A Decade of Action & Achievement

A journey that is just short of a decade, in time, is not a very long one. Particularly when it is of the life of an institution and that too when the institution is not a permanent organisation, but is a forum or a platform which is built year-to-year merely for three days. Nutra India Summit is one such platform, which began its ‘avatar’ as ‘Nutraceuticals Summit’ in 2003 and held its 9th edition last month. It has now begun its journey towards completion of a decade of existence.

The 9th summit provided good insight into the Nutraceuticals science and industry with interesting and in-depth discussions and deliberations on different aspects of the subject. And it was marked by some other important developments in the form of tie-ups that in a way was recognition of NIS’s work till now among the international fraternity.

First and foremost, in that direction, was the strong participation of the contingent of International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST). It included the President, president-elect, Secretary General and three of its governing council members, who actively participated in various sessions. India is now planning to reciprocate with a strong delegation to IUFoST 2014 – 17th World Congress of Food, Science and Technology and Expo at Montreal, Canada, in August.

It was not only IUFoST members, but experts from many other international organisations like International Union of Nutritional Science (IUNS) and Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and different countries participated in the 9th NIS. Nearly 15 countries were represented and many of the experts abroad were speakers in different sessions, giving the NIS a true international colour and proving that NIS has now got international standing and recognition.

This is an important association for NIS at the international level, taking its equity high within the Nutra fraternity in the country and abroad as well.

To take such associations forward and make them effective the institution here needs to take some permanent form rather than a year-to-year platform. NIS has taken a step now in that direction with the formation of International Society for Nutraceuticals, Nutritionals and Nuturals (ISNNaN) for under- taking some regular activities.

The presentation of the Lifetime achievement award at the NIS reached a new height this year as the recipient of the award was a towering personality in the field of agriculture, food and nutrition, Prof M S Swamina- than. While receiving the honour, the father of India’s green revolution gave the mantra to eliminate hunger and provide nutrition food to the people. Three other global personalities and two organisations too were presented with nutra excellence awards.

Though there were many such positive elements and developments, some of the regular familiar faces from the Indian Nutra industry were missing this time. Different sessions at the NIS dealt with varied subjects from regulatory to branding & marketing. CEO forum proved to be the highlight of the NIS with industry leaders deliberating over op- portunities and challenges before the sector.

A forum that began with just 40-odd people nine years back, as was described by its chairman, NIS is approaching the completion of its decade of journey. And well, may have to think of negotiating a completely new direction at the turn of the first decade while entering into the next. That is now the challenge before NIS and the newly formed ISNNaN also.