being organised in association with ICAR–National Research Centre for

Banana, the Institute of Advanced Virology and the Indian Society for Root Crops.