The first ever ICCR Foundation Day (IFD 2019) was jointly celebrated by the Embassy of India, Hanoi; Consulate General of India, Ho Chi Minh City(HCMC) ; and Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Hanoi, at the campus of Southern Horticulture Research Institute (SOFRI), Tien Giang Province of Vietnam on 9th April, 2019. The event was attended by more than 150 participants including Ambassador P. Harish; Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Director General, SOFRI; Mr Pham Van Bay, Vice Chairman of People's Council, Tien Giang Province; Dr Srikar Reddy, Consul General, HCMC; Mr. Rajesh Uike, Deputy Chief of Mission; and other Embassy and CGI officials; ICCR alumni from different parts of the country, academicians, government officials and current students and faculty members of SOFRI, Cuu Long Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), University of Social Science and Humanities (USSH), Ho Chi Minh City, etc. Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Director General, SOFRI welcomed the participants and thanked the ICCR for helping to organise this event. In his welcome remarks, Ambassador P. Harish highlighted the contribution of ICCR in strengthening bilateral relations and people-to-people contacts through academic and cultural exchanges between the two countries. This was followed by a handing over of the ICCR Distinguished Alumnus Award – 2018 to Dr. Bui Ba Bong, former Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and an ICCR Alumnus. There was also a cultural performance by ICCR alumni and students of USSH, HCMC. ICCR alumni from SOFRI and CLRRI shared their experiences of studying in India by availing ICCR scholarship. A presentation on possibilities of Agriculture sector cooperation was also shown at the event.
