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{{Short description|Agriculture college in Kerala, India}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox university
| name = College of Agriculture, Vellayani
| native_name = കാർഷിക കോളേജ്, വെള്ളായണി
| image = Logo of College of Agriculture, Vellayani.png
| type = [[Government]] [[College]]
| established = {{Start date and age|1955||}}
| city = [[Vellayani]], [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]]
| country = [[India]]
| postalcode = 695 522
| affiliation = [[Kerala Agricultural University]]
| accreditation = [[Indian Council of Agricultural Research]]
| dean = Dr. Jacob John

| free_label = Campus Demonym
| free = AGRICOS
| free_label2 = Abbreviation
| free2 = CoAV, AGC
| website = {{URL|https://coavellayani.kau.in/}}
| sports_free1 = College of Agriculture, Vellayani
| coordinates = {{coord|8|25|45|N|76|59|16|E|type:edu_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| campus = {{convert|250|hectare|}}
}}
[[File: College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram.png|thumb|alt=Dean's Office (Lalindloch Palace), College of Agriculture, Vellayani|Dean's Office (Lalindloch Palace), College of Agriculture, Vellayani]]

'''College of Agriculture, Vellayani''' is the '''first agriculture college in [[Kerala]]''' under [[Kerala Agricultural University]] and situated in [[Vellayani]], [[Thiruvananthapuram]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal|url=https://zenodo.org/record/8098563|title=The Queen, The Palace and The College: Sagas Untold |journal=History of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, Lalindloch Palace and College of Agriculture, Vellayani|first1=Adarsh|last1=S|first2=Arun|last2=Chacko|first3=Radhakrishnan A.|last3=G|first4=Noor Fidha P. K.|last4=V|date=30 June 2023|via=Zenodo|doi=10.5281/zenodo.8098563}}</ref> The campus has an area of 250 hectare bordered on three sides by [[Vellayani Lake]].<ref>{{cite news|title=College with a royal past|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/diamond-jubilee-heritage-meets-science-at-college-of-agriculture-vellayani/article8370725.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=17 September 2017}}</ref>

==History==
The '''Lalindloch Palace''' of the [[Travancore royal family]] acts as the administrative block and office of the [[Dean of Faculty]], [[Agriculture]] of the College of Agriculture, Vellayani. '''Senior Maharani [[Sethu Lakshmi Bayi]]''', the then [[Regent]] of [[Travancore]], lived at this palace after her regency with her daughters Lalitha and Indira. The word '''Lalindloch''' is a combination of the names '''Lalitha''' and '''Indira''' and '''loch''', a Scottish word for '''lake''' ([[Vellayani Lake]]). In 1955, the palace and estate was handed over to the Government of [[Travancore–Cochin]] for creating the College of Agriculture, Vellayani.<ref>{{cite news|title=Manu Pillai's The Ivory Throne looks at the Travancore royal family|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/manu-pillais-the-ivory-throne-looks-at-the-travancore-royal-family/article8257520.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=27 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=of India|first1=The Times|title=Manu S. Pillai's 'The Ivory Throne' getting a screen adaptation|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/features/manu-s-pillais-the-ivory-throne-getting-a-screen-adaptation/articleshow/68467267.cms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://harpercollins.co.in/blog/announcements/the-ivory-throne-all-set-for-a-screen-adaptation/|title=The Ivory Throne All Set For A Screen Adaptation|date=18 March 2019|website=HarperCollins Publishers India Books, Novels, Authors and Reviews}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>

