union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that lavender cultivation has given the small town of Bhaderwah a distinct national identity and a significant role in India’s economic growth.
“What was once considered a remote hill town has today emerged as a beacon of India’s rural startup movement,” Dr. Singh said while inaugurating the two-day Fourth Lavender Festival 2026.
BCCI President Mithun Manhas, who happens to be the native of the region, attended the event as the Guest of Honour.
Organised by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, the two-day festival with a theme “Lavender Goes Global,” celebrated Bhaderwah’s remarkable transformation from a traditional agrarian region into India’s leading hub for lavender cultivation and aroma-based entrepreneurship.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Singh described Bhaderwah as one of the country’s most successful examples of technology-driven rural transformation.
He said the Purple Revolution has demonstrated how scientific research can be effectively translated into sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurship in remote mountainous regions.
The central Minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Startup India and science-led development for the success of the Lavender Mission. He recalled that the Prime Minister had dedicated a significant portion of the 99th episode of Mann Ki Baat to Bhaderwah’s lavender success story.
Highlighting the mission’s economic impact, Dr. Singh noted that several young entrepreneurs associated with lavender cultivation are earning substantial incomes through cultivation, processing, and the marketing of value-added products. He added that Bhaderwah’s model is now being studied and replicated in other Himalayan and northeastern states.
Dr. Singh further said that Bhaderwah and the wider Doda region have witnessed remarkable developmental progress over the past 12 years. He highlighted ongoing work on National Highway-244, stating that improved connectivity is transforming the region’s socio-economic landscape and creating new avenues for growth and opportunity.
He attributed the success of the Lavender Mission to the active involvement of scientific institutions, industry experts, and capacity-building initiatives. Sustained handholding, technology support, and global-level conferences, he said, have helped expand the model to other parts of the country.
Emphasising the vision of Viksit Bharat, Dr. Singh said that while the nation celebrates 12 years of transformative governance, planning is already underway for the next two decades. He stressed the need to unlock the potential of unexplored regions, particularly the Himalayan belt, and noted that the Aroma Mission is closely linked to the Himalayan ecosystem and will continue to play a key role in the region’s sustainable development.
He informed that what began as a modest initiative in Jammu and Kashmir has now expanded to several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, and other northeastern states, demonstrating the scalability and adaptability of the model.
In her address, CSIR Director General Dr. N. Kalaiselvi said the Purple Revolution represents one of the most impactful examples of science reaching grassroots communities. She noted that the initiative has successfully linked laboratory research with rural livelihoods and emerged as a model for sustainable agricultural development across the country.
Professor V.K. Singh of IIT Lucknow highlighted the role of science and innovation in driving rural transformation and praised the CSIR Aroma Mission for successfully translating research into livelihood opportunities for farmers.
He said the Purple Revolution stands as a model of science-led development, fostering entrepreneurship, value addition and sustainable income generation.
He also emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between research institutions, industry and farmers to further strengthen India’s aromatic crop sector.
Earlier, welcoming the guests, Director CSIR-IIIM Dr. Zabeer Ahmed highlighted the achievements of the CSIR Aroma Mission and its transformative impact on rural communities across the country. Dr. Ahmed said that lavender cultivation under the Aroma Mission has emerged as one of the most successful examples of science-led rural development in India.
“Over the last three phases of implementation, lavender cultivation has expanded to nearly 1,500 hectares, benefiting more than 4,500 farmers and farming families,” he said.
“The initiative has led to the extraction of over 4,000 kilograms of high-value lavender oil and generated cumulative revenues exceeding ₹18 crore, significantly enhancing rural incomes and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities,” he added.
The venue of the festival witnessed a display of innovation and entrepreneurship with dozens of stalls showcasing lavender oil, perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, incense products, herbal formulations, value-added aroma products, agri-technologies and startup innovations developed under the CSIR Aroma Mission.
The event also featured institutional presentations on the progress of the Purple Revolution, signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), launch of new lavender-based products, and felicitation of progressive farmers and successful startups who have contributed significantly to the growth of the aroma industry in Jammu and Kashmir.
Among those present on the occasion were MLA Bhaderwah Daleep Singh Parihar, MLA Doda West Shakti Raj Parihar, Prof. Vinod K. Singh, Institute Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT Kanpur, Chairman, CSIR-Research Advisory Board (RAB) and Mentor, CSIR-IIIM, Director of CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) Dr. D. Srinivasa Reddy, Director CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) Lucknow Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasany, Deputy Commissioner Doda Krishan Lal, senior scientists, officials, and representatives of startups and farmer groups.
Senior scientists Dr Suphla Gupta, Senior Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer, CSIR Aroma Mission, and Dr Saurabh Saran, Senior Principal Scientist CSIR-IIIM, were also present during the programme along with scientists, researchers, startup founders and representatives from the aroma industry.
