Dayalbagh Educational Institute: Spearheading evolution from Homo Sapiens to Homo Spiritualis

Revered Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi while addressing the gathering at the Annual Prize Distribution Function of Dayalbagh Educational Institute's (DEI) Technical College on May 21, 2003 stated that, “The vision of the Founder of Dayalbagh and this Technical College, His Holiness Sir Sahabji Maharaj, was to bring up institutions to serve as models to all those working for the uplift of humanity, whose alumni will be healthy and hard working, not shirk from manual labour and respect those who till and toil with their hands”. DEI continues to work on making this Vision a reality.

In our post today, we have Prof. Prem Kumar Kalra, the Director of Dayalbagh Educational Institute walk us through the approach of the Institute, its past, its present and what plans are there for the future.

Remain committed to selfless service.
Anurag

Dayalbagh Educational Institute:

Spearheading evolution from Homo Sapiens to Homo Spiritualis

Prof. Kalra writes...

The Dayalbagh Educational Institute was founded in 1917 as a co-educational middle school, the Radhasoami Educational Institute, by the August founder of Dayalbagh, Sir Anand Sarup. The Dayalbagh community emphasizes nurturing of one’s spiritual and intuitive faculties through Surat Shabd Yoga. Dayalbagh itself is a century-old, living example of cooperative co-existence, self-sufficiency and self-reliance, untouched by the swinging pendulum of inflation, and DEI was nurtured with these same set of values, practices and morals.

DEI: Hallowed Corridors of Learning

Foreseeing the challenges of the future, the founders of DEI emphasized skilling and the importance of working with one’s own hands. In 1917, an industrial park called Model Industries was established in Dayalbagh, which offered opportunities for apprenticeship to students at the middle school level, in addition to providing employment to the community’s residents. Vocationalization of skills was thus integrated into DEI education from its inception.

Skilling in the AAM Karkhana

In 1916, community-based farming was initiated on a small scale, which grew into full-fledged agricultural operations on 1250 acres of land by 1941. Daily field work is part of life for every member of the Dayalbagh community. Dayalbagh also set up Asia’s best Dairy processing plant in 1926, and these initiatives created a sustainable model of living and material minimalism.

Children of REI: Bonding with Mother Earth

DEI’s education is rooted in its Educational Policy of 1975, the Architect of which was Revered Prof. Makund Behari Lal Sahab, Himself an outstanding academician, teacher and educationist. An alumnus of Lucknow University, He went on to obtain the D.Sc. degree in Zoology from the University of Edinburgh and returned to Lucknow University eventually becoming its Vice-Chancellor. And through His dedicated effort, Government of India conferred the status of a Deemed University on Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI) on 16th May, 1981.

The mission objective of DEI education is to evolve a complete person through physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration. The Policy, which is rooted in Indian culture, philosophy and spirituality, outlines how this may be achieved via its Aims & Objectives, Educational and Organizational structures.

The DEI Education Policy was a disruptive innovation in higher education and followed a systems approach that integrated social and environmental systems with formal systems of education. This allowed DEI to evolve at the pace at which social needs and the world order was changing. It benefited society at large by encouraging sustainable, frugal innovation through optimization of economy, energy and resources. The Education Policy also emphatically enunciated the centrality of values-based education and ‘excellence with relevance’, and this is practiced throughout DEI, from pre-primary to higher education.

Values instilled in our minds and inscribed on the walls of REI Hall

A unique aspect of DEI is the integration of education from pre-nursery to Ph.D. on the one side, and skilling to entrepreneurship as part of formal education on the other. The opportunity for mobility from general to skill-based education and vice versa through well-defined pathways has spurred creativity, frugal innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset in our students. Introduction of vocational courses (B.Voc. and M.Voc.) at Bachelor’s and Master’s level has taken skilling education to the next level. Synthesis of mainstream education and entrepreneurship has led to “Earn while Learn”, on-campus enterprises in dairy, food processing, automobiles, apparel design etc. These opportunities provide students with a means to support their education.

B. Voc. Dairy Students

DEI has created an ecosystem that encourages innovative ideas from young students on socially relevant problems, and we have tried to facilitate the transformation of these ‘idea quanta’ into frugal or jugaad solutions. We call this harnessing of small, frugal innovations ‘Quantum Jugaad’, and it has led to the creation of many student-run, on-campus enterprises. These naturally evolving, and exponentially growing student-run enterprises have given an entrepreneurial flavor to teaching and learning. But the meaning of entrepreneurship here is not innovation that leads to revenue-driven venture creation, but rather, the creation of value through social, economic or environmental ventures that benefit the lowest and the least among our masses.

