Soy Excellence Center

SEC in India will address the nation’s increasing protein needs through capacity-building and workforce training programs. SEC India’s world-class curriculum will foster education advancement for employees and employers in agribusiness, thereby elevating expertise and competencies.

We offer programs in poultry, feed milling, aquaculture and soy food and beverage processing.

Our aim is to:

Address and bridge the education gap with the skills needed to feed India’s growing population.
Improve health and nutrition across communities by strengthening the capacity and market potential of businesses within food and agriculture.
Build a global community of protein professionals that can learn and network from each other.

Ready to learn more?

"I found the feed milling course very informative and helpful. The instructors are all highly knowledgeable and extensively covered the course topics coupled with great videos. This course has helped my knowledge and organization skills."

“SEC's curriculum provided me with a unique opportunity to learn about the poultry industry and the role of nutrition from a global lens. It was a great experience.”

"Looking back, I would describe the overall value and impact of the course as transformative for my professional development. The knowledge gained has not only boosted my confidence in decision-making but has also broadened my perspective on sustainable poultry management practices. I feel better equipped to tackle challenges in our operations and to contribute more effectively to our organization's goals."

"I found SEC India Poultry Production and Management composed of basic and practical information that is very relevant to the field situations. I believe this course will benefit everyone who works in the poultry industry and wants to know more about poultry, irrespective of their educational background. This course is in online mode, so it is really helpful for working professionals to track and follow up. The course is paced in a manner that is easy to understand, and if you missed anything, you can visit it again later."

"The Basic Feed Milling helped me gain knowledge of animal feed processing technology and its impact on the quality of feed, which contributes to sustainable livestock development. As we prepare to set up a feed mill in the near future, this course enabled me to understand that the effectiveness of the animal feed we produce is highly dependent on various nuances, such as technology and machinery selection, raw material sources, the region and agro-climatic zone from which raw materials are procured, as well as product sampling, quality control, and feed mill maintenance SOPs."

"Before enrolling in the aquaculture course, I had many queries about aquaculture management practices, nutrition, and more. Since I’m currently working in my first job, I felt hesitant to ask questions, but this course helped me a lot. I am happy to get the certificate, and I hope this will help me in my future journey in aquaculture.."

Upcoming Training
Sessions

4 – 29 August 2025
SEC India Poultry Production and Management (Basic Certificate) Cohort #7

4 August – 12 September 2025
SEC India Dairy (Basic Certificate) Cohort #3

29 August 2025 12:00 PM (Kolkata)
TEST - In Person Dairy Event

1 – 26 September 2025
SEC India Feed Milling (Basic Certificate) Cohort #7

Our Partners

Our vision of SEC in India is supported by the trust and investment of Illinois Soybean Association and South Dakota Soybean Check off

Our Advisory Council

Mr. Divya Gulati

Mr. Gulati brings over 30 years of extensive experience in the healthcare, nutrition and food industry. Throughout his illustrious career, he has played a pivotal role in introducing and establishing innovative and sustainable solutions that have been instrumental in changing industry standards. As the Managing Director of Nurture Technology, Mr. Gulati has not only been a pioneer in bringing the probiotic culture for shrimp farming to India in the 1990s and introducing modern farming technologies but also developed a host of innovative products through an amalgamation of ayurvedic herbal ingredients, modern technologies and extensive clinical trials that have provided the poultry and dairy industry a fresh outlook and tremendous results.

Over the past half decade Mr. Gulati has also successfully forayed into Human Healthcare and Food Industry, having set up research and production facilities that offer consumers high quality healthcare and food ingredients. As the Co-Founder of Herbs & Health and Grind Essentials, Mr. Gulati has brought his vast experience in the animal healthcare industry to the human health care space.

