Date: 1/01/2022

Dear Honorable Members of the ISWS

Greetings!!!.

“Wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year, 2022”. !!!

The year 2021 was full of challenges for all of us. We have witnessed the world’s worst second wave of Covid-19 and the loss of lives of dear ones. I pray the Almighty for grant of peace to the eternal souls who have lost their lives during the pandemic. In spite of persistent Covid-19 threat, we have started to concentrate in our work with the regular opening of research institutions in the country. I am sure, you all have taken both the doses of vaccines to fight against this devastated disease effectively. I appeal to all of my elder colleagues to go for booster dose immediately, if it has not been taken yet.

In the year 2021, we started a series of webinars almost every month on different current topics on weed science by the eminent weed scientists of India and abroad to uplift the current knowledge of the members especially younger ones. This series of webinars received very warm response from the members, which can be judged by large number of participations in each of such webinars. On the demand of members, we also organized one online 6 days training course on ‘Advances in weed management for sustainable agriculture’ during 13-18 December, 2021, which was also attended by large number of participants from all over India. You will also be delighted to know that more than 76 new colleagues have joined the Society during the period of 2021. I welcome all of them in the Society. We have also done a lot of improvement in the website of ISWS for its easy access and to retrieve the information with single click. I request all of you to visit the ISWS website regularly to get updates and to access the Indian Journal of Weed Science.

You will be happy to learn that ISWS in collaboration with Anand Agricultural University, Anand (Gujarat) and ICAR-Directorate of Weed Research is organizing 3rd International Weed Conference (3rd IWC) during 20-23 December, 2022 at Anand. This venue is kept in view of its proximity with the world tallest statute “Statue of Unity”. We are exploring the possibility to organize a trip to this point for the participants to witness the statue and scenic beauty of the area. I invite all of you to participate in this conference and request you to lock the dates.

Please take utmost care of yourself and your family.

Wish you all the best in your endeavor in weed science.

Sushil Kumar

President, ISWS