==Overview==
The College of Agriculture, Vellayani, was established in 1955 for the course B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture. It is one of [[India|India's]] leading Centers of Undergraduate and Postgraduate education in [[agriculture]].<ref name="kau.in">{{cite web|url=http://coavellayani.kau.in/|title=College of Agriculture, Vellayani|website=}}</ref> Postgraduate programmes were started in the college in 1962. PhD courses were created in 1965. The [[Kerala Agricultural University]] was established in 1972, and the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, became a significant constituent of the University. Currently, the college offers training, workshops, seminars, conferences, certificate courses, diplomas, bachelor's, postgraduate diplomas, master's, and doctoral degrees in agriculture and allied sciences. '''Prof. M. C. Cherian''' was the '''first principal''' and '''Prof. A. P. A Britto Muthunayakam''' was the '''first vice principal''' of the college. The instructional farm started functioning in 1955 and Regional Agriculture Research Station, [[Vellayani]] was established in 1981.<ref name="kau.in"/> '''The campus demonym is AGRICOS and the campus slogan is ''"IN UNITY WE STAND"'' ''' [[File:Prof. M. C. Cherian.jpg|thumb|Prof. M. C. Cherian]] [[File:Prof. Britto Muthunayakam.jpg|thumb|Prof. Britto Muthunayakam]] [[File:COLLEGE UNION FLAG COA VELLAYANI.png|thumb|College Union Flag of College of Agriculture, Vellayani]]The college ground, popularly known as the [[Vellyani Agricultural College Ground]] hosted an international under-19s Test match between [[India]] and [[Australia]] in March 1994 in which cricketers like [[VVS Laxman]], [[Hrishikesh Kanitkar]], [[Pankaj Dharmani]], [[Sridharan Sriram]] from [[India]] and [[Michael Hussey]], [[Andrew Symonds]] and [[Brett Lee]] from [[Australia]] played against each other. The ground also hosted P. Ramachandra Rao Trophy in 1989, the [[Ranji Trophy]] in 1990, 1995, 1996 and 1998, the [[Vijay Merchant]] Trophy in 1988, 1990, and 1991 and the [[Cooch Behar Trophy]] in 1990, 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/14/1239_f.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|website=cricketarchive.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/53/53734.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|website=cricketarchive.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/14/1239_a.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|website=cricketarchive.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/61/61505.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|website=cricketarchive.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/14/1239_misc.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|website=cricketarchive.com}}</ref><ref name="auto"/> The college hosted [[Taekwondo]], [[Netball]], [[Triathlon]] in the [[2015 National Games of India]]<ref>{{cite news |title= Kerala to host 35th National Games from January 31 |url= http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/kerala-to-host-35th-national-games-from-january-31/article6152611.ece |newspaper= The Hindu |date= 27 June 2014 |accessdate= 27 June 2014}}</ref>
[[File:COAV NETBALL 1.jpg|thumb|Netball (National Games, 2015) at Indoor Stadium, College of Agriculture, Vellayani]]
[[File:COAV TRIATHLON 2.jpg|thumb|alt=Triathlon (National Games, 2015) at College of Agriculture, Vellayani|Triathlon (National Games, 2015) at College of Agriculture, Vellayani]]
[[File:COAV TRIATHLON 1.jpg|thumb|alt=Participants of Triathlon (National Games, 2015) posing victory at College of Agriculture, Vellayani|Participants of Triathlon (National Games, 2015) posing victory at College of Agriculture, Vellayani]]The Alumni Association of College of Agriculture Vellayani came into being on 9 January 1999.

==List of Heads of the Institution==

'''Principal'''
*Prof. M. C. Cherian
* Prof. L. S. S. Kumar
* Dr. C. K. N. Nair
* Prof. P. Kumara Pillai
'''Dean'''
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
* Dr. J. Sam Raj
* Dr. N. S. Mony
* Dr. N. Sadanandan
* Dr. M. M. Koshy
* Dr. C. Sreedharan
* Dr. P. Balakrishna Pillai
* Dr. K. M. Rajan
* Dr. P. A. Wahid
* Dr. R. Vikraman Nair
* Dr. G. Sreekandan Nair
* Dr. C. Sundareshan Nair
* Dr. K. Harikrishnan Nair
* Dr. L. Rajamony
* Dr. Sverup John
* Dr. C. S. Jayachnadran Nair
* Dr. S. Devanesan
* Dr. B. R. Reghunath
* Dr. A. Anil Kumar
* Dr. Roy Stephen
* Dr. Jacob John
}}

==Departments==
*Department of [[Agricultural Microbiology]]
*Department of [[Agricultural Economics]]
*Department of [[Agricultural Engineering]]
*Department of Agricultural [[Entomology]]
* Department of [[Agricultural Extension]]
* Department of Agricultural [[Meteorology]]
* Department of Agricultural [[Statistics]]
* Department of [[Agronomy]]
* Department of [[Biotechnology]]
* Department of Community Science
* Department of [[Floriculture]] and [[Landscape Architecture]]
* Department of Fruit Science
* Department of [[Nematology]]
* Department of [[Organic Agriculture]]
* Department of [[Physical Education]]
* Department of [[Plant Breeding]] & [[Genetics]]
* Department of [[Plant Pathology]]
* Department of [[Plant Physiology]]
* Department of [[Plantation]], [[Spices]], Medicinal and Aromatic [[Crops]]
* Department of Post Harvest Technology
* Department of Seed Science and Technology
* Department of [[Soil Science]] & [[Agricultural Chemistry]]
* Department of Vegetable Science

