Recording true history and studying it thoroughly is always a worthwhile endeavor. Because history inspires us to follow the right path, we can also strive towards a flawless life. History tells us unequivocally which path is wrong. This is also absolutely true when it comes to collecting, preserving, and recording the history of overall agricultural education, allied agricultural research, and comprehensive agricultural extension by properly and accurately searching it. Although there are history departments in various universities and colleges across India, the educationists have not paid much attention to agricultural history. There is no such importance, no interest, and no environment for studying and researching the correct and complete history of agricultural education, research, and extension in various institutes. The study of agricultural history in the past has also been rather one-sided, incomplete, and uninteresting.
The concerned departments of the Centre or states, various public and private agricultural institutions, and the authorities of agricultural colleges and universities should keep a proper record of the history of their respective institutions and state and publish the latest editions of those literature. In addition, the gems of agricultural-lore that still exist in oral literature – proverbs, sayings, riddles, folk tales, legends, and folk music – also need to be properly collected, edited, and their extracts included in the agricultural curriculum. Other scholars like Rabindranath Tagore, Dwijendra Lal Roy, agricultural scientist Bashishwar Sen, Sri Ramakrishna-Parshad Swami Akhandanandaji Maharaj, and Vidyasagar, who, in the context of contemporary circumstances and with agricultural thought and understanding, offered their offerings and activities at the feet of Bharat-mata — Where are we reading that history? It seems that a few modern scientists have done all the research, and we don’t remember anyone else. There is a chapter called ‘Review of Literature’ in the context of PhD research in various departments related to agriculture, but many people have many questions about how sincere and objective the analysis is. Perhaps the Review of Literature would have been more enjoyable and expandable if proper attention and importance had been given to agricultural history.
And in most cases, this research context does not find its way into books in the regional language, but instead, it disappears from public view in the guise of a foreign language. Just a common people want to read the history of literature and want to know the history of science, similarly, they want to satisfy their thirst for knowledge and the need for farming by reading the history of agricultural science. The history of the path of agriculture cannot be left unexplored for a larger agricultural society. The search and practice of this knowledge is largely our ‘Un-felt Need’. People are starting to look for it. The ones who will find it are historical researchers. Since they are not agricultural science researchers, their research is incomplete and lacking. Over the past three and a half decades, while working on agricultural issues in rural Bengal and various parts of India, I have seen many untold agricultural histories lying undiscovered and unpreserved, waiting to be properly collected.
As time passes, its original archetype will be lost. Agri-history Research Cells should be set up in all agricultural universities and central and state research centers of the country right now. Five to seven qualified researchers, including a permanent Director, will work in this cell to collect the gems of agricultural history in the respective state or area, compile books, and continue to observe the agricultural folklore (Farmlore).
The agricultural history curriculum will be enriched with the necessary research findings. This will be a test of whether scientists can give due respect to farmers and farmer-friends.
[দেশের সমস্ত কৃষি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে Agri-history Research Cell (AHRC) স্থাপন প্রয়োজন — ড. কল্যাণ চক্রবর্তী।
देश के सभी कृषि विश्वविद्यालयों में कृषि-इतिहास अनुसंधान प्रकोष्ठ (एएचआरसी) स्थापित करना आवश्यक है –डॉ. कल्याण चक्रवर्ती.]
Dr. Kalyan Chakraborti
