National Workshop on Conservation of Coastal Biodiversity with Special Emphasis on Indian Horseshoe Crabs Inaugurated at Fakir Mohan University

Balasore, 19/8(Krushna Kumar Mohanty) A five-day National Workshop on “Ecological and Genetic Approaches for the Conservation of Coastal Biodiversity with Special Reference to Indian Horseshoe Crabs” has been inaugurated by Honorable Vice-Chancellor Prof Santosh Kumar Tripathy at FMU.
The workshop, scheduled from August 19–23, 2025, is being organized jointly by the Centre for Research and Conservation of Indian Horseshoe Crabs (CRCIHSC) and the Human Resource Development Centre-FMU (HRDC), in academic collaboration with the P.G. Department of Zoology and the P.G. Department of Biosciences & Biotechnology.

In his presidential address, Vice Chancellor Prof. Santosh Kumar Tripathy, reiterated the university’s leadership in fostering research on coastal ecology and endangered species & mentioned the journey of research, referring to the Indian Horseshoe Crab research activities  at FM University which has dragged the attention of Government of Odisha through  OMBRIC project , now will work association with department of Science and technology, Govt of Odisha. 
He also emphasized the urgency of horseshoe crab conservation as a critical component of marine biodiversity.

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The inaugural session commenced with a welcome address by Dr. Rajshree Dutta, Member, HRDC, followed by Prof. Bishnu Prasad Dash( Director- CRCIHSC,FMU) introduced the theme of the workshop, situating its relevance within the broader framework of coastal ecosystem management and sustainable conservation strategies.

Dr. Bharat Bhusan Pattnaik, (Deputy Director, CRCIHSC and HoD of Biosciences & Biotechnology dept.) introduced the dignitaries & underscored the ecological importance of the Indian Horseshoe Crab as a keystone species and highlighted the need for integrative conservation measures. 

Prof. Ranindra Kumar Nayak, Director, HRDC, reflected on the academic value of integrating ecological and genetic approaches, while Prof. Bhaskar Behera, Chairman, P.G. Council, emphasized the role of interdisciplinary research in advancing biodiversity conservation by FMU. 

The session was further enriched by distinguished addresses by The Honorable guest 
Prof. Sushil Kumar Dutta, Emeritus Professor, Don Bosco University, Assam, discussed the unique biodiversity challenges and his experiences with the growing interest in horseshoe crabs in view of research and resources present in 
India.

Dr. Anubhav Khan, Assistant Professor, Centre for Ecological Studies, IISc Bengaluru, shared insights on contemporary ecological research and conservation practices of horseshoe crab while addressing the gathering. 

The inaugural session concluded with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Manojit Bhattacharya, Organizing Secretary of the workshop.

The workshop will convene researchers, academicians, and students from across India to deliberate on pressing concerns related to marine biodiversity, climate change impacts, and conservation genetics. Across the five days, technical sessions, expert lectures, and scholarly interactions between more than 100 participants which will aim to develop sustainable frameworks for the protection of fragile coastal ecosystems and vulnerable species.