The Department of Food and Nutrition at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has brought laurels to the institution by securing multiple prestigious awards at the 12th International Conference on ‘Agriculture & Veterinary: Transformative Approach, Research & Innovations Forum’, jointly organized by Goa College of Agriculture, Goa; University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad; and ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi, held from November 16–18, 2025.
Ms Karnika, Ph.D. scholar, was conferred the Best Oral Presentation Award for her paper titled “Integrating Nutrigenomics into Precision Nutrition: A Timely Approach to Mitigate Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors,” co-authored with Sonika Sharma, Shikha Mahajan, Shaveta Batta and Bishav Mohan. She was also honoured with the Young Fellow Award during the conference. Her major advisor, Dr Sonika Sharma, shared that the nutrigenomics research, a collaborative effort between PAU and DMC&H, Ludhiana, demonstrated that individuals with the high-risk FTO gene variant can significantly reduce their predisposition to obesity and cardiovascular disease through tailored diet and lifestyle interventions, underscoring the promise of precision nutrition in addressing genetic vulnerabilities.
Another Ph.D. scholar, Ms Shrishti Joshi, received the Best Oral Presentation Award for her research titled “Microwave Roasting of Nigella sativa: Enhancing Nutritional and Functional Properties for Food and Nutraceutical Applications,” co-authored with Shikha Mahajan, Arashdeep Singh, Sonika Sharma and Surya. She also earned the Young Researcher Award at the event. Her major advisor, Dr Shikha Mahajan, highlighted that the work on Nigella sativa underscores its potential as a powerful functional food ingredient with natural health-promoting properties.
In addition, Dr Tamanna Saini, Research Assistant in the department, won the Best Oral Presentation Award for her study titled “A Cross-Sectional Study on Dietary, Lifestyle Behaviours and Psychological Distress Patterns among School-Going Adolescents in Punjab State,” co-authored with Sonika Sharma, Shikha Mahajan, Deepika Vig, and Vaishali. The study forms part of the ICSSR-funded project “Impact of Screen Timing on Nutritional Status and Psychological Distress among School Children: A Digital Detox Model.”
Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU; Dr A.S. Dhatt, Director of Research; Dr Manav Indra Singh Gill, Dean, Postgraduate Studies; Dr Kiran Bains, Dean, College of Community Science; Dr Deepika Vig, Coordinator Research, COCS; and Dr Harpreet Kaur, Head, Department of Food and Nutrition, congratulated the awardees and faculty for their outstanding achievements, which continue to strengthen PAU’s leadership in nutrition science and research innovation.