KVK Chamba Bags Best Social Media Outreach Award Among 72 KVKs of Zone-I

December 27, 2025

In a significant achievement, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Chamba, affiliated with Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni, has bagged two prestigious ICAR awards during the Annual Workshop of ICAR–Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ICAR-ATARI), Zone-I.

KVK Chamba received the Institution Award for Best Social Media Outreach, emerging as the top performer among 72 KVKs of Zone-I, comprising KVKs from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. The award was conferred in recognition of the effective use of social media platforms for disseminating agricultural technologies, technical know-how, and farmer-friendly information.

In addition, Dr Neha Dhiman, Fruit Scientist, KVK Chamba, was honoured with the Individual Award for Best Performance in Social Media Outreach for her outstanding contribution in delivering timely, relevant, and useful agricultural information to farmers through KVKs’ social media initiatives.

The awards were presented during the Annual Zonal Workshop–2025 of KVKs, organised by ICAR-ATARI, Zone-I, and held earlier this week at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu. The workshop witnessed participation from all KVKs of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. At present, 72 KVKs operate under Zone-I.

The awards were presented by the Chief Guest, Prof. B.N. Tripathi, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST Jammu, and were received by Dr Dharmendra, Senior Scientist and Head, KVK Chamba, in the presence of Dr Parvender Sheoran, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Zone-I.

Congratulating the awardees, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel lauded the efforts of Dr Dharmendra, Dr Neha Dhiman and the entire KVK Chamba team for strengthening digital extension services and ensuring regular dissemination of information on agricultural technologies, weather advisories, government schemes, and innovations through official social media platforms. He remarked that these platforms have emerged as powerful tools for meaningful engagement with farmers and expressed confidence that KVK Chamba would continue to contribute significantly to agricultural development. Director Extension Education Dr Inder Dev, also congratulated the entire KVK Chamba team for winning the trust of farmers through consistent and effective outreach efforts.