First CM’s vision led to setting up of Nauni varsity
True to the adage “When the vision is clear, the results will appear”, the state’s first Chief Minister Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar envisioned to set up an agriculture research centre at Solan that created Asia’s first horticulture and forestry university at Nauni on December 1, 1985. Since the agro-climatic conditions of the hills differ greatly from plains, experts felt the human resource trained here would have a better understanding of hill agriculture and would aptly address the problems specific to hill environment. Owing to its importance as a national asset, Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, dedicated the university to the nation on April 30, 1988.
Old timers recall that during an official visit to Sarsu, a small hamlet perched on a hill overlooking Nauni, Parmar suggested the establishment of an agricultural research centre. It was initially planned on a 100-bigha land in Pachhad in Parmar’s native Sirmaur district but the plan somehow could not materialise.
He envisioned setting up of an institute which would carry out research and help in sustaining hill farmers livelihood through horticulture. Parmar convinced the community to willingly dedicate their lands for this cause, which would usher the state into prosperity and place it on the international map. The campus was carved out from 15 villages inhabited by 500 families. Five of them were the landlords, while the majority were cultivators, locally referred to as ‘kashtkar’ or ‘dehalta’, inform university officials. Most of the cultivators belonging to the ‘Girdawari’ clan were allocated 50 per cent of the compensation amount, while the remaining portion went to the landowners.
These families relocated to nearby villages in Sirmaur, such as Daro Devrian, Dhog, Rewari and Paje Ki Dhar, within a specific timeframe. Notably, majority of the constructed university area, including the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, administrative block, auditorium, both colleges and a section of the residential area, was once a part of Uchha Gaon village. Other significant villages included Langanji, Bhagour, Kharkog Malog, Nado, Oach and Majhgaon. Several research farms under different university departments have been named after these villages. Founded on December 1, 1985, the university originated from the former Himachal Agriculture College, Solan, established in 1962 affiliated to the Panjab University, Chandigarh. It had an inaugural batch of six students and it operated from the Rajasthan Bhavan situated in the heart of Solan town. The student intake was gradually increased to 30.
It became one of the campuses of Agriculture Complex of Himachal Pradesh University after its formation in 1970. Consequent upon the establishment of Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in 1978, this campus became its Horticulture Complex and finally in 1985 it assumed the status of a State University.
The Solan campus, known as the College of Horticulture and Forestry attained the status of a full-fledged university on December 1, 1985. Named after Dr Parmar as a tribute to his vision, the institution became the first Horticulture and Forestry University of Asia, gaining international recognition and a unique identity as envisioned by its founder.
The university now has four constituent colleges — two are located at the main campus at Nauni and comprise horticulture and forestry, having 9 and 7 departments, respectively. Its other College of Horticulture & Forestry is located at Neri in Hamirpur district while the fourth College of Horticulture and Forestry, Thunag, is located in Mandi district.
