Like nothing can stop a determined person in achieving their goal, emerging fish farmer from Manipur Salam Rohendro Singh has make state pride once again.
Salam Rohendro Singh from Laphupat Tera under Imphal West has yet again invited for interaction with young civil service probationers by prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussorrie. With this, Salam Rohendro Singh who has started his endeavour with humble beginning is going to share his extensive experience in fish farming for third time.
In an interaction, Salam Rohendro expressed his profound happiness for getting invitation to interact with young civil servant who are attending 99th foundation course starting from August 26, 2024 till November 29, 2024. The interaction will be with the young Civil servants comprises of All India Services that includes officers from the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Forest Service and Central Services as well as officers from Royal Bhutan Service.
“It is beyond my imagination that I would ever get this opportunity of giving lecture to people who have qualified one of the difficult exams to become high class bureaucrat. Inviting me by LBSNNA has made me feel that my 20 years of journey in fish farming has got recognition to some extent,” said Rohendro who is in 50s.
Rohendro also informed that the academy had invited him in February 2023 for the first time. This was followed by foundation course for October 2023 session.
Pointing out that receiving award on fish farming could be the determining factor of inviting him to the academy for talk.
Rohendro had bagged first prize in the State Level Fish Fair, 2021 for producing the highest quantity of fish in the fair organised by department of Fisheries, received Haricharan Das Best Progressive Fish Farmer Award in 2022 by the College of Fisheries, Lembucherra, Tripura and conferred ICAR – Farmer Innovative Award in Umiam, Meghalaya for his outstanding contribution for revival of Sareng (Wallago attu) in 2023.
Stating about his fish farming activities, Rohendro said that he started his endeavour in a small size of land 20 years ago. But for around 12 years, he couldn’t focus intensely in his chosen field. Later realising the significance and potential in fish farming, all his time and energy was just spent in fish farming. From last eight years, he has converted traditional method of fish farming to scientific way.
Rohendro also shared that the farm has gradually increase to size of five hectares where various species of fish are reared. Out of five-hectare, four hectare belong to him and remaining one hectare is on lease. From this total land, he can earn at least Rs 20 lakh in a year producing one tone of fish in each hectare.
Salam Rohendro also make history in revival of Sareng (Wallago attu) said that Chief Minister N Biren Singh in 2021 has announced to provide subsidy of 50 percent to those fish farmers who can produce Sareng successfully. This has motivated him to rear Sareng fish in his farm.
“I have travel to other state and country to get Sareng fingerling. From 2022, Sareng is made available in market and now I also started taking up the steps of Sareng breeding in my farm. Many inconveniences are facing to carry out this activity. I wish state government provide some necessary help,” he expressed.
Stating about necessity of giving need special focus for the promotion of fish farmer in order to become Manipur a self-reliant in farming, he suggested conversion of tradition fish farming practices to scientific way of farming otherwise it can never produce fish in surplus scale. He also urged to provide fish feed imported from other state in subsidised rate.
The writer is an award winning reporter
