As part of the International year of Millets (IYM) 2023, a two day National Symposium on “Revisiting Millets for Food and Nutrition Security-Siridhanya Sukhadhanya” was organised by the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru sponsored by DST-Promotion of University Research & Scientific Excellence (DST-PURSE) held on 19th and 20th May 2023.

The Government of India through its G20 presidency is promoting millets to improve food security, enhance livelihoods of farmers and address malnutrition to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) and fight climate change in a sustainable manner. For this, various conferences, symposia, festivals etc. are being organised to promote millets as the food of the future. Our initiative is a small contribution towards the government’s efforts aligning with the G20 theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (One Earth, One Family, One Future)” and its objective ‘Inclusive economic growth and sustainable development’ as well as International Year of Millets - 2023.

The Keynote address was delivered by Chief Guest Dr. Khadar Valli who sensitised the audience on the importance of consuming right food for a healthy life. He also stressed on obtaining balanced nutrition, exercise and the role of positive millets like foxtail, barnyard, proso, kodo and little millets in preventing and treating several diseases. The scientific sessions ranging from basics of millets, its nutritional properties, biochemistry, health benefits and entrepreneurial avenues included talks from expert speakers such as Dr. Prakash M Halami (Chief Scientist & Professor AcSIR, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru), Dr. Phani Kumar (Scientist, DFRL, Mysuru), Dr. Asna Urooj (Professor, Dept. of Food Science & Nutrition, University of Mysore, Mysuru), Dr. Kowsalya S (Registrar, Avinashilingam University, Coimbatore), Dr. Dharani Krishnan (Director, D.V Living Science Enterprises, Chennai), Dr. Sarla Keiko Bangalore (Daughter of Dr. Khadar Valli & Homeopathic Practitioner), Dr. Usha Dharmraj (Senior Tehnical Officer, Dept. of Grain Science & Technology, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru) among others.