Uttarakhand’s Ancient Millets Catch ICMR‑NIN’s Scientific Eye

Uttarakhand’s rolling hills have been feeding locals for generations, and now some of those time‑tested grains are stepping into the lab.

Scientists at the ICMR‑National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR‑NIN) have rolled up their sleeves to study four traditional millets – mandua (finger millet), jhangora (barnyard millet), chaulai (kodo millet) and koda (little millet). The team, headed by Dr Bharati Kulkarni, says the aim is simple: turn folk wisdom into hard‑won scientific data.

The research was unveiled on the second day of a press tour in Hyderabad, organized by the PIB office in Dehradun. About fifteen journalists from Uttarakhand toured the institute, peeking into labs where food analysis and lipid chemistry are buzzing with activity.

Beyond the four millets, ICMR‑NIN is also chewing over ragi (finger millet). Here the focus is clinical – figuring out how ragi consumption might help curb anaemia, a chronic issue in many rural pockets.

One recurring theme in Dr Kulkarni’s talk was childhood nutrition. She stressed that the foundation for lifelong healthy eating is laid long before school age, and that added sugars should be kept out of a child’s diet before they even turn two.

India, she warned, is wrestling with a double‑burden of malnutrition – stubborn under‑nutrition on one side and a rising tide of overweight and obesity on the other. Simply putting more food on the table won’t solve the problem; the diet must be diverse and the foods, healthier.

During a technical session, scientist‑G Dr Subba Rao highlighted the media’s role as a bridge, translating complex nutritional science into everyday kitchen choices.

The media delegation got hands‑on exposure to the institute’s analytical work, and later, as a cultural treat, visited Hyderabad’s famed Salar Jung Museum.

All in all, the project hopes that by scientifically validating these age‑old grains, policy makers, nutritionists and families can revive them on plates across the country, offering a tasty weapon against malnutrition.