DEI Quantum Jugaad: Incubating Nano Enterprises

Innovation, whether incremental, procedural, need-based or blue ocean type, always follows the SIGMA SIX Q framework of the Institute, which weaves six basic threads together, and emphasizes in improving the QUALITY(Q) of life. The sum (Sigma) of these six is greater than the individual parts. The areas are:

(i) Innovation including generation & use of renewable energy

(ii) Water quality

(iii) Air quality

(iv) Education and healthcare

(v) Agriculture and dairy practices

(vi) Quality and Values.

The Sigma Six Q Model

I would like to discuss here the link between innovation and system thinking in education. Innovation is not driven by technology alone (hardwired innovation); it can as well be driven by a change in one’s way of thinking, or through emergence of new knowledge, or even a change in the mindset that one brings to a problem (soft innovation). Educational institutes can innovate by providing new learning organizations and new pathways such as skill development and opportunities for analysis, synthesis, experiential experiments, teaching- learning methodologies and creative technological interventions. These then lead to innovative design of curricula, emergence of new knowledge and new pathways for student mobility. Ecology, energy and economy optimization too, are good reasons to motivate creative innovation. A combination of these ideas leads to frugal innovation that evolves continuously and dynamically over all time to come.

At the IITs, Prof. P. K. Kelkar introduced science-based engineering education that included social sciences. This approach gave young engineering graduates a wide knowledge base, and an edge in solving complex social problems economically, by using local resources. Prof. Mo Jamshidi of University of Texas, was of the view that methods of education must be refined and expanded to meet changing needs from a system to a system-of-systems vision, from a disciplinary to a multidisciplinary outlook, from a steady state to a real-time perspective, and from an optimal to an adaptive approach.

Innovative evolutionary approach in our education conforms to the philosophy of “Renaissance Man” by Prof. Jay W. Forrester of MIT, one who has broad intellectual interests and is accomplished in areas of both the arts and the sciences. Such a person tries to see common elements in diverse settings and thus creates transfer-ability between diverse structures, which is one of the hallmarks of the systems approach.

Norbert Wiener’s prediction in 1950 that electronic computers were capable of taking over many human decision-making processes has come true today, raising an array of crucial ethical and moral issues: Are humans in danger of becoming slaves to these machines? Will such machines have autonomous thinking and resultant morals, or will the designers consciously or unconsciously build into them their own moral values? And who we will turn to for proper answers? Prof. Rajaraman says that common-sense knowledge, religious beliefs, and consciousness will be the drivers, and we, at DEI, have set ourselves the huge challenge of not only instilling in our students the thought process to address social change, but also how to adopt and adapt technology to answer some of the questions raised above.

Under the guidance and direction of Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi the scientific study of consciousness and ultra-transcendental meditation is undertaken at DEI’s Centre for Consciousness Studies. Experiential knowledge of 150 years of spiritual practice by the members of the Dayalbagh community has given DEI a living laboratory to analyse the phenomena of consciousness practically, as also the effects of ultra-transcendental meditation. But this, much required discipline is yet to become part of formal education elsewhere.

'The Science of Consciousness (TSC)' Conference at DEI

DEI aims to become a leading research-cum-teaching institute in Consciousness Studies. In DEI this pursuit is carried out by bringing together teachers, researchers and students from various disciplines like psychology and cognitive science, physics, mathematics, life science, language studies, arts and music, engineering management etc. This truly trans-disciplinary study has unfolded many aspects of human behavior, psychology and functioning of the brain. Rigorous scientific research is being carried out to understand the experiential science through experimental techniques.

The Strategic Plan will be anchored by an accountability framework through measurable inputs and deliverables that monitor progress towards our goals. Over the next five years, building on our foundational strengths and propelled by the promises outlined in this Strategic Plan, DEI will emerge as an institute with excellence in specific disciplines and strong societal outreach that delivers holistic education to every learner.

Total Quality Management in Higher Education

The DEI will leverage its strength, taking advantage of the opportunities to overcome the existing weaknesses to reach the goals. We will allocate our resources in the areas that sets us apart and will align our future resources with the upcoming deliverables to become leading research and teaching institute in agriculture, entrepreneurship and consciousness while sustaining other areas of research in the institute. Learning ecosystem in DEI will be enhanced through experiential learning by connecting class rooms, labs and research to real world problems.

DEI’s Strategic Plan charts the distinctive course expected of an institution with a long and distinguished history. It builds on the traditions of excellence established by our founders, with a clear view of our strengths, opportunities and weaknesses.