Mr. Gulati has also been an instrumental part of CLFMA of India for the past 12 years. Currently he is the Chairman of CLFMA of India and he has been instrumental in making in-roads into the Government Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Ministry and Department and helped in creating a greater understanding and communication between the animal healthcare industry and the government ministry via the association. Through years of communication and relationship building with the Ministry, Mr. Gulati has been able to bridge the gap between the needs of the industry and the government regulations. Among his many achievements of working for the industry via the association has been to successfully streamline the regulations around imports of feed supplements into India. His deep understanding of industry needs and government policies, relationship building skills, and his forward-thinking approach have earned him the respect and admiration of colleagues, peers, and competitors alike

Dr. Ravishankar C.N

Dr. Ravishankar, C.N., currently serves as Director and Vice Chancellor of ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, under ICAR, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. He previously held the position of Director at ICAR Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin from 2014 to 2021. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Fisheries Sciences, a post-graduation in Industrial Fishery Technology, and a Ph.D. in Fish Processing Technology from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, he is well-qualified. Dr. Ravishankar completed international certification courses such as ‘Managing Sustainable Projects and Programmes’ from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom, and a Course on HACCP from the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene, London, UK. Boasting over 35 years of experience in Food Science research, post-harvest fisheries technologies, Food Safety, Technology Commercialization, and business incubation, he managed numerous International and National Research projects and participated in the First Indian Antarctic Expedition. Dr. Ravishankar established India’s first Fisheries Business Incubation Centre, supporting over 65 entrepreneurs in setting up new ventures. He authored 200 research papers in peer-reviewed journals, 78 book chapters, 54 technical articles, and 11 books, while guiding 8 PhD and 30 master’s students. Recognized for his contributions in Fisheries Harvest and Post-Harvest technologies, he is a Fellow of NAAS, AFSTI, SOFTI, and KSTA, receiving numerous awards. He chairs the Food Hygiene Safety Management and Other Systems Sectional Committee, FAD 15 of BIS, and is a member of the Scientific Committee, FSSAI. Dr. Ravishankar served as the Chair of the Scientific panel on Fish and Fish Products, FSSAI, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and as the Nodal Authority for developing Approved Standard Deep Sea Fishing vessel Design and Specification, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Government of India.

Mr. Bahadur Ali

Mr. Bahadur Ali is a renowned figure in the Indian poultry industry, recognized for his visionary leadership and commitment to revolutionizing poultry farming in India. Currently serving as the Chairman of the “All India Poultry Breeders Association”, Mr. Ali has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at making broiler chicken a readily available and affordable source of protein for the people of India. His journey is marked by remarkable achievements, from humble beginnings as a small-scale poultry merchant in the remote village of Rajnandgaon to becoming the Founder & Managing Director of IB Group, a conglomerate with an impressive annual turnover exceeding 11000 crores. Under his guidance, IB Group has navigated through a capricious journey, expanding its business operations and forging international partnerships.

One of Mr. Ali’s key contributions to the poultry industry has been his emphasis on quality feed for birds, recognizing its pivotal role in ensuring their optimal growth and performance. Beyond business success, Mr. Ali remains deeply committed to supporting agriculture and rural development. Through strategic deployment of resources, he has empowered poultry farmers associated with IB Group, thereby contributing to the socio-economic upliftment of rural communities.

Mr. Naveen Pasuparthy

Mr. Naveen Pasuparthy blends academic prowess with dynamic leadership across a diverse career. Armed with a Commerce degree and an MBA in Market Research, he began as a Sales Manager at Market Direct America, then moved to Senior Business Services Representative at Sprint Communications. In 1996, Dr. Naveen Pasuparthy became Joint Managing Director at the Nanda Group, guiding its evolution in various sectors. He also founded IntraSpatial Softech Pvt Ltd, specializing in aerial & satellite image processing. As a Founding Member & Board Director at AL Rahba International Trading LLC, Abu Dhabi, he contributed to chicken production for UAE markets. His entrepreneurial ventures include Nandus Foods Pvt Ltd, a Hyperlocal meat retailer, and Dar AL Tomouh Projects LLC, Oman. Mr. Naveen Pasuparthy is active in professional associations, serving as Vice Chairman of CLFMA of India and President of Karnataka Poultry Farmers & Breeders Association. He engages with educational institutions, contributing to governance councils and serving as a nominated Industry Representative. He is a dynamic board member, integrating expertise, entrepreneurship, and community engagement for sustained success.

