New Delhi: Just months after Delhi University’s Lakshmibai College found itself at the centre of a controversy over allegations that cow dung was smeared on classroom walls, the institution went a step further by organising a seminar on indigenous cows and sustainable development.The seminar, Indigenous Cows As A Catalyst: Accelerating Bio-Economy And Sustainable Development, brought together experts who conducted research or developed practical business models centred around indigenous cows. According to college principal Pratyush Vatsala, “We invited people who have done serious research and built thriving enterprises based on products derived from indigenous cows. Several of them showcased clinical products, eco-friendly paints, jewellery and a range of other items. Traditional knowledge is being lost today, even though it holds immense potential.”One speaker at the seminar described the cow not merely as an animal but as “the heartbeat of our culture and environment”. His talk highlighted the animal’s role in sustainable agriculture, eco-conscious living and the development of rural bio-economies.As part of the seminar, the participants also toured Gokul Gram, a specially designed section on the campus modelled after a traditional Indian village. The site demonstrated various cow-based farming techniques and sustainability practices.In April, a video was circulated online allegedly showing the principal applying cow dung to classroom walls, claiming it could help lower indoor temperatures. It prompted the Delhi University Students’ Union president, accompanied by a group of students, to smear the principal’s office and washroom with cow dung in protest. The students criticised the “absurd and unscientific” practices being promoted on the campus. The principal later clarified that the application was part of a faculty-led research project exploring traditional cooling methods.
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