Hirra Azmat
Srinagar: It is a sad day for science as the first cloned female Pashmina goat `Noorie’ has passed away.
Kashmir achieved a rare feat in 2012 when its scientists gave India the second cloned animal and the world its first cloned Pashmina goat – Noorie (The Light). India’s first cloned animal –`Garima’, a buffalo calf – was born in Haryana in 2009.
It took two years for Dr. Riaz Shah and six other scientists at the animal biotechnology center, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Technology (SKUAST) to achieve this rare scientific feat.
Noorie was born on March 9, 2012, to three mothers (one provided the egg; another DNA, and a third carried the cloned embryo to term).
Science Entrepreneur Naveed Chikan said Noori’s birth was a result of the scientific technique of somatic cell nuclear transfer, the same method used in cloning the first mammal in the world, Dolly.
“As we mourn the loss of Noori, the first Pashmina goat to be cloned using nuclear transfer, we are reminded of the immense potential of science to inspire and transform lives,” he said.
“Noori inspired me when I was a student, which is why our startup, `Daskdan Innovations’, is incubated in the same division that achieved this remarkable feat back in 2012. We feel deeply connected to the legacy of Noori and the important work being done by Dr. Riyaz. Our thoughts are with the team at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry,” he said.
Chikan added that together with this division, they are committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and using science to make a positive impact in society.
“Let us continue to be inspired by Noori’s legacy and strive to make a difference through the power of science,” he said.