Dr. Dinesh Tukaram Bhosale

Dr. Dinesh Tukaram Bhosale holds a B.V.Sc. & A.H., M.V.Sc., Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition, along with a Diploma in Business Management. He serves on the Research Council of Maharashtra Animal Fisheries Sciences University and holds the position of Vice President (West Zone) of the Animal Nutrition Association. Mr. Bhosale served as the Chairman of CLFMA of India, an association of the Indian livestock sector, from 2012 to 2014, and held the position of Honorary Secretary from 2008 to 2012. He also served as Vice President – West India of the Poultry Federation of India and currently presides over the Vets in Private Welfare Association in Pune. During his career, Dinesh worked with Venkateshwara Hatcheries Ltd. and later served as the Technical Director – Poultry, Aquaculture & Livestock for the Asia Subcontinent office of the American Soybean Association, New Delhi, for eight years. He then joined Alltech Biotechnology Pvt. Ltd. as Regional Technical Manager – Ruminants for the South Asia and Southeast Asia region for two years. Since 2007, he has been serving as the Regional Commercial Director – South Asia for AB Vista, a British company.

Dr. Bhosale is actively involved in various NGOs such as the Paani Foundation and the Swades Foundation, as well as companies, to promote animal husbandry as a source of livelihood and entrepreneurial activity for rural youths and women self help groups (SHGs). He mentors numerous startups in the livestock sector and has delivered over 1300 lectures to farmers and entrepreneurs across India. Additionally, he has organized Fodder Yatras to promote awareness in five states.

Dr. Harshakumar Shetty

Dr. Harshakumar Shetty is a postgraduate in Veterinary Pathology from Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Bangalore. Dr. Shetty has been working with Venkateshwara Hatcheries Private Limited (VHPL) since 1992. He started his career as a Poultry Pathologist in the Poultry Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of VHPL and rose to the position of General Manager. He has vast experience in managing sales and after-sales technical support for Broiler chicks, Layer chicks, Breeding stock, and feed. Additionally, he has hands-on experience in Poultry Live production. Currently, besides being the head of Marketing for Breeding stock in both domestic and international markets, he is involved in Product development, New Projects, Expansions, Acquisitions, Technology upgradation, and regulatory affairs. He works closely with R&D and field teams to provide analytical frameworks for tailored Product Improvement Plans, improve understanding and benchmarking of commercial and developmental product performance, and provide recommendations for future products. Dr. Shetty has widely traveled to many major poultry-producing countries and participated in many national and international Poultry Conferences.

Mr. Ricky Thaper

Mr. Ricky Thaper holds the position of Vice President-North Zone at ABIS Exports India Private Limited, IB Group, the third-largest Poultry Integration Group in India with an annual turnover of 9000 crores. Mr. Thaper is the Honorary Vice President of the North India Broilers Producers Association (NIBPA) and Treasurer of the Poultry Federation of India. With a career spanning over 35 years in the poultry industry, Mr. Thaper has attended several specialized courses and programs worldwide. He has participated in prestigious international events such as the International Poultry Exposition in Atlanta, USA; the International Exposition for Food Processors in San Francisco, USA; the World’s Poultry Congress in Montreal, Canada; VIV Turkey in Istanbul, Turkey; SPACE Poultry and Livestock Exhibition in Rennes, France; VIV EUROPE in Utrecht, The Netherlands, and many more. Through the esteemed Cochran Fellowship Program, Mr. Thaper attended a poultry and aqua feed preparation short course at Texas A&M University, USA, in 2000. Additionally, he completed courses on extrusion processes at the Food Protein Research and Development Centre, Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Texas A&M University, in 2005, and on soybean processing at the National Soybean Research Centre, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA, in 2008. Mr. Thaper collaborates with global poultry communities, promoting industry advancements. His dedication and enthusiasm have earned him multiple awards over three decades. He advises the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on poultry price outlooks and contributes to journals while delivering global lectures.

