India Celebrates World Veterinary Day 2025 with Emphasis on Teamwork

Pashu Sandesh, 26 April 2025

India joined the global community in celebrating World Veterinary Day 2025 today, honouring the indispensable contributions of veterinary professionals to animal health, public safety, and environmental well-being. This year's theme, “Animal Health Takes a Team,” underscores the collaborative nature of veterinary practice, highlighting the importance of various stakeholders, including vets, scientists, public health experts, and farmers, working together to provide quality animal health care, protect public health, and care for the environment.

National Observance in New Delhi

In a tribute to the silent sentinels of India’s livestock economy, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, celebrated World Veterinary Day 2025 with a National Workshop in New Delhi today.

Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, inaugurated the event. He hailed the veterinary community as the "backbone of the rural economy and national biosecurity."  Highlighting this year’s theme, “Animal Health Takes a Team,” he stressed the importance of collaborative efforts among veterinarians, para-veterinary staff, scientists, and public health professionals to ensure integrated animal, human, and environmental health.

Joining the national workshop virtually, Secretary, DAHD Ms. Alka Upadhyaya, called for a comprehensive overhaul of India’s veterinary ecosystem. Speaking at the World Veterinary Day 2025 event, she emphasised that veterinarians have significantly contributed to enhancing livestock productivity. Addressing the growing threat of zoonotic diseases, Ms. Alka Upadhyaya stressed the need for a strong surveillance system, synchronised vaccination programs across states. “Veterinarians are the first line of defence in ensuring national biosecurity,” she concluded.

Joining virtually from Rome, Dr. Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General and Chief Veterinarian at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), lauded India’s pivotal role in global One Health efforts, and praised the country’s recent recognition under the Pandemic Fund for Animal Health Preparedness, a major global endorsement of India’s leadership in veterinary public health.

In his address, Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner and Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India, highlighted India's progress in mass vaccination campaigns, early disease detection, and the use of digital tracking systems to strengthen animal health services. He emphasised the role of veterinarians as the unseen protectors of food systems and crucial defenders against future pandemics. 

The event was also attended by distinguished dignitaries and stakeholders, including, Ms. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary, DAHD, Dr. Ramashankar Sinha, Additional Secretary, DAHD along with other senior officials from ICAR, National Veterinary Councils, FAO, WOAH, WHO and Directors of national research institutes and Vice Chancellors of several veterinary universities. The event saw participation from over 250 delegates and was live-streamed across India, attracting more than 3,000 virtual attendees, including veterinary professionals, students, researchers, and farmers, reflecting growing public awareness and interest in animal health.

As India commemorates World Veterinary Day 2025, the focus remains on strengthening the veterinary sector through education, research, and policy support. By fostering collaboration among various stakeholders, the country aims to enhance animal health services, safeguard public health, and ensure environmental sustainability. The day's events serve as a reminder of the vital role veterinarians play in society and the importance of teamwork in achieving shared health goals.