DEI has chalked out a bold 15-year strategic plan (Vision 2031) and aspires to become an Institution of Excellence in the areas of Consciousness, Agriculture and Entrepreneurship. I do not think any other institute offers such a broad spectrum of integration on one platform.

We hope to help in the creation of a race of ‘Supermen’, who would be set apart from the rest of humanity, by their quality, character, behavior, values and ideals, and their desire to serve. The recent scheme of Evolutionary Superman (popularly known as the ‘Sant-Su Scheme’) for children of age 3-months to 3- years is the first step in this journey. As regular participants in the agricultural field work every day, these children gain good sanskaras from a very tender age. In 2018, we were happy to host them at DEI on our Founder’s Day, and we consider them our pre-pre-nursery students!

Supermen in the making: Learning to cohabit on our planet

Dayalbagh: An Eco-Village

A Wikipedia article defines Eco-Villages as "... traditional or intentional community with the goal of becoming more socially, culturally, economically, and ecologically sustainable. It is consciously designed through locally owned, participatory processes to regenerate and restore its social and natural environments".

A tree-laden road within Dayalbagh

The article further states, "Eco-villagers are united by shared ecological, social-economic and cultural-spiritual values. Concretely, eco-villagers seek alternatives to ecologically destructive electrical, water, transportation, and waste-treatment systems, as well as the larger social systems that mirror and support them. Many see the breakdown of traditional forms of community, wasteful consumerist lifestyles, the destruction of natural habitat, urban sprawl, factory farming, and over-reliance on fossil fuels as trends that must be changed to avert ecological disaster and create richer and more fulfilling ways of life".


And what better example of an eco-village than Dayalbagh. Dayalbagh is more like a small town, with 2,500+ permanent residents, the population increasing manifold during Basant, Holi and Bhandara weeks with the influx of pilgrims. Additionally, its way of life thinking and practices influence the communities around Dayalbagh.

Our post below is on practices followed in Dayalbagh, the eco-village.

Go green,
Anurag

Dayalbagh, an eco-village

Eco-villages are urban or rural communities of people who strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life. To achieve this, they integrate various aspects of ecological design, permaculture, ecological building, green production, alternative energy, community building practices, and much more. Eco-villages are living models of sustainability. They represent an effective, accessible way to combat the degradation of our social, ecological, and spiritual environments.

Dayalbagh is an eco-village/city, quiet and peaceful with a largely self-sustaining agricultural production, water harvesting and increasing use of renewable solar energy.

Prem Nagar, a Mohalla in Dayalbagh

Education, agriculture and industries prosper in harmonious and ecologically sustainable manner. Dayalbagh is greener and more sustainable since its foundation in 1915, even though its population has increased. Dayalbagh’s eco-development, presents an admirable combination of material and spiritual development. It represents a classic case of self-sustained eco-friendly existence of human settlement in close harmony with the nature.

Activities

Self-Governance

Civic affairs are managed through a committee of elected representatives under the overall supervision and control of a primary committee. The eco-village is divided into mohallas, with each having a Sarpanch and Panches for different activities of the mohallas.  Honorary services are imparted by the residents of the village.

Water and Electricity Supply

Water supply to the village is provided through tube wells. To sustain ground water levels, rain water harvesting schemes have been implemented. For electricity needs the village bulk purchases are made from M/S Torrent Power Ltd. To ensure uninterrupted electricity supply, the village also has its own back up generation facility. There is also an increasing use of solar power. Solar powered lights have been installed in open spaces within and outside the village in selected areas and also for street lighting. Solar power units are installed in all institutional buildings. Moreover, to reduce power consumption, LED lights are used to the maximum possible extent.

Renewable Power at Dayalbagh

Renewable Power in Cooking Applications

Community Kitchen
Bhandar Ghar is the Rasoi (Kitchen) which prepares lunch and dinner for the residents of the Dayalbagh colonies and for the visitors.


The raw material like wheat, rice, lentils, mustard oil, vegetables including potatoes and onions are grown and produced in the Dayalbagh fields with selfless service of the Dayalbagh Residents and Visitors. The Bhandar Ghar has minimal number of regular staff and the major part of the operation is supported by teams of volunteers in the age group of 18 to 90 yrs.

Bhandar Ghar: The Community Kitchen

Sewage and Garbage Disposal

There is a regular sewage system and garbage disposal. Garbage disposal includes segregation of biodegradable (kitchen waste) and non-biodegradable waste at each house of the village. There are well established treatment facilities for effluents. Treated water is used for irrigation.

Aeration Ponds

Security and Surveillance

Safety and Security of the colony is maintained by day and night patrolling (pehra) in shifts by the residents. Community policing through watch and ward department is performed for safeguarding public property. Most recently, CCTV cameras have been installed at various locations in the village which are also monitored by the residents.

