First-of-its-kind museum in Thanjavur to highlight journey of Indian agriculture


Chennai: To celebrate and commemorate 75 years of Indian independence, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal on Monday virtually inaugurated Food Security Museum at Thanjavur along with a photo exhibition.

Interestingly, Thanjavur is the birthplace of Food Corporation of India as it was in this town of Tamil Nadu FCI was inaugurated 56 years ago on 14 January, 1965.

Goyal congratulated all on the inauguration of Food Security Museum at Thanjavur, showcasing India’s agri evolution from dependency to self-sufficiency.

The Minister said that the Food Security Museum is the first museum in India to depict India’s food security story from a ‘ship to mouth’ existence to becoming one of the largest food grain exporting nations. He said that the Cultural Capital of Tamilnadu will now be home to the Agricultural history of India.

He added that the National Museum on food Security at Thanjavur shall go along with in depicting the efforts of all stakeholders of Food Security maintenance. ‘I am sure all Indians and especially young Indians and children shall be benefited immensely by a visit to this museum,’ he said.

The Museum is theme based and shares how food was collected from Mesolothic era to various methodologies of storage and challenges faced by the early man. The Museum also encompasses some key information about Food Corporation of India related to its history, Procurement, Storage and Preservation, Movement and Distribution.

A 3D movie on FCI will be shown in Virtual Reality and quizzes for children. A Life Size PDS Model is also replicated besides other significant attractions.

The Food Museum has been co-developed by FCI and Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museums, Bengaluru, at a cost of Rs 1.1 crore in 1860 sq.ft. area. It houses state-of-the-art exhibits including breakthrough technologies such as Projection Mapping, RFID, Touch Screen Kiosk, Proximity Sensors and Touch Sensors which will be of great interest to the school and college students as well as the general public.