The Institute, founded in 1946 as the Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science Research Institute, was renamed in 1992 as the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) in honour and memory of the Founder Director, the late Professor Dr. Shankar Purushottam Agharkar. The ARI is an autonomous research institution fully funded by the Department of science and Technology (DST) government of India, since 1966. It operates under the overall umbrella of the Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science (MACS).

The institute is committed to the promotion of science and technology with emphasis on high standards of research and development activities for the benefit of human kind and the nation.

The current research activities encompass biological sciences and focus on three broad areas.

1. Animal Sciences
2. Microbial Sciences
3. Plant Sciences

The ARI is also a main research centre under three All India co-ordinated research projects of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):Wheat breeding, Soybean breeding and grape breeding. An agricultural farm located at Hol, near Baramati, about 80 km from Pune, conducts experiments on crop plants and for multiplication of seed of improved varieties.

The ARI has a distinguished faculty, modern infra-structural facilities, well equipped laboratories, a guest house and student's hostel. It is affiliated to the University of Pune and to the Mahatma Phule Agricultural University (MPAU), Rahuri, District Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, for postgraduate research (M.Sc and Ph.D) in biological sciences.A number of research schemes , funded by Central funding agencies are being operated. The ARI accepts consultancy, sponsored research projects and technology transfer programmes from public and private undertakings.

Annual Report