Madrasa background student Dr. Moinuddin overcomes hurdles to be an agricultural scientist

Dr. Moinuddin was born in Ambedkar Nagar, Jalalpur town, Uttar Pradesh. He received primary education in Madrasa Nida Haq of the town. After that he continued his educational journey keeping his goal in mind. And finally he did his Ph.D.  He currently holds the post of Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Sri Guru Ram Rai University.

Dr. Moinuddin says that life was very difficult during his studies and his journey of education has not been easy. He says that when he was studying in NPG College Barhalganj, run by Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, he had to face many difficulties.

"I was not getting a house on rent there. Wherever I went for housing, I was met with refusal everywhere, and finally I had to live in the Bhimsawa ashram for two years. After two years a Hindu family gave me a house on rent," he says.

Dr. Moinuddin remained focussed. Because he knew very well that without education it is impossible to become anything in life. They say that if you want to create strength within you, then your first priority should be good education and for this, whatever resources are available with you, you should pursue them to achieve your set goals.

Dr. Moinuddin obtained his PhD from Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad on the topic "Effect of different organic sources of nitrogen on growth, yield and oil content of groundnut". There he also presented his thesis in MSc on the topic 'Growth and yield behavior of mustard under different sowing methods and sulfur levels'. Presently he has vast experience in the agriculture sector. He is now an Agricultural Scientist.

Dr. Moinuddin has taken the path of teaching along with his research. He first served as Assistant Professor and Head of Department of Agriculture at Maya College of Agriculture Science and Technology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand from 2013 to  2016. He then served as Head of Department of Agriculture, Doon in 2016.  He worked as Assistant Professor and Head of Department of Agriculture at College of Agriculture and Technology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

After this he joined Agriculture Department, Tula Institute, Dholkot, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Here he held the position of Assistant Professor and Head from 2016 to  2017. Then he was appointed at Global University Saharanpur. Here he worked as Assistant Professor and Head in the Department of Agriculture from 2017 to 2020. Presently he is working as Associate Professor in School of Agricultural Sciences, Sri Guru Ram Rai University, Dehradun Uttarakhand since November, 2020.

Dr. Moinuddin has left a mark on the hearts and minds of people with his educational qualification and talent and research. This is the reason why he has received many national and international awards at such a young age. He was awarded the Young Scientist Award for the first time by Bioweed Research Institute of Agriculture and Technology, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of "15th Indian Agricultural Scientists and Farmers Congress" at Allahabad University in February, 2013.

He was awarded the Best Agricultural Scientist Award at Shobhat Deemed University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh in 2021 on the occasion of 4th International Conference on Global Perspectives in Climate Smart Agriculture Natural Resource Management during Corona Pandemic. He was awarded the Outstanding Scientist Award at Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Pokhara, Nepal in September, 2022 on the occasion of 4th International Conference on Global Efforts on Agriculture, Forest, Environment and Food Security.

On receiving these awards, Dr. Moinuddin says: "The respect I have received from people at such a young age. I can not explain it. Today if I am considered worthy, it is because of my education. Education is such a thing that can lift anyone from the ground to the sky."

"Everything was not easy for me when I was getting my education. Rather often I had to face adverse environments. But I completed my studies. And today this education made everything suitable for me. And the things which were impossible for me to achieve have become possible today."

Dr. Moinuddin is also a life member of the Indian Society of Agronomy, Agronomy Division, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. He is also an active member of the Society of Agronomy, Department of Agriculture, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad. He is also an active life member of Agricultural Technology Development Society, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

Dr. Moinuddin is not only associated with teaching and research. Rather, they also keep attending national and international conferences. There they are also called as teachers in workshops to impart training. He has so far attended dozens of national and international conferences.

Dr. Moinuddin has participated in several important seminars, conferences including the National Seminar on "Livelihood Generation in Hill Statistics of India based on Agriculture and Allied Sectors" organized by Uttaranchal (P.G.) College of Technology and Biomedical Sciences, Dehradun, UK in 2014.

"They say that education is a great blessing of Allah. For which it is the duty of every youth to struggle. Education is the only thing that can make a person move forward. On the basis of this education, man can struggle to build a peaceful society," he says.

He says that the tragedy of today's era is that the young people are not able to differentiate between right and wrong.

"He doesn't know what I'm doing. And what should I do? While every person knows that the youth is of great importance in the progress of the nation, if there is corruption in them, then that nation cannot be good and if the youth deteriorates, it can prove to be dangerous for the whole country and society," he says.

Dr. Moinuddin's father Haji Munir Ahmed Sahab has held the post of Principal in Mirza Ghalib Inter College Jalalpur. Presently he is leading a retired life.

He said that his son from the beginning was interested in education.

"Unlike other boys, he did not make many friends and did not waste his time hanging out and having fun. He was completely different. He never thought of anything other than education. His early studies were in the madrasa till the fifth grade. After that he studied up to junior high school in Mirza Ghalib Inter College and passed his matriculation examination from a college in Jalalpur city," the proud father said.

"After matriculation, a friend told me that 'your son is very intelligent and extremely sincere in studies'. He advised me to put him in the field of agriculture study. Because there is a lot of hope for development in the area. After this I discussed it with my son and he also agreed. And with his hard work today, he is a scientist in agriculture and serving the country."

(The author is Lucknow based freelance journalist)