The streets are patrolled by Residents at Night

Educational Hub

Education from the pre-nursery to the Ph.D. level and beyond is imparted through DEI. Additionally, the village has a School of Languages to teach regional and foreign languages, a School of Art and Culture to provide training in music, dance and handicrafts, a Tailoring school for empowerment of women from the weaker sections of the society, an Indian Music Training Center and a School of Dress Designing and Interior Decoration. A Day Boarding School has also been set up to provide special tutorial teaching to the students of under privileged families who do not have adequate facilities at home.

Primary School in Dayalbagh

Economical Agriculture and Farming

The topography of the land was initially dominated by ravines, low mounds, patches of rocks and stones and alkaline soil, sand dunes and patches of reeds and weeds, lying as waste-land. Since 1942 under the ‘Grow more food’ campaign, the uneven and unproductive barren lands have gradually been made suitable for cultivation. Today, in the Dayalbagh area, there are nearly 1531 acres of agricultural farms where cereals, pulses, oil seeds, vegetables, fruits, cash crops (potato, sugarcane, etc.) and fodder are cultivated. Farming activities are eco-friendly and based on organic farming techniques that helps in soil conservation and enrichment.

Residents, Students and Pilgrims performing Agriculture work

Both traditional and modern agricultural practices are adopted here. Agriculture is supplemented by Gaushala wastes for meeting out its manure requirement. Cooperative efforts are made in performing different agricultural activities and no chemical substances like insecticides, fungicides, weedicides or chemical fertilizers are used. The agricultural produce of Dayalbagh is sufficient to meet the requirement of the residents and the pilgrims who come for short visits.

Fodder for the Cattle at Dayalbagh Dairy

Horticulture

Horticultural activities are practiced in Dayalbagh: there are orchards of mango, Jack fruit (Artocarpus spp.), Guava (Psidium) and various citrus species along with many other fruit trees to provide large canopy cover as well as a supply of some fruit.

Healthy Diet: Horticulture - Kinnow Plantation

Cattle Yard and Dairy

Dayalbagh has its own cattle yard with over 800 head of cattle which fulfills the milk requirement of the residents. Its fodder requirements are met internally round the year. Animal waste is recycled and used as manure in fields. The dairy produces pasteurized milk and several milk products employing the most advanced techniques. These products are also sent outside the country.

Retirement Home for Older Cattle

Green Belt

The construction of green-belts has been an important feature of land use planning in Dayalbagh. These are in the form of a tree corridor all along the Yamuna river bank, in agricultural and farming areas, and, areas earmarked for timber plantation.

Ecology and Biodiversity in the Green Belt

The western part of Dayalbagh eco-village has triangular patches of dense plantations reaching the bank of the Yamuna. While most of the uneven land has been leveled and converted into well-formed green fields, in some areas the uneven topography remains. This area is being used for cultivating crops such as taramira, growing trees such as amla and some timber plantation. An orchard of citrus fruits has also been established in this area.

Two species, Prosopis and Acacia are also maintained in the region.

Waste Treatment: Composting

In Dayalbagh, domestic waste is mostly organic, and each member of the population produces approximately 200 kg of organic solid waste per year. Other sources include garden litter and wastes from dairy sheds, etc. The residents segregate the wastes into biodegradable and non-biodegradable material which is collected: pooled biodegradable wastes are directly sent to composting sites while non-biodegradable materials are sent to recycling points.

Transport

The most popular modes of transport in the area are bicycles and cycle rickshaws; efforts are on restrict the number of fossil-fuel driven vehicles in this area to reduce congestion and to accompanying noise and air pollution. Within the Dayalbagh colony, transport is provided by electric vehicles and rickshaws.

Electric Vehicle, ready to ferry Residents and Visitors

Dayalbagh has grown into a center of high spiritual, academic and moral values and has provided solace, satisfaction, peace and enlightenment to its residents and visitors who come in thousands seeking inner and outer peace.

AAM Karkhana

In the Dayalbagh Educational Institute's (DEI) Education Policy, articulated in 1975, two of the foundational concepts are to build ideals of humility, simple living, selfless service and sacrifice and to develop respect for ‘soiled hands’, dignity of labour, and, self-reliance.

UGC's visiting team to DEI in 1977 observed that DEI is engaged in providing a good academic programme in agricultural-rural-industrial complex, oriented to specific conditions and needs and providing suitable social service, work experience, national integration and vocational training programmes aligning with academic curricula. They further observed, that DEI, with its courses, is able to give a greater emphasis on preparing students for self-reliance and self-employment and thus fulfill its objective more effectively.

