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GUWAHATI, ASSAM — November 03, 2026 — The Central Muga Eri Research and Training Institute (CMER&TI), Lahdoigarh, Jorhat, under the Central Silk Board (CSB), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, successfully inaugurated the "National Official Language Silk Technical Seminar – 2026" today at the NEDFi House Auditorium in Guwahati. Centered on the transformative theme, "रेशम उत्पादन तंत्र के रूपांतरण में महिलाओं एवं युवाओं की भूमिका" (Role of Women and Youth in the Transformation of the Sericulture Ecosystem), the national conclave gathered foremost sericulture scientists, policymakers, state directors, and rural stakeholders from across India.
The inaugural session opened with national anthems and the Assam State Anthem, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Dr. Kartik Neog, Director of CMER&TI Jorhat, formally welcomed delegates and outlined northeastern India’s unparalleled vanya silk heritage. Shri P. Shivakumar, IFS, Member Secretary of the Central Silk Board, delivered the keynote address as Chief Guest, emphasizing that empowering women and rural youth with modern scientific interventions, climate-resilient seed production, and entrepreneurial incubation is pivotal to achieving a self-reliant and globally competitive Indian silk industry.
Dignitaries addressing the inaugural conclave included Dr. Naresh Babu N., IFS, Joint Secretary (Technical), CSB Bengaluru; Shri Rajiv Kumar Nayak, Deputy Director, Official Language Department (NE Region), Guwahati; Smt. Lakhimi Dutta, Director, Directorate of Sericulture, Government of Assam; and Shri Jitendra Tak, Director, Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT), Guwahati. During the ceremony, dignitaries launched key official publications, including a Hindi Compendium & Sericulture Glossary, the official Seminar Souvenir, and Information, Education & Communication (IEC) materials.
The technical agenda brought together directors and leading researchers from CSB’s premier institutes in Mysore, Berhampore, Pampore, Ranchi, Bilaspur, and Bengaluru across dedicated technical deliberations:
Host Plant & Nursery Management: Advanced in vitro mulberry micropropagation, somatic hybridization, high-performing Som/Soalu germplasm identification for Muga silkworms, Terminalia agroforestry for Tasar livelihoods, and integrated clonal propagation of Borpat (Ailanthus grandis) to eliminate seed dependency in Eri culture.
Silkworm Disease & Pest Management: Transcriptomic responses of Muga silkworms to Cypovirus infections, early-warning diagnostic biomarkers for mulberry pink mealybug, and the field performance of women-led Sericulture Resource Centers across Himachal Pradesh, Kargil, and Ladakh.
Capacity Building & Tribal Empowerment: Targeted programs including the MRMA campaign and EREC Fatehpur initiatives empowering rural and tribal women across Assam, Jharkhand, and Northern India; alongside modern workforce skilling under 'Mera Resham Mera Abhiman'.
Post-Cocoon Value Addition & By-product Utilization: Commercial application of silk gum (sericin) in biomedical and cosmetic products, pupa oil valorization, natural dye innovations, and waste cocoon upcycling through community-driven 'Cocoon Artistry' enterprises.
Official Language & Scientific Communication: Expanding technical literature in Hindi and regional languages to democratize sericultural innovations for grassroots rearers and reelers.
The one-day conference concluded with a valedictory session chaired by Chief Guest Shri P. Shivakumar, IFS, and reports from all five session chairs. Awards were conferred for Best Oral Presentation and Best Poster Presentation to recognize outstanding scientific contributions by researchers and field workers. Dr. Kartik Neog concluded the proceedings with a formal vote of thanks, reaffirming CMER&TI’s commitment to driving innovation, sustainability, and socio-economic empowerment across northeastern sericulture.
