Dr Tapan Barthakur was recently conferred with the prestigious Indian Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Research (IAAVR) Field Veterinarian award 2007, by IAAVR and the Indian Veterinary Congress of Bareilley held in Madhya Pradesh for outstanding contribution to the cause of veterinary field services. His Excellency Ramakant Tiwary, Honorable Minister of veterinary of Madhya Pradesh gave away the prestigious award to this dedicated veterinarian, at the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Mhow (MP). Dr Barthakur is the first field veterinarian from the region selected for this distinguished award. He completed the degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences from the Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara. He also underwent training on Deep Frozen Semen Technology from Madupatty, Kerala and a training on Embryo transfer Techniques from NDDB, Annand, Gujarat. He later went on to do the post graduate diploma F.R.V.C.S in Animal Reproduction from the Royal Veterinary College, Stockholm’s which falls under the University of Uppsala, one of the oldest universities of Europe. He later specialized in Frozen Semen Technology, Artificial Insemination (AI), Embryo Transfer Techniques. In his illustrious career as a vet he served many offices of importance and visited many parts of the state imparting training and lending his expert advice and introducing some revolutionary techniques. It was by his endless efforts and zeal which led to the production of quality frozen Semen at the Laboratory at ICDP Guwahati. It was by this person’s participation that the pioneer Milk Cooperative Development and mass awareness on Artificial Insemination program in Assam which started in the year 1966 reached greater heights. He began his career in the year 1972 as a Veterinary Extension Officer in Chenga Development Block of then Barpeta Division. He served many offices ranging from Research Assistant in ICDP Khanapara to a Sub divisional Forest Veterinary Officer in the Assam State Zoo. He was associated with Professor Lalji Singh, from the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad in a project for the genetic fingerprinting of the zoo animals of India along with Dr KK Sharma and Dr B Dutta of Veterinary Science College, Khanapara. His contributions towards the control of TB in the state zoo, a disease that is also a major threat in zoos worldwide had earned him major appreciation by the Central Zoo Authority. He had introduced the castration of Sambhar deers to control the ever increasing Sambhar population in the state zoo. As a zoo vet he achieved breakthroughs in breeding of captive animals. He was also the first person who had tranquilized a sub adult Rhino in the zoo for the first time in the region. Mentionably, Dr Barthakur also served in the Assam Police Battalion where he looked after the health care and management and training of the police dogs and horses. It was during his tenure as Forest Veterinary Officer (FVO) in the Assam State Zoo that the Remote Injection Technique was introduced in Assam. “I encouraged Dr K K sharma, Associate Professor of College of Veterinary Sciences who is a leading wild life vet now to use and develop the remote injection technique." stated the Doctor. Now the chemical immobilization and remote sensing of wild animals has become the mainstay of wild life management practice. As FVO he had treated ailing elephants in both Kaziranga National Park as well as the Rajiv Gandhi National Park in Orang. Dr Barthakur’s illustrious career had taken him all over the state and country. As a trained veterinarian on the Embryo Transfer Technology and an authority in Artificial Insemination (AI) he has successfully bred numerous cross breed cattle. Our unemployed youth should take up cattle breeding as a full time pursuit rather than doing part time which will not only reduce the unemployment problem but also add to the state’s economy with the increased milk production.” stated the doctor. “Self Help Groups of the state can work towards this aim and thereby increase milk production of the state”, he further added.
Apart from giving various radio talks Dr Borthakur has many publications to his credit including the paper on Courtship and Mounting Behavior of Indian Rhino received great appreciation by all scientists during the Indian Veterinary Congress in Madras in 1999. He had also led a team of vets for a training of Training of Trainers for Para Vet Program of Artificial Insemination (AI) at BAIF, Central Research Sta tion, Urulikanchan, Pune before he successfully conducted the first “Gopal Mitra” program under World Bank to train para vets for Artificial insemination (AI) in the state during his tenure as the Assistant Director, Geneticist Sire Evaluation
(Readers of AssamTimes are encouraged to send in articles on significant achievements of people from the Northeast in any sphere)
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