Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 10: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) today officially licensed its groundbreaking technology – a genetically modified Lactobacillus plantarum NC8 construct designed as a probiotic additive in poultry feed – to Kolkata-based Invati Creations Private Limited.
The innovative and patented product is set to be commercialised across the country under the brand name ‘Salnil’.
The ‘Technology License Agreement Signing Ceremony’ was conducted virtually via video-conferencing, where Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-K; Dr Jitendra Kumar, MD, BIRAC; and Mukesh Agarwal, CEO, Invati Creations Pvt Ltd, formally appended their signatures digitally to the commercialisation agreement.
Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai said this is a great day for SKUAST-K as the university is transferring a ground breaking technology to an industry partner for commercialisation. He said universities and other R&D institutions in the country develop a large number of technologies but only a few are transferred for public use.
Earlier, Dr Vinita Jindal, DGM & Head of Intellectual Property and Technology Management at BIRAC, highlighted the strategic importance of such technology transfers in driving innovation and economic growth.
Mukesh Agarwal, Director & CEO of Invati Creations Pvt Ltd, shared his company’s vision for the technology, announcing the product’s brand name as ‘Salnil’. The initial 20-year agreement solidifies a long-term partnership aimed at revolutionising the poultry feed industry, he said.
Prof Haroon R Naik, Director Research, SKUAST-K, in his remarks, underscored the significance of this technology transfer for food industry.
Dr Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director of BIRAC, highlighted BIRAC’s vital role in bridging the gap between scientific discovery and industrial application, thereby accelerating the impact of academic research.
Prof Syed Mudasir Andrabi, Head of Animal Biotechnology at SKUAST-K and the lead innovator, provided technical overview of the technology. He detailed the intensive 7-8 year journey of research and development, underscoring the pivotal contribution of his PhD scholar, Dr Junaid Nazir, in engineering this unique Lactobacillus construct. Prof. Andrabi explained that this innovative probiotic, designed as a feed additive, targets crucial aspects of poultry health, aiming to bolster gut health, optimize nutrient absorption, and improve overall resilience in poultry.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
