The Fact News Service
Ludhiana, August 19
The wife and children of late Dr AP Bhatnagar, Former Dean, of the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET), visited Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and donated a sum of Rs 21 lakh to PAU for constituting an award in memory of Dr Bhatnagar for excellent research work by the postgraduate students of COAET in the discipline of Processing and Food Engineering as well as Renewable Energy Engineering.
Savita Bhatnager, the wife of Dr AP Bhatnagar, presented the cheque to Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, who lauded their philanthropic gesture and assured them of encouraging and strengthening the research work of PG students.
Expressing her gratitude to PAU for recognizing her husband’s personal and professional achievements, Bhatnager told that the cash award amounting to Rs 60,000/- will be awarded to PG students of the Department of Processing and Food Engineering for innovative research work, while an award of Rs 40,000/- will be presented to the PG students of the Department of Renewable Energy Engineering on the same ground as well.
Welcoming Bhatnagar family and highlighting Ex-Dean Dr Bhatnagar’s meritorious career, Dr HS Sidhu, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, said, “Dr AP Bhatnagar had been an excellent scientist who served the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology as Head, Department of Processing and Agricultural Structure, Dean of the College and then Director of School of Energy Studies. He had been an excellent scientist and an ardent reader and writer.
He had many achievements to his credit including All India Coordinated Research Project on Post-Harvest of Agricultural Produce. This scheme is still running in the department with good funding for research from the central agency as well as engaging a number of scientific, technical and office staff. Dr Bhatnagar was also a recipient of “Sanman Patra” by the State Government and Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Award.”
His Son Ankur Bhatnagat is Senior Vice President for a large technology software company in San Francisco, California, USA, while his daughter Kavita Bhatnagar, IRS, has retired recently as Chief Income Tax Commissioner of Surat, Gujarat.
The family thanked Dr MIS Gill, Registrar, PAU; Dr Mahesh Kumar, Professor, Department of Processing and Food Engineering as well as Dr TC Mittal, Head, Department of Processing and Food Engineering, for the hospitality, and comfortable boarding and lodging. They also had a round of PAU and visited the places where they resided and were brought up.