Dr. G. Gopal Reddy

Dr. G. Gopal Reddy, a seasoned Veterinarian with over three decades of experience since 1990, has dedicated his career to advancing the poultry and aquaculture sectors. His commitment to promoting feed supplements for enhanced productivity and efficiency has been instrumental in shaping these industries. In addition to his veterinary expertise, Dr. Gopal Reddy holds a Diploma in MBA from Dublin University, Ireland, which has greatly contributed to his proficiency in sales and marketing of poultry products, specifically chicken and eggs. Dr. Gopal Reddy assumes a pivotal role as the Secretary of India’s premier poultry Veterinarians association, IVPI (Institution Of Veterinarians Of Poultry Industry), headquartered in Bengaluru. His leadership at IVPI underscores his dedication to the advancement of poultry health and industry standards.

Beyond his organizational roles, Dr. Gopal Reddy is actively involved in training staff within the poultry and livestock sectors, emphasizing the significance of soft skills. Under the banner of “P3: People, Planet, Profit,” he strives to instill a holistic understanding of the interconnectedness between human factors, environmental sustainability, and financial success in the industry.

Mr. Ramraj Dhamodaraswamy

Mr. Ramraj Dhamodaraswamy is a postgraduate in Mariculture from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Commencing his career as a biologist in a shrimp farm in 1989, he has been actively involved in shrimp hatchery operations, farming, and molecular diagnostics services, accumulating over three decades of experience parallel to the growth of the shrimp industry in India. He has served as the president of the Society of Aquaculture Professionals (SAP, 2008-2010) and the All India Shrimp Hatcheries Association (AISHA, 2018-2021). Ramraj is an early ACC Certifier Auditor for Best Aquaculture Practices. He has also served on the Governing Body of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), the National Knowledge Commission of the Government of India, and as a member of the Governing Council of the National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NACSA). Mr. Ramraj’s current business interests encompass ownership of a 400 Million Shrimp Hatchery for the production of SPF P Monodon Post Larvae, a licensed Tilapia Hatchery, and Molecular Diagnostic Services catering to the shrimp and veterinary sectors.

Dr. Suresh Itapu

Dr. Suresh Itapu is a Food Scientist and Technologist with more than 20 years of experience in promoting soy as human food based on health, nutritional and functional benefits. Dr. Itapu has been actively involved in promoting soy in South Asia and across the world. Dr. Itapu has Masters and Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India. He did post-doctoral work for five years in the Department of Food Science, Purdue University, USA. From 2000-2009, Dr. Itapu worked as Technical Director, Global Technical Director – Human Nutrition and as acting Regional Director with ASA-International Marketing (ASA-IM) and USSEC. During this time, Dr. Itapu was responsible for significantly increasing the consumption of soy foods in India across different segments of the population; the consumption of soybean for food use in India rose by more than ten-fold during this period. In 2010, Dr. Itapu started his own consultancy company (NutriTech Consulting Service Pvt. Ltd.), and on a part-time basis took charge as Executive Director for the Soy Food Promotion and Welfare Association to continue soy food promotion activities in India. At NutriTech, he has been working on the development of convenience foods, health foods, nutrition products using different food processing technologies. Since 2013, Dr. Itapu has been associated with SEED, an NGO with its R&D activities in solar food processing. Since 2010, he has been helping WISHH with their US soy food promotion activities in Asia and Africa. From 2019, he continued consulting with USSEC to promote soy consumption and advising Soy Excellent Center.

Dr. Ajit Ranade

Dr. Ajit Ranade brings over 35 years of experience to the table. He served as the Dean of Mumbai Veterinary College, Mumbai, for nearly four years, and as the Dean of Krantisinh Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Dist – Satara, for two and a half years, under Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur. He retired as the University Head of Poultry Science. Holding First Class with Distinction Master’s and Ph.D. Degrees in Poultry Science from Bombay Veterinary College, Mumbai, Dr. Ranade has completed 12 advanced courses in Poultry Science.