Today's post is on one such initiative, an initiative in the remote tribal areas of Middle India, to enhance the skills of tribal youth, helping them start and establish nano-enterprises and making them self-reliant, an initiative called AAM Karkhana.

Read on,

Anurag

Automobile And Multi-Skill (AAM) Karkhana

The education system in Dayalbagh is over a hundred years old and two of its important features are: vocational education and training, and selfless service to the underprivileged. The educational system is underpinned by the philosophy of social responsibility by way of providing low-cost, high-quality education and training locally. Accordingly, DEI not only offers programs and courses in engineering and management but also offers modular programs to persons who are unable to continue with higher studies for any reason, academic, financial or domestic. DEI has taken need-based courses to remote locations of the country for tribal and unprivileged sections of society.

Disseminating Information: Roadshow by Yamaha Motors

Disseminating Information: Village Chaupal

The AAM (Automobile and Multi-skilling) Kharkhana was established at Rajaborari by DEI’s Centre of Rural Entrepreneurship (CORE) and Technical College with the help of India Yamaha Motor Pvt Ltd (IYMPL), Surajpur. The objectives of the AAM Kharkhana include:

1. Skill enhancement of local tribal youth in repair of automobiles, agro-farm equipment, electric appliances, iron fabrication/welding etc.
2. Establishment of a common resource center for young entrepreneurs for skilling and entrepreneurial experimentation.
3. Extending sustainable self-employment opportunities in remote tribal areas.

The AAM Karkhana at Rajaborari is fully equipped with essential equipment for automobile service and repair such as tools, air compressors, washing units, hydraulic two-wheeler ramps, spark plug cleaners and testers. The Karkhana is also equipped with a motor winding machine, welding machine, and drill machine, etc., for repair of electric appliances, and iron fabrication/welding jobs. AAM offers services to the local population in the above fields at competitive rates and provides opportunities to the tribal youth for training and self-employment. The trainee, after acquiring adequate skills, can even work at the Karkhana on payment of nominal charges towards rent for space and tools and equipment, electricity and water charges, etc. Experts from the Department of Automobile Engineering, DEI Technical College are regularly sent on deputation to Rajaborari to train the local youth. An expert welder from a nearby village, Temrubahar, in the Rajaborari estate akes on fabrication jobs and trains those interested in welding.

Motorcycle service and repair - early days, without AAM Karkhana shed

AAM Karkhana duly established

Motorcycle being serviced in the AAM Karkhana.

Motorcycle being serviced in the AAM Karkhana.

Motor winding jobs at the AAM Karkhana.

Welding jobs being attended to at the AAM Karkhana.

Earlier, the local residents of Rajaborari Estate (comprising 10 villages with a population of over 5000 people) had to go to Timarni (55 km away) to have their vehicles serviced or repaired. This is now possible locally at very reasonable rates, saving time, energy, and money.

The AAM Workshop also serves as a shared ‘Rural Resource Centre’ where anyone can come and use the equipment for his private or commercial use at a very nominal fee. Two companies, IYMPL and Mahindra were informed that the villagers come to the Karkhana in large numbers and asked if they would like to organize free service camps (FSC) in the Basant Mela, a local fair of importance, to be held between 7 – 10 February 2017. Both agreed and their stalls were a great success with 213 motorcycles, 4 tractors and 3 SUVs serviced in the camp; the villagers requested that such camps be organized regularly.

Free Service Camp by IYMPL

Motorcycle washing at Free Service Camp

Free Service Camp by Mahindra

Mahindra vehicle being attended at Free Service Camp

Beneficiary Testimonials:

• “I have undergone six-month two-wheeler automobile repair training at AAM Karkhana Rajaborari. The DEI Technical College has also arranged and sponsored twenty-day training for me at India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd, Surajpur (near Noida). I have now started my own flour mill cum automobile repair shop in my village which provides livelihood to my family.” - Mr. Ashok Uikey, Tribal Youth, Village Rajaborari, Dist. Harda (M.P.)

