THE INTERNATIONAL FOOD TECHNOLOGY TRAINING CENTRE (IFTTC)
Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), besides being a R & D organization had been laying equal emphasis on education and training appropriate to the needs of the country and region. During the fifties, training was mainly in the field of fruit and vegetable processing in particular leading to Post-Graduate Diploma. This type of training had its origin at the Indian Institute of Fruit Technology (IIFT), Lyallpur, which later was shifted to Delhi. When plans to establish CFTRI were finalized in the late forties, IIFT merged with the CFTRI along with the training activity. The first batch of students passed out from CFTRI in October, 1958. The Diploma course was upgraded to Associateship course to keep pace with the growing needs.
The Regional Seminar of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations for Asia and Far East held at CFTRI in August, 1959 adopted a resolution to establish an International center for training of personnel from the member countries of the region to meet their specific needs for ensuring food security, and development of food industry. It was decided that the International Food Technology Training Centre should be established at the CFTRI. The Canadian "Freedom from Hunger" Foundation volunteered to raise funds to cover the fellowship for the international participants. The USAID programme in India donated instruments and equipment worth $5000. Government of Canada made a generous contribution for the construction of the International Hostel for the participants of the course. A new division named as International Food Technology Training Centre (IFTTC) was established. The pioneering contributions of Dr. Joseph H. Hulse in the establishment of IFTTC requires special mention. The University of Mysore, considering the significance of the activity consented to affiliate IFTTC as the postgraduate centre, and to award the degree from the University. The centre was officially inaugurated in April, 1965, by Sri. V.V. Giri, then Governor of Karnataka. M.Sc. (Food Tech.) Course was started in 1965 and till date has trained more than 800 students from South and South East Asia and Africa. The IFTTC complex with the modern hostel facility, dining hall and auditorium was inaugurated by Sri V.V. Giri, the then President of India.
The Centre was funded for the first five years through the Canada-Mysore project. From 1969, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) provided funds for conducting a few International short-term courses but not for the post-graduate course. The Government of India as a complementary gesture, offered fellowships for studying M.Sc. (Food Technology) under different Aid Programmes, to the nominees of other countries in addition to South and South-East Asia nations. The Indian participants of M.Sc. (Food Tech.) courses were awarded scholarships from the National and State governments and financial support by the Indian Food Industry towards board, lodge and incidentals.
The post-graduate course is conducted with a core of specialist teaching staff from the International Food Technology Training Centre [presently called Human Resource Development] and expert scientists from the various Disciplines of the Institute. CFTRI's efforts in Human Resource Development has the unique distinction of participation of more than 100 scientists of R&D departments as faculty members every year over the past forty years.
A View of Students Hostel
Besides the 2-year M.Sc. Food Technology programme with which the IFTTC was started, M.Sc. Food Science by Research was also started in later years. A number of National and International level short term courses in different branches of food technology are also being conducted, primarily intended for those who want to update their professional skills and status.
