4th Rotary Millet Jatra and Go-Vigyan Parishad 2026 Concludes with Great Enthusiasm
Pune, 14th October 2026: The Rotary Millet Jatra and Go-Vigyan Parishad 2026 was successfully organized with immense public participation on October 9 and 10 at the Pajarpol Goshala in Bhosari. The event was held under the joint aegis of the Rotary Club of Pune Camp and 20 other Rotary Clubs under Rotary District 3131. The core concept of this initiative was envisioned by Rotarian Pradeep Khedkar. The main objective behind the event was to promote the awareness of millets, advocate for indigenous cattle rearing (Desi Gopalan), and strengthen the dialogue between rural and urban communities.
A special highlight this year was the participation of 500 students from 10 schools who visited the exhibition, participated in poster competitions and cultural events, and greatly multiplied the overall enthusiasm. The two-day festival featured a diverse array of activities, including a Millet Prabhat Pheri (morning march), culinary competitions, millet training sessions, poster contests, expert guidance lectures, panel discussions, Go-Pujan (cow worship), and felicitation of cow-caretakers (Go-Sevaks). The venue also hosted stalls displaying various millets and organic cow-products, alongside traditional cultural programs.
The event was graced by the presence of prominent dignitaries, including District Governor Rtn. Nitin Dhamale, Past District Governor Rtn. Santosh Marathe, Directors of the Pajarpol Trust, and Past District Governor Rtn. Shital Shah. Rtn. Sadiq Sagar, President of the Rotary Club of Pune Camp, led the successful execution of this initiative with the collaborative support of 20 clubs from Rotary District 3131 and the BAIF Development Research Foundation. Through this Jatra, the core message of “Millets and Go-Vigyan – The Foundation of Health, Self-Reliance, and Environmental Conservation” was effectively communicated to the masses.
During the event, District Governor Rtn. Nitin Dhamale proposed an idea to identify farmers pioneering indigenous seed conservation with the help of BAIF and set up a dedicated seed bank for them. Additionally, Past District Governor Rtn. Santosh Marathe expressed a strong intent to make this movement more impactful through Rotary in the future to empower farmers and cattle-rearers.
Project Head Pradeep Khedkar announced that the upcoming phase will include launching the ‘Rotary Millet Village’ pilot project across Bhor, Maval, Rajgurunagar, and Ambegaon talukas to boost millet entrepreneurship. Alongside this, efforts will be directed toward indigenous cow conservation to transform several goshalas into spiritual, scientific, and educational tourism spots, regularly organizing school visits to enrich the younger generation.
The event witnessed massive attendance from millet farmers, entrepreneurs, and cattle-rearers arriving from Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Beed, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Solapur. The program was efficiently anchored by Prof. Digambar Dhokle and Rtn. Kranti Shah.