• “I belong to village Temrubahar (a Korku tribal village) in district Harda. I am using the welding equipment and infrastructure of AAM Karkhana, Rajaborari for my self-employment purposes. I was working in a factory at Bhopal as welder but now I have relocated back to my village and started my own welding services by using AAM Karkhana equipment (welding machine, cutter, power back-up etc.). I am simultaneously managing my agriculture operations as well. I have earned Rs. 50,000 in past six months from my welding jobs without making any investment in the costly equipment and power back-up in this rural area” - Mr. Sukhdev Bhusare, Korku Tribe, Village Temrubahar

• “I have completed my one-year certificate program in Motor Vehicle Mechanic (MVM) from DEI and am presently working at the AAM Karkhana since past two months. I will open up my own workshop in my village Mogradhana in times to come.” - Mr. Anand Raj Bhalavi, Korku Tribe, Village Mogradhana

• “My name is Gurdayal Yadav and I belong to village Mogradhana. My father is a farmer and we also have a small kirana shop in our house. I attend training at the AAM Karkhana in the forenoon and help my old father in managing the shop in the afternoon. I have plans to take loan after my training and expand my current shop to include automobile repairs as well.” - Mr. Gurudayal Yadav, Rural Youth, Village Mogradhana

Agriculture and Dairy Education

Revered Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi, on 6th of July 2014, while explaining the Dayalbagh Way of Life and Agriculture and Dairying forming the fifth component of the Sigma Six Q model, stated, “Agriculture gives us opportunity to do selfless service and it is recognized in the country that there is still great opportunity to develop agriculture. It won’t be enough if we give emphasis to industry only. If we want to reach our progress in the country to all sections of people in Society, it is necessary to introduce entrepreneurship, innovation etc. in agriculture also for realizing desired progress and development”.

Agriculture Operations is an essential element of the education system at the Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI). In the article below, Prof. Prem Kumar Dantu takes us through the 

‘Agriculture and Dairy Education at DEI’.

Eat well,

Anurag

Prof. Dantu writes...

Agriculture operation in Dayalbagh has a hundred-year history. It is a need-based, sustainable, eco-friendly, and a scientific endeavour. Dayalbagh is self-sufficient in food for its residents and pilgrims and produces enough green fodder and bhusa (straw) for its Gaushala (Cowshed). In addition, it produces several fruits and herbs for Dayalbagh Pharmacy. Most of the agriculture operations are performed on a voluntary basis. This voluntary seva (selfless service) based agriculture model, on a smaller scale, is also practiced in Dayalbagh colonies in other parts of the country, such as Rajaborari and Timarni in M.P., Murar in Bihar, MTV Puram in Tamil Nadu, and Kakinada and Vishakapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Hundreds of volunteers work together in the farms, every morning and evening irrespective of their age, gender, class, caste, and status.

Turning of harvested wheat plants

The Education Policy of Dayalbagh Educational Institute, penned by Revered Dr. M. B. Lal Sahab, highlights the importance of Agriculture Operations as an essential element of the education system of the Institute. The Policy also emphasizes that the Head of the Institute, himself/ herself have an “active involvement in field work so as to infuse staff and students with enthusiasm”. Dayalbagh agriculture operates on scientific principles for which there is a RSSAF Scientific Advisory Committee.

Demonstration of Power Thresher

Agriculture Operations and Rural Development are mandatory core courses for students of all streams in DEI, with students participating in and getting hands-on training in all aspects of agriculture. Further, under NSS, students participate in various farm related and rural development activities. On Sundays, students in large numbers do field work. Students also participate in Gaushala maintenance, Dairy, herbal garden maintenance, biodiversity park development, and mushroom cultivation.

Demonstration of Disc Harrowing

There are plans to start precision farming to optimize utilization of manpower, irrigation water, and soil addendum, and to train students in the modern methods of cultivation. DEI has initiated agriculture education by starting undergraduate courses in B.Sc. Applied Botany and B. Voc. Agriculture Technology and an MBA programme in Agriculture Management.

Harvesting of Barseem

Activities in Progress

Energy conservation and reducing Diesel usage

Wheat, Gram, Mustard, Masoor, Baajra, Barseem and Barley are sown in Dayalbagh every year. Threshing is done to take out the seeds from these crops. The threshers are driven by 3-phase AC induction motors, with the system designed in DEI in collaboration with the Agriculture Department of Dayalbagh.

The electric distribution system for running the threshers with electric motors is designed in DEI with protections, metering, and alarms and appropriately sized cables to minimize voltage drop and losses. Three of the threshing machines run on solar power generated in DEI, reducing the electricity consumption from the Grid and potential downtime due to power failure. A dedicated solar power plant of 50kWp capacity is installed in the Dairy and Agriculture complex. A 20kW capacity Bio-gas plant is being commissioned and will be integrated through a Smart Micro Grid.

Ground water conservation through rain water harvesting and use of sewage treated water

Much of the agricultural irrigation in Dayalbagh is done through sewage treated water from the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) situated at Dayalbagh. DEI helps Dayalbagh maintain the STP motors for pumping the treated water into canals for irrigation. A Short Messaging Service (SMS) based embedded system for remote monitoring and control of STP pumps has been designed and deployed by the students of DEI.

