Dr. Sakthivel. N, DIRECTOR
As the Director of Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, Pampore (CSR&TI Pampore), it gives me immense pride to reflect upon the glorious legacy and dynamic progress of sericulture in North India, particularly in the picturesque valley of Kashmir.
Sericulture in this region has a history that spans centuries. The association of Kashmir with silk finds mention in Rajatarangini, the celebrated historical chronicle authored by the great poet Kalhana in 1148 AD. Kashmir silk also figures in the travel accounts of the renowned Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang), who visited India in the 7th century. The industry received remarkable patronage during the reign of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, locally known as "Bade Shah” under whom sericulture flourished as a structured economic activity.
In 1855, a European delegation visited Kashmir and collected nearly 25,000 ounces of silkworm seed, contributing significantly to the revival of sericulture in Europe. During the rule of Maharaja Gulab Singh, silk emerged as a major trade and export commodity. The formal institutionalization of sericulture in the region began with the establishment of the Sericulture Development Department in 1889, followed by the commissioning of Kashmir’s first silk reeling factory at Solina, Srinagar in 1897. Earlier milestones include the first cocoon exhibition at Nurpur (Himachal Pradesh) in 1877 and organized silkworm rearing initiated by Lister & Co. at Resham Majri (present-day Dehradun) in 1880.
The modern era of organized research commenced in 1958 with the establishment of the Central Silkworm Seed Station at Pampore under the aegis of the Central Silk Board. The station was upgraded to a Regional Sericultural Research Station in 1984 and finally attained its present status as CSR&TI Pampore in 1991. Since then, the Institute has emerged as a premier center addressing the unique sericultural needs of North and North-Western India, characterized by sub-tropical to temperate climates, scattered mulberry tree plantations, and limited cocoon crops due to prolonged winters.
Over the decades, CSR&TI Pampore has developed and recommended a wide array of location-specific technologies for commercial adoption through State Sericulture Departments. Recognizing the poor rooting ability of high-yielding mulberry varieties in temperate regions, the Institute standardized mulberry grafting techniques and comprehensive packages of practices for tree plantation, nursery management, and intercropping systems.
The Institute, along with its Regional Sericultural Research Stations at Jammu and Sahaspur (Dehradun), maintains a rich repository of indigenous and exotic silkworm and mulberry germplasm. Notable achievements include the long-standing success of SH6 × NB4D2 bivoltine hybrid, followed by the introduction of CSR double hybrids and the Doon series of bivoltine hybrids developed at RSRS Dehradun. At present, the Institute is in advanced stages of developing improved bivoltine double hybrids, autumn-specific hybrids, and all-weather bivoltine single hybrids suited to sub- optimal rearing conditions.
In recent years, CSR&TI Pampore has strengthened its global and national partnerships. A Memorandum of Transfer Agreement has been signed with the Sericulture Research Institute, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, fostering collaborative research. A landmark MoU with the National Highways Authority of India aims to develop mulberry plantations along national highways, promoting green coverage and livelihood generation. A pilot project worth ₹621.67 lakh has been approved under this initiative.
Innovation remains at the core of our mission. The Institute has developed the first- ever mulberry somatic hybrids, initiated summer crop introduction between spring and autumn seasons at the OFT level, and is advancing research on drought- tolerant mulberry genotypes. The newly developed temperate mulberry variety PPR- 1 is under All India Coordinated Trial. Agro-based models for mulberry tree plantation have been formulated, and expansion of mulberry plantations in forest lands has been initiated in collaboration with the Department of Forest, Punjab.
CSR&TI Pampore, in close coordination with State Sericulture Departments and allied organizations, remains steadfast in its commitment to empower the sericulture farming community. Through scientific innovation, sustainable practices, and strategic partnerships, we aim to strengthen India’s position as a global leader in silk production and contribute meaningfully to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
With renewed dedication and collective effort, we look forward to shaping a resilient, sustainable, and prosperous future for sericulture in North India.
