Qualifications:

• M.Sc.(Home Science)

Major Research Accomplishments

Under the Research Project “Gender Analysis in Livestock Production in Haryana” (Indo-Dutch Project ),.acted as Project Associate and helped in formulation of project with other scientists and consultants of The BICON Project, prepared the schedule, collected data and visited the villages as RRA ( Rapid Rural Appraisal ) team member with other scientists and consultants of The BIOCON Project. Generated and analyzed the research information
Received Four months (22.08.94 to 20.10.94 ) fellowship for training in Gender Analysis in The Netherlands.
Project No. 13.13 : The Extent of Entrepreneurship among Dairy Farmers of
Punjab (2005 – 2006 ).
The study revealed that ninety one percent farmers perceived dairying as a profitable enterprise, only 28 % felt it was more profitable than agriculture, 63 % opined that it was easy to start a dairy enterprise. In the various areas of Knowledge of dairy farming practices, only a minority (21 % ) had a low level of knowledge in animal breeding and animal feeding ( 13 % ). Majority had medium level of knowledge about animal management (48 %) and health care (51 % ).   92 % agreed that dairying was a profitable venture and animals provide a steady income (76 % ). Majority agreed that an entrepreneur enjoy an esteemed position in the society. The majority of farmers had high level of aspiration concerning dairying as , 96 % wanted to increase their income and assets through dairying and 73 % wanted their family members to take up commercial dairying.
Ninety three per cent farmers consulted their family members in making decisions about dairying, 11. Information about technology, Govt. policies and legislation and agencies supporting entrepreneurship were opined as important (76, 73 and 61 % , respectively ). Major constraints reported were lack of information available by 73 %, followed by lack of infrastructure for marketing of milk and milk products ( 76 % ). The main emerging issues were inaccessibility to new information on technology, farmers requiring information on commodity market and entrepreneurship and self employment need further encouragement by the state.
Project No. 13.7: Multi-dimensional Impact assessment of animal husbandry and dairy development activities in village Lalukheri, District – Muzzafarnagar, U.P. ( 2004 to 2005 )
Maximum increase in knowledge was found in the area of animal feeding followed by animal breeding. Adoption increased to the tune of 50 % for appropriate time of pregnancy diagnosis, 61.44 % for udder washing and teat dipping and 42.70 % for deworming. Conception rate and peak yield increased by about 5.2 % and 410 gms in the buffaloes, whereas, age at first calving, service period, calving interval and dry period decreased by about 3.04 months, 22 days, 37 days and 17 days, respectively, in the buffaloes. In the crossbred cows, the conception rate increased by about 14.80 % and peak yield increased by 710 gms. Age at first calving, service period, calving interval and dry period decreased by about 4.62 months, 34 days, 44 days and 22 days, respectively, in the crossbred cows.
Forty per cent more buffaloes and 20 % more crossbred animals were covered through vaccination and 27 % more lactating cows and 26 % more lactating buffaloes were covered by udder washing and teat dipping. Fifty two per cent of medium landholding category of farmers reported increase in income from dairying. Farmers and farmwomen were imparted training for taking up dairying as a source of income.
Project No. 13.1: Study of sustainability of selected Dairy Technologies in different Agro-Climatic Zones in India  (2002 to 2004 )
Sustainability index pertaining to the area of A.I, Vaccine, Green Fodder, Deworming and Tick control was 60 %, 55 %, 45 % , 40 % and 35 % , respectively.. The sustainability of all the five practices was found to be perceived differently by the farmers and the scientists / SMSs. The Scientists / SMS reported higher sustainability of the dairy practices in almost all the regions of the study area.

Project No. 13.12:  Development of Mass-Media mechanisms for Extension.
(2004 to 2006)
The developed Video film “ Story of a Successful Dairy Entrepreneur” is a very beneficial Mass-media which outlines the story of a dairy farmer about the aspirations of success, the problems encountered, how these problems were overcome, from where the technical guidance and financial aid was taken to realize the dream of establishing a dairy enterprise, etc. This Media is helpful for other farmers as they observe one of themselves, telling his story of success.
Project No.G-13: Human resource development of rural youth for Dairy –Based Enterprises: an action research.
Training modules have been developed for HRD in Dairy –Based Enterprises.