Integrated solar farming with remote controlled solar assisted micro-irrigation system for local energy use and better farm productivity

The concept of a solar agriculture farm is being developed in DEI. A novel sun-tracking structure has been developed that accommodates 50 solar modules at a minimum ground clearance of 12 feet, thereby facilitating multiple land use, viz. solar-agriculture farm where agriculture can be performed in the land beneath the solar modules. Combination of solar farming with agriculture increases the land yield. The cost of module support structure is compensated by the cost of the land salvaged. This will allow for a through the year solar crop even if the agricultural crop gets affected due to insufficient rains/ otherwise. These multiple land use models would allow large MW size solar plants to be installed near load centres and sub-stations, reducing the cost of grid infrastructure required when these solar power plants are installed on distant barren lands.

Mobile SPV plants for irrigation and other applications

Mobile SPV plants are being developed at DEI which are mounted on a trolley or a vehicle to be used for irrigation in rural areas where erratic or absent electric supply. The vehicle may be towed using a tractor with the SPV modules folded. Whenever required, the SPV modules can be unfolded (manually or motorized) to capture sun light and can power the irrigation pumps or for other uses. A multi-purpose variable frequency drive may be used for irrigation pumps as well as other applications. Typical sizes are 2 – 5 kWp capacity.

Proposed activities

Village Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Grid

Design and development of village DER Grid which would comprise of Irrigation Micro Grid and Residential Micro Grid with possible interoperability. Both micro grids have different load profiles and hence the separation.

Renewable energy solutions for completing the value chain for farmers located at remote places without access to reliable electricity

Extending the village DER grids/ designing efficient and economic stand-alone SPV plants to power cold storages, driers, winnowers, flour/ dal mills, husking machines etc. and complete the value chain for empowering the farmers at remote locations to grow crops of their choice and to get better agricultural land yields.

Data aggregation, data analytics, Machine Learning applications for Village micro grids

Precision agriculture involving sensors, embedded controllers and drip irrigation systems are going to be essential for future organic agriculture. Integrating the sensor data, weather logs and the solar data logs would be useful for efficient irrigation and precision farming. Modern Machine Learning techniques can be used to study and infer potential threats, economics and reliability of the system. Development of such handy software tools will help ensure efficient, economic and reliable operations of DER micro grids encompassing precision agriculture. Cloud storage servers would enable remote monitoring, analysis and control of village DER grids and agriculture.

Drones for precision farming application and surveillance

It is proposed to work on this area for localizing weeds and diseases, determining soil properties, detecting vegetative differences in farms associated with Dayalbagh. However, because of legal restrictions the drone payload should not exceed 5 kg.

Sustainable Development Solutions through Strategic Planning in Agriculture via Interactive Management Strategy

Idea Engineering, Fuzzy DELPHI, Option Field and Option Profile Methodologies along with Scenario Building Exercise and many other techniques of interactive management and system design to be utilized for solutions using Second Generation System Design Paradigm for the said sustainable agriculture initiatives. Such initiatives at sub-system level in Dayalbagh Farming System may be a starting point where deliverables could be used and closely monitored for further nurturing and modifications.

Hydraulic Ram (HYDRAM) for water lifting as a green irrigation initiative

The use of eco-friendly HYDRAM at different identified locations in the farm may reduce costs. A pilot study on use of HYDRAM is proposed.

Sprinkler Systems as Rain-fall Simulators

Besides, other promising areas viz. pico power generation, environmental protection practices, technology assisted organic farming, training and learning initiatives for farmers, students and stakeholders can also be explored and pursued.

Rural Development and Empowering Rural Women

DEI has embarked on a new educational pedagogy of engaging, educating, and improving skills of the rural women. In the remote tribal zones of Madhya Pradesh, ADyNaM (Agri Dairy Nano Processing of Multi-products) Foods has been set up. ADyNaM is a facility for processing of the agricultural and dairy-based raw produce to make secondary products. Women are trained on the production of pickles, chutney, amla candy, and squashes. Recently, a level-1 food testing laboratory has been setup to implement quality control, and to comply with the food safety standards.

Agriculture Education at DEI

In order that the experiential knowledge that Dayalbagh and DEI collectively possess benefits the society at large and contributes to the Nation, Faculty of Agriculture is proposed to be established by DEI after obtaining the necessary approvals and permissions. The Department of Botany got approvals from UGC to start two new courses namely B.Sc. (Hons) Applied Botany and B. Voc. Agriculture Technology from 2017. The Department of Management has initiated an MBA programme in Agriculture Management from 2017 session.

