Dr. Norman Borlaug chair would be set up at University of Agriculture Faisalabad to commemorate the meritorious services of the father of green revolution befittingly. This was revealed by Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan Vice Chancellor UAF while addressing the gathering of Norman reference in new senate hall of UAF here on Wednesday morning.

He said that late Dr. Norman Borlaug was friend of humanity as he introduced new wheat variety of small stature. He added that twentieth century is reckoned as an amazing epoch of enlightenment it saw a rampant groundswell of frenzied forces of innovation and change constantly at work, pushing the obsolescent and decadent from all walks of life to the end of their tether, effectively overthrowing the long gathering hangovers of an away of life shaped by superstition, hook, line and sinker. He said that late Dr. Borlaug eagerly awaited the advent of the supremacy of rule of logic and reason that was necessary to clear out the living environment of the odd and absurd to make it perceptive and receptive to the benefit of the dynamics of a modem world on the make.

Dr. Khan added his discoveries relate to the General theory of Relativity by Albert Einstein; the invention of Plastics by Baekeland; the Big-bang theory of creation of the Universe by Edwin Hubble; the Atomic Fission theory by Enrico Fermi; the Economic theory by John Keynes; the Cracking of the secret of life by Watson and Crick; and the Green Revolution - a fascinating phenomenon created by science and technology when put to work by Borlaug between 1944 and 1960. This took the world of agriculture by storm. In manner of its concept, form, crafting and the majesty of returns, this green revolution, triggered by what was acclaimed as the miracle wheat, very much looked like an antithesis of conventional farming based on time-honoured wisdom, skills and traditions inherited from antiquity.

Dr. Khan narrated the statement of Former UAF VC Prof. Dr. Abdur Rehman TI in which he mentioned that for a time, his introduction was resisted by local peasantry evincing outright antipathy, even hostility, to adopting the ways of the green revolution on pretexts, claims and biases no different from a balderdash that was ordained soon enough to fray at the edges and fade away. The melting ice revealed the whole field empty for the green revolution to take over and let flourish, optimizing the hitherto untapped prospects and potentials to raise acre-yields of agricultural crops, in particular, wheat, therewith elevating the status and stature of this profession to match the nation's elite work standards. Not only were the rural communities in South Asia overwhelmed with the performance of the green revolution leading to a tripling and quadrupling of wheat production obtained under an optimum state of crop management but also gave lie to the Malthusian proclamation of doom and gloom meant for the rising world population to beware of the specter of starvation likely to hit places impoverished by plummeting food grain production. The green revolution worked as an assured antidote to keep at bay the likely incidence of such horrors. Thus the tables were turned, initiating a paradigm shift that transformed agriculture from a lowly occupation into really a profit-earning industry on the up and up. This should count as a great monument to Dr. Borlaug's strategic vision, creativity, sagacity, commitment to service to humanity, consistent hard work of a lifetime and exemplary achievements and resourceful delivery, all brilliantly recognized at the end of day by creating him a Nobel Laureate, a fitting finale' to a glorious career”.

Richard W. Ward professor of Cornell University Ithaca New York and a family friend of Prof. Borlaug shared his memories with Dr. Borlaug, said that while receiving Nobel prize he acknowledged the services of Pakistani agricultural scientists to make the green revolution a success. Richard W. Ward narrated the statement of Borlaug’s daughter in which she thanked the UAF VC Prof. Dr. Iqrar A Khan for establishing a Borlaug Chair at UAF. She hoped that this chair would lead towards more advancement in the agriculture sector.