Punjab Agricultural University hosted a high-level delegation from UNIQLO Japan to discuss collaborative opportunities in student placements and research partnerships in cotton.
The delegation included Mr. Zheng Luojie (Roger), Manager – Human Resources; Mr. Sumit Sisodia, Manager – Cotton Farming; and Mr. Neeraj Khanna, Consultant, Uniqlo India, Bangalore.
The visit was facilitated and coordinated bys Dr. Sandeep Jain, Incharge, University Placement and Counselling Cell. He formally welcomed the guests and outlined the agenda of the meeting with a focus on long-term student placements, career opportunities and research partnerships.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, highlighted the global standing of PAU, established in 1962 on the U.S. land-grant university model and emphasized its pioneering contributions to India’s Green Revolution. He informed that PAU ranks as the top state agricultural university in India and is placed among the top 100 agricultural universities in the world standing shoulder to shoulder with global institutions.
Dr. Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research, highlighted potential areas for collaboration in cotton research and assured PAU’s technical support for joint projects. He outlined thematic priorities and emphasized the university’s strengths that could significantly contribute to collaborative research proposals.
Dr. Nirmal Jaura, Director Student Welfare, underlined the importance of university–industry partnerships in enhancing student welfare through better career opportunities and exposure. Dr. M.I. S. Gill, Dean Postgraduate Studies, provided an overview of PAU’s postgraduate programs and the pool of talented M.Sc. and Ph.D. students available for recruitment. Dr. Dharmendra Pathak, Principal Scientist, shared updates on ongoing research in cotton improvement and protection at PAU.
The UNIQLO team expressed keen interest in PAU’s expertise and global reputation, particularly in cotton research. The delegation, which will soon return to PAU to start recruitment activities as planned with Dr. Sandeep Jain, Incharge Placement Cell. They also held detailed discussions on opportunities in student placements, fellowships, CSR initiatives and training programs.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides agreeing to work towards a structured framework for long-term collaboration, combining PAU’s scientific leadership with UNIQLO’s global vision to enhance cotton productivity and create career opportunities for students.