B. Voc. Agriculture Technology students sowing groundnut

Agriculture Operations in Dairying

RSS (Radhasoami Satsang Sabha) Gaushala in collaboration with DEI is transforming into a state-of-the-art Gaushala with the use of RFID, ICT tools, management software, sensors, and modern practices for precise management of nutrition, health, and breeding of cattle. The objective is to develop RSS Gaushala and DEI into a centre of excellence for precision Dairy Farming and Dairy Technology. The effort is to increase milk yield by improving nutrition, health, and breed of the cattle.

Breeding: Database management for maintaining all breeding records using precision Dairy farming software system. The database also records data on heat/ A.I./ calving/ milk yield/ treatment etc. are maintained.

Feeding: Feed planning originates from cultivation of our own crops. Extensive agricultural operations spread over 800 acres and wide range of crops balanced between crops for human and animal consumption is maintained. Each product of crop & its by-product is utilised. Emphasis is on quality & quantity of green fodder, which is the natural and cheapest source of protein. Silage preparation is also done to cater for the lean period.

Facilities Management: Wi-Fi network across the Gaushala provides ready access of information, which is critical for taking spot decisions. There is category & age group-wise housing of the herd. There is a platform weighing scale for monitoring the weight and growth of cattle (calves and heifers). Other B. Voc. Agriculture Technology students sowing groundnut facilities include a cattle bathing shower, similar to a car wash, where the water used for bathing feeds the buffalo pond and thereafter taken for cultivation of crops after getting enriched in urine & cow dung slurry. There is a cow brush parlour, with a sensor-based scrubber and timer. The rotatory movement with brushes relaxes the cows during idle time by reducing itching and increasing blood circulation. The eco-friendly sheds with thatched roofing maintain temperature during summers & winters. Other activities to reduce cattle stress:

• Playing of devotional music during milking
• Giving names to each cow & conversing with them using their names
• Access to clean & fresh drinking water at all times
• Improving ventilation in sheds by lowering of brick walls
• Installation of fans in high yielder shed
• Using thatched roofing in new sheds
• Khus-chick curtains with drip system and misting are being experimented to reduce the heat stress of the cattle

Dairy Technology Activities in Dayalbagh

Cupid is a logo of REI Dairy products. REI Dairy has been judged as Asia’s best and world’s second-best dairy. On 8th January 1934, Cupid Butter landed in United States after travelling 10,000 miles for 45 days over land and sea without refrigeration and scored 91 points as compared with the score of 92 points scored by the best fresh butter produced in America. Several dignitaries, who visited REI Dairy whole heartedly praised its efficient and professional operations and the quality of its products. In 1935, during his visit to Dayalbagh, Lord Willingdon, Viceroy and Governor General of India, was pleased to call it “the most efficient” Dairy seen by him in many years. Cupid butter was awarded Certificate of Merit in the All India Exhibition of Arts and Industries in Punjab. In 1938, a six months Certificate course on practical training in Modern Dairying and Livestock Management was started at REI Dairy. In 1943, the efficiency of the dairy received a further testimony from the American Forces in Agra, when during 1943-45, they decided to get all their supplies of milk from this Dairy in preference to the Military Dairy in Agra.

Dairy Education at DEI

In 1994, the Dairy became a part of DEI, and work experience training in Dairy products was initiated. In 2015, DEI became the first Deen Dayal Upadhyay Kaushal Kendra in the country with Vocational Programmes in Dairy Technology. Under Kaushal Kendra, B. Voc., M. Voc. and Ph.D. Programmes in Dairy Technology have been approved by UGC. From the 2015-16 session, B. Voc. (Dairy Technology) was launched.

An experimental mini Dairy plant has been setup for providing in-house training to the students. Using this facility, students produce a variety of nutritional value-added dairy products, which not only caters to the needs of the local community and DEI on non-commercial basis, but also gives them practical exposure to entrepreneurship in Dairy Sector. DEI is privileged to have the first student run mini dairy plant in Northern India with FSSAI License, HACCP certification, export permit from Export Inspection Agency, Govt. of India, and commercial permit from US Department of Agriculture for the export of flavoured milk and butter.

The emphasis of these programmes is on entrepreneurship. The B. Voc. (Dairy Technology) has also been launched at the DEI ICT Centre at Amritsar. In December 2016, under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana for Technical Institutions through AICTE, a certificate course on Dairy Equipment Operator has been launched. Mini Dairy plants are also being set up in DEI ICT Centres at Amritsar, Timarni and Rajaborari. The objective is to reach out to other regions including remote parts of the country, and provide quality vocational programmes, and contribute to the mission of skilling, entrepreneurship in a scaled up and accelerated mode.