Tulip & Orchid Festival-cum-Flower Show Held at Nauni
A Tulip and Orchid Festival-cum-Flower Show was organized today by the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping at Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from scientists, students, farmers and flower enthusiasts. The festival aimed to promote floriculture, showcase ornamental diversity, and encourage interaction between researchers and the farming community. The event was organized under a DST-sponsored project titled ‘Development and Dissemination of Innovative Technologies for the Mass Production of Ornamental Flower Bulbs: A Way Towards Self-Sufficiency,’ with support from the All India Coordinated Research Project on Floriculture.
The programme was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Solan, Manmohan Sharma, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Dr. Devina Vaidya, Director of Research, was the Guest of Honour.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest appreciated the efforts of the university and the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping in promoting floriculture and organizing such an event that bridges the gap between science, education and the farming community. He also lauded the hard work and scientific vision of the faculty members and research scholars of the department in advancing teaching, research and outreach in the field of commercial floriculture and innovative landscape development in Himachal Pradesh. He highlighted the tourism potential of such landscapes and the opportunities for promoting eco-tourism activities in the state.
Dr. Devina Vaidya, Director of Research, emphasized the importance of research and innovation in advancing floriculture in the Himalayan region. She noted that tulips and orchids hold immense potential for the floriculture industry in the state and added that the cultivation of such high-value crops can significantly enhance farmers’ income.
As part of the celebrations, certificates were distributed to the winners of various competitions organized for farmers, while students and farmers also participated in flower arrangement and photography competitions. During the programme, two important publications—a Table Calendar on Native Ornamentals and a booklet titled ‘Beauty of Tulips’—were launched by the Chief Guest. These publications highlight the university’s work in floriculture, particularly the cultivation, management, and aesthetic value of tulips in the Himalayan region.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. B. S. Dilta, Principal Floriculturist, who expressed hope that the event would help showcase the potential of these two flowers for strengthening the floriculture industry in the state.
Principal Investigator Dr. Puja Sharma informed that the university has been working on tulips for the past decade and has also introduced orchids for their promotion as commercial crops. She added that over 4,000 bulbs of 29 varieties have recently been planted for demonstration to farmers and for training purposes and these will be expanded in the coming years. A training program on commercial floriculture for the farmers of the nearby areas also began on the occasion.
