OFI honors Anil Kumar P. with the OFI Award 2010

Every year OFI honors a person or organization in the ornamental aquatic industry for outstanding contributions to this industry.

The 2010 laureate Anmil Kumar P. was announced at the OFI 30-year anniversary dinner on Friday 14 May. Unfortunately Mr. Kumar was not able to attend due to other obligations. In a response he indicated that he was very honored and immediately referred to the ornamental fish breeders in India, to whom he is very dedicated.

This year’s laureate has a masters degree in mariculture and for a long time specialized in shrimp farming, first in commercial enterprises and since 2000 for his government in MPEDA, the Marine Products Export Development Authority, the veterinary authority and the export promotion agency of India. It must have been there that he developed an interest in ornamental fish. In 2003 he became Assistant Director MPEDA.

In 2006 the laureate became responsible for the ornamental fish sector in MPEDA. We have witnessed how one man pushed for the development of our industry far beyond what may have been expected from him as a government official. His personal expertise became available to many in the Indian industry and he made sure that well-known international experts could give their input to the Indian industry. 

In his period with MPEDA, and with strong support from Director Mr. Kuruvilla Thomas and MPEDA Chair Mohan Kumar, Indaquaria developed to an event of (inter)national importance. This event is unique worldwide in the ornamental fish industry as 400 exporters, breeders, representatives from NGO’s and scientists come together, from sometimes thousands of kilometers, away for several days of seminars. 

The industry has picked up in India, green-labeling will start up soon, a tradeshow now accompanies the seminars of Indaquaria and the industry gets government support, nation wide.

Since about a year Anil Kumar has been assigned to Infofish in Malaysia. Working for Infofish Anil still cares for the ornamental fish sector in his home country. During Indaquaria 2010 he was very instrumental in the formation of a national ornamental fish trade association.