Presently, he serves as the President of the Indian Poultry Science Association, Vice President of the World Veterinary Poultry Association (India), and Technical Advisor to CLFMA of India and Vets in Poultry, among others. He has over 60 research publications, 160 Extension publications, 35 Interview publications, and numerous radio and television talks to his credit. Dr. Ranade has guided 56 M.V.Sc. and two Ph.D. students in Poultry Science and co-guided 50 M.V.Sc. and six Ph.D. students in other disciplines. He pioneered foreign (US)-based internships for postgraduate students.

His contributions as a Poultry Scientist and Advisor include membership/coordinator roles in various state and national-level committees such as Establishing Rural Poultry Units in the Adopted Villages by the Governor of Maharashtra, Poultry Development Board of Maharashtra, Maharashtra Public Service Commission, Research Advisory Council for Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar, and Directorate of Poultry Research, Hyderabad.

Dr. S. R. Sridharamurthy

Dr. S. R. Sridharamurthy is the Founder & the President of NSB Bangalore, which is the largest B-School under Bangalore University. He has close to 25 years of entrepreneurial, administrative, consulting, teaching and research experience. Sridhara is the alumnus of prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIM Ahmedabad & IIM-Indore). He holds a PhD in Management from VIT University and MBA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (USA) and Master’s in Veterinary Science from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. Dr. Sridhara has extensive national and international teaching experience across many B-Schools. He has taught and delivered lectures at various global business schools such as Ohio University (USA), ESC-Pau Business School (France), The University of Deusto (Spain), and St. Mary’s University (UK).

He has been recognized as the one of the top 10 thinkers in the field of Higher Education in India by Academic Insights Magazine. He has been endowed with many prizes, awards and accolades. While he has been awarded a University Gold Medal for outstanding performance in Graduate study, he has won many best management faculty awards across B-schools. He is also the recipient of Shiksha Bharati Puraskar by All India Achievers’ Foundation.

Mr. Sumit Agarwal

Mr. Sumit Agarwal is an Engineering Graduate, with 37 years of experience in manufacturing, trading, and marketing. He established Bio Nutrients India Pvt. Ltd. in 2011 to manufacture Whole Bean Soy Foods, which is a family-owned company with a modern manufacturing facility located at Mandideep. Soybeans are processed into a stable and convenient form of Spray Dried Soy Milk Powder under the Brand Name ‘SUPERFIT’, marketed both as a standalone product and as an ingredient.

Recently, they have introduced an innovative product of Millets & Soy – Soft serve ice-cream, which was launched by the Honorable Prime Minister and Union Agriculture Minister at the International Millet Conclave in New Delhi in March 2023. They had the opportunity to serve the Millet Soft Serve to the G20 Presidencies in September 2023.

Soy-based food and beverage preparation mixes such as Soy Beverage Powder, Tofu Premix, Soy Soft Serve Premix, Soy Curd Premix, Vegan Gulab Jamun premix, Soy Porridge premix, and Soy Icecream premix have been introduced in the market. They have also introduced Soy Milk Powder and Tofu as ingredients into food recipes of many MNCs. Soy-based dairy alternate RTD products like Soy Lassi and buttermilk have also been introduced.

Mr. Sumit Agarwal currently serves as the Co-chair in the National Expert Committee on Agri and Food Processing at PHDCCI in New Delhi. He is also the current President of the All India Soy Foods Promotion & Welfare Association.

Mr. Meenakshisundaram Kanagaraj

Mr. Meenakshisundaram Kanagaraj is a freelancing consultant, technical trainer, and speaker on Feed Milling. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Instrumentation and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics. He has worked for an instrumentation company, an auto ancillary components manufacturer, and a multinational animal feed additive manufacturer. He has successfully completed a course on Lean Six Sigma Black Belt by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and a course on Fundamentals of Feed Milling Technology conducted by the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). As a consultant, he is involved in new Feed Mill projects from design to commissioning. He has helped organizations improve quality and productivity.