Guidance to Students:Have Guided three M.Sc. Students as Major Advisor and Two On-going M.Sc. Student.

Awards:

• Member, Editorial Board of Journal of Dairying, Foods and Home Science
 
• Member, Editorial Board of Indian Journal of Extension Science
 
• Won various prizes in Essay writing and poster presentation competitions.

Training:

• Planning and Production of instructional videotapes. NAARM, Hyderabad
 
• Orientation Course on Agricultural and Home Science Methodologies form PAU, Ludhiana.
 
• National training Programme on Information Resources on Genetics and Documentation Techniques for Livestock Improvement, from Centre of Advanced studies, Dairy Cattle Breeding Division, NDRI.
 
• Four Months Fellowship Training on Gender Issues in Agriculture from W.A.U, Netherlands.

Patents, Technology, Methodology, Genetic Stock, Variety, etc.:

• Developed a Gender Issues Inventory for studying gender issues in dairying.

Publications:

• Rakesh Kumar and Chakravarty, Ritu: “Needs and Reliability of Information for Micro Planning of Animal Breeding Activities for Dairy Farmers.” Abstract published in Souvenir and Abstracts, IX Annual Conference of Indian Society of Annual Genetics and Breeding and National Symposium on Livestock Genomics in Productivity Enhancement for food security, during 3-4 July, 2008.
 
• Chakravarty, Ritu , Ram Chand , Jha, S.K. and Singh, Khajan .” Sustainability of dairy practices in lower Gangetic Plains of India. Journal of Interacademecia.,2004.
 
• Ram Chand and Chakravarty, Ritu ( 2004 ). Connecting Technology and End users in Dairying Sector. Indian Dairyman, 56 ( 11 ) 51-54.
 
• Chakravarty, Ritu and Ram Chand ( 2004 ). Dimensions of Sustainability of Animal Husbandry Technologies. In Compendium on National Training Programme on ‘ Sustainable Production in Farm Animals through Breeding and Management Interventions’ held at Center for Advanced Stydies ( Animal Genetics and Breeding ), DCB Division, NDRI, Karnal, 30.11.2004 to 20.12.2004, Pp.114-117.
 
• Ram Chand and Ritu Chakravarty.Technology transfer of horticultural crops.in Book of Abstracts, National Seminar on diversification of Agriculture through Horticultural Crops.2004.pg.161.
 
• Chakravarty, Ritu and Ram Chand ( 2002 ). Embarking upon dairying- some guidelines for Dairy Farm Women. Indian Dairyman, 54 ( 9 ) 8.
 
• Chakravarty, Ritu Lall ( 1997 ). Effect of Dietary habits and intake on age at puberty in North Indian Girls. Journal of Dairying, Foods and Home Science, 16 ( 1 ) 23-27.
 
• Chakravarty, Ritu ( 1996 ). Comparative case studies of farm women in The Netherlands. Journal of Dairying, Foods and Home Science, 15 ( 2 ) 81-87.
 
• Chakravarty, Ritu and Dhaka, J.P ( 1995 ) Gender Analysis. In ‘Handbook for Straw feeding systems’ edited by Kiran Singh and J.B.Schiere, ICAR, New Delhi
 
• Ritu Chakravarty, Ram Chand, Chinnadurai,S. , A.K.Chakravarty, Khajan Singh, Omvir Singh and Parveen Kumar. Strategies for dissemination of knowledge of animal health management practices among cattle owners under IRD Project focused on dairying in U.P. Paper presented at the International Workshop on Dissemination of animal health knowledge for landless dairy cattle owners in peri-urban regions, organized by DFD, Reading University, UK at RAGACOVAS, Pondicherry during 11-12 March,2004. .