JAMMU, May 29: The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, will organize the 4th Lavender Festival on June 6 and 7 at Government Degree College, Bhaderwah, under the theme “Lavender Goes Global”, celebrating the remarkable success of the Purple Revolution and the growth of lavender-based entrepreneurship in Jammu and Kashmir.
Announcing the event during a curtain-raiser press conference at CSIR-IIIM Jammu, Director CSIR-IIIM Dr. Zabeer Ahmed said that the festival will be inaugurated by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Vice President CSIR, Dr. Jitendra Singh.
Dr. Ahmed highlighted that under the CSIR-Aroma Mission, a flagship programme of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, CSIR-IIIM has transformed the agricultural landscape of Jammu and Kashmir by promoting lavender cultivation among rural communities. He said that more than 5,000 farmers and young entrepreneurs have been engaged in lavender farming across remote regions of the Union Territory. The institute has provided free quality planting material, technical support, processing facilities, value-addition opportunities and market linkages.
He informed that over 50 fixed and mobile distillation units have been installed across Jammu and Kashmir during the three phases of the mission, enabling local processing of lavender produce and generating sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Dr. Ahmed said that Bhaderwah has emerged as a major lavender cultivation hub under the Purple Revolution initiative, and the Lavender Festival has evolved into a national platform showcasing the impact of science-driven rural development in the Himalayan region.
The two-day festival will witness participation from scientists, startups, aroma industries, entrepreneurs, policymakers, agribusiness stakeholders, students, progressive farmers and representatives of fragrance and wellness companies from across the country.
The event will feature startup exhibitions, live demonstrations, buyer-seller interactions, technical sessions, farmer-industry networking programmes and displays of value-added lavender and aromatic products developed by local entrepreneurs and startups. Technical discussions will focus on lavender cultivation, post-harvest management, essential oil extraction, branding, marketing and export opportunities.
Dr. Ahmed said that CSIR-IIIM has played a pioneering role in expanding lavender cultivation not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the northeastern states through scientific interventions, training programmes and entrepreneurship support. He noted that thousands of farmers, including women entrepreneurs, have benefited from the mission.
Referring to recent initiatives aimed at strengthening market linkages, he highlighted the Aroma Buyer-Seller Meet held at the CSIR Innovation Complex in Mumbai, where leading aroma and perfumery companies interacted directly with farmers and entrepreneurs from Jammu and Kashmir. He also mentioned a Buyer-Seller Meet organized jointly by the Directorate of Ayush, J&K Medicinal Plants Board and CSIR-IIIM at Bhaderwah, which focused on promoting contract farming and strengthening the medicinal and aromatic plants sector.
“These initiatives have laid the foundation for a strong aroma-based economy in Jammu and Kashmir by connecting farmers with industries, startups and national markets,” Dr. Ahmed said.
Inviting stakeholders from across the country, he said the festival aims to promote agri-based entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable livelihoods while showcasing the success story of the Purple Revolution. He appealed to farmers, students, researchers, startups, industry representatives, media organizations and civil society members to participate in large numbers.
Dr. Ahmed also extended a special invitation to journalists, digital content creators and documentary filmmakers to cover the festival and highlight the transformation of the Himalayan rural economy through lavender cultivation and aroma-based entrepreneurship.
On the occasion, the official web portal of Lavender Festival 2026 was launched and the festival brochure was also released.
The festival is being organized under the patronage of Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR, Government of India, and under the overall supervision of Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM Jammu, with the support of a team of scientists and officers including Er. Abdul Rahim, Dr. Asha Chaubey, Dr. Dhiraj Vyas, Dr. Shashank Singh, Dr. Sumit Gandhi, Dr. Naveed Qazi, Dr. Suphla Gupta, Dr. Saurabh Saran, Kaushal Kumar, Dr. Raj Kishore, Zahoor Wani, Rajesh Gupta and Ashok Kumar.