THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The Cultural Meet, organised as part of the National Banana Festival 2018, was inaugurated by Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh, Deputy Chief Minister, Govt of Jammu and Kashmir, at the Vellayani Temple Grounds in Kalliyoor on the second day of the mega festival.
Daljit Singh Chib, Minister of State & Vice Chairman, J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans, also participated in the event. Speaking after inaugurating the meet, Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh said the festival was successful in bringing various banana varieties of diverse bio-diversities from around the world to Vellayani.
The festival has been able to contribute to the farmers and the agricultural sector of the Kerala. Stating that the people of India are connected by culture, he said art is the face of culture.
Saying that Jammu & Kashmir is as beautiful as Kerala, he invited the people of the Kerala to Jammu & Kashmir. Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh, Deputy Chief Minister, Govt of Jammu and Kashmir also addressed the participants at the technical session of the National Seminar earlier in the day.
G Shekharan Nair, Special Correspondent, Mathrubhumi, in his presidential address, said that the NBF 2018 held at Vellayani is the largest agricultural festival held in Kerala. Rajasenan, Film Director, said it is great that a vast event for the special fruit is conducted at the grounds of Vellayani, whose scenic beauties have proved to be the backdrop of movies like Kallichellama and Kireedam. He also said that the village is a place renowned for agriculture. Such a huge crowd gathered for the event is historic, he added.
The NBF 2018 which boasts the importance of banana will elevate the agriculture sector, which is fading away from the state, Thulasidas, Film Director said. Padmasri Dr J Hareendran Nair, Founder, Pankajakasthuri Group, talking about the medicinal values of banana said, the fruit should be taken before food and also said that taking banana daily is good for a healthy lifestyle.
Unni Mukundan, film actor; Dr. K Omanakkutty, renowned singer; R Jayalakshmi, President, Kalliyoor Grama Panchayat; S Suresh, District BJP President; Dr C Suresh Kumar, General Secretary, CISSA; Dr G G Gangadharan, President, CISSA; Ajith Venniyoor, Vice President, CISSA and Pradeep Kumar, Member, Kalliyoor Grama Panchayat, participated. Earlier in the day the National Seminar Technical sessions also entered the second day. Renowned scientists and researchers made presentations at the sessions.
