Lucknow: The two-day Bougainvillea Festival organized by the CSIR–National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow, concluded with a grand prize distribution ceremony on Sunday. The event, held on March 14–15, celebrated the beauty and diversity of bougainvillea plants and attracted enthusiastic participation from gardeners, nurseries and horticulture enthusiasts across the city.
The ceremony was graced by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel, who attended as the Chief Guest and presented awards to the winners of various competitions.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. A.K. Shasany, Director of CSIR-NBRI, congratulated the winners and thanked exhibitors for their active participation. He highlighted that the institute showcased several initiatives under the CSIR Floriculture Mission during the festival. He added that CSIR-NBRI has been working on bougainvillea for many years and has played a significant role in promoting the plant across India, including developing new varieties and popularizing it among the public.
Presenting the event report, Dr. K.J. Singh, Scientist-E at CSIR-NBRI, said the festival received an overwhelming response from the residents of Lucknow. The sale of bougainvillea plants emerged as a major attraction for visitors. Government departments, nurseries, institutions and gardening enthusiasts from across the city actively participated in the festival.
A total of 51 awards were distributed across different competition categories, including 20 first prizes, 17 second prizes and 14 third prizes.
Top Winners with Maximum First Prizes
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Sawani Yadav, Kursi Road, Lucknow – 3 First Prizes
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Vice Chairman, Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) – 2 First Prizes
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Dr. Poornima Singh, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow – 2 First Prizes
Trophy Winners
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Director’s Trophy (Individual Category): Dr. Poornima Singh, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow
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Director’s Trophy (Institution/Nursery Category): Vice Chairman, Lucknow Development Authority
Director General’s Trophy (Highest Points in Competition):
Joint winners – Dr. Poornima Singh and Vice Chairman, Lucknow Development Authority.
In her address, Governor Anandiben Patel congratulated the organizers and emphasized the significance of bougainvillea as a visually pleasing summer flowering plant. She urged people to embrace nature’s gifts and beauty in their daily lives. She also noted that trees and plants not only enhance aesthetics but also contribute to farmers’ livelihoods. Such exhibitions, she said, help farmers learn about the latest research, plant varieties and agricultural technologies, while the Floriculture Mission is playing a key role in benefiting the farming community.
Among the distinguished guests present were former Director of CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP) Dr. P.K. Trivedi and Director of CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR) Dr. Bhaskar Narayan, along with several other eminent personalities.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. K.J. Singh, Scientist-E at CSIR-NBRI.
