Chandigarh, 12 March: Committed to the cause of a clean, green, and sustainable earth, the Department of Botany, Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, under the aegis of MCM Vigyan Manch, organised a two-day DST-sponsored workshop titled ‘Seed to Bloom’ on environment and sustainability to mark the celebrations of World Wildlife Day. The workshop was conducted at Dr. Green’s Nursery and aimed at providing students with practical exposure to plant propagation, nursery management, and sustainable gardening practices.

The comprehensive training programme was structured into eight sessions covering important themes such as Plant Nurseries: Importance and Scope; Propagation Techniques (Vegetative and Artificial); Soil Mixtures and Soil Health; Preparing Soil Beds and Pots; Home and Kitchen Gardens; Landscaping Aesthetics; and Understanding Floral Diversity. The resource person, Dr. Satish Narula, Senior Horticulturist (Retd.), Punjab Agricultural University, and owner of Dr. Green Nursery, Kishangarh (IT Park, Chandigarh), highlighted the crucial role of plant nurseries in forestry, biodiversity conservation, and commercial horticulture. He emphasised the importance of cultivating commercially significant plant species that not only generate economic returns and business opportunities but also contribute to environmental sustainability and psychological well-being. Dr. Narula provided hands-on training on maintaining plant health at every stage of growth- from sowing to nurturing and harvesting. He also demonstrated various vegetative and artificial propagation techniques and shared detailed insights into the cultivation and management of commercially important plant varieties.

Officiating Principal Ms. Neena Sharma appreciated the initiative and remarked that such experiential learning programmes are vital for sensitising students to environmental concerns while equipping them with practical knowledge and sustainable practices that contribute to ecological conservation.