==Notable alumni==
{{alumni|date=October 2023}}
*[[P. K. Ramachandran Nair]], [[Doctor of Science]], [[distinguished professor]], [[University of Florida]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ffgs.ifas.ufl.edu/emeritus-faculty/nair-p-k-ramachandran/|title=nair-p-k-ramachandran - School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences - UF/IFAS|first=School of Forest Fisheries and Geomatics|last=Sciences|website=ffgs.ifas.ufl.edu}}</ref>
* [[Jacob Thomas (police officer)|Jacob Thomas]], [[Indian Police Service]]
* Srimat Swami Bhajanananda ji Maharaj, vice president, [[Ramakrishna Mission]]<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://belurmath.org/vice-presidents-of-ramakrishna-math-and-ramakrishna-mission/|title=Vice-Presidents | Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission}}</ref>
* Shri. Ajith Radhakrishnan, senior specialist, [[World Bank]]
* Dr. Saiju Pyarajan, director, Center for Data and Computational Sciences, [[Harvard Medical School]]
* Dr. Bony De Kumar, director of operations, [[Yale School of Medicine]]
* Shri. Babu Ahmed., [[Indian Administrative Service]]
* Shri. Nizamudeen, [[Indian Administrative Service]]
* Dr. K. K. Narayanan, managing director, Metahelix Life Sciences, [[Tata Group]]
* Shri. Shaji K V, chairman, [[National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development]]
* Dr. G. Byju, director, [[Central Tuber Crops Research Institute]]
* Shri. Jagan Gopinath, vice president, [[Arvind (company)]] Limited
* Shri. S. S. Nagesh, chief, Agriculture Division, [[Kerala State Planning Board]], (former Assistant General Manager, [[National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development]])
* Dr. P. Rajendran, former [[vice chancellor]], [[Kerala Agricultural University]] and chairman, Kerala Farmers Welfare Fund Board
* Dr. K. U. K. Nampoothiri, former director, [[Central Plantation Crops Research Institute]]
* Dr. George Thomas C., chairman, [[The Kerala State Biodiversity Board]]

==In Popular Culture==
The palace forms a major plot in [[Manu S. Pillai]]'s book, [[The Ivory Throne]], which covers the journey of [[Sethu Lakshmi Bayi]].<ref name="auto"/>

This college also witnessed [[Filmmaking]] of [[Film]]s such as [[Ente Sooryaputhrikku]], [[Superman (1997 film)]], [[F. I. R. (1999 film)]], [[Winner (2003 film)]], [[Celluloid (film)]], [[Vettaiyan]], HER (2024, Malayalam movie) and Love Under Construction (2025, Malayalam Webseries).

The history of this campus is published as a popular article named 'The Queen, The Palace and The College: Sagas Untold - History of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, Lalindloch Palace and College of Agriculture, Vellayani in "AHAM"; the College Magazine of College of Agriculture, Vellayani 2021-22 (pages 18-24). (Read the article @ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371956328_The_Queen_The_Palace_and_The_College_Sagas_Untold_-_History_of_Maharani_Sethu_Lakshmi_Bayi_Lalindloch_Palace_and_College_of_Agriculture_Vellayani)

A review paper regarding the architectural marvel of the Lalindloch Palace (College of Agriculture, Vellayani), Thiruvananthapuram named "Lalindloch Palace of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi at Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram: Application of Heritage Informatics" has been published in 'Informatics Studies' (ISSN 2583-8954 (Online). Vol. 12, Issue 3 Third Quarterly Issue. July - September 2025. P 23-40). [Read the article @ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402863931_Lalindloch_Palace_College_of_Agriculture_Vellayani_of_Maharani_Sethu_Lakshmi_Bayi_at_Vellayani_Thiruvananthapuram_Application_of_Heritage_Informatics]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|College of Agriculture, Vellayani}}
* [http://coavellayani.kau.in Official website]

[[Category:Agricultural universities and colleges in Kerala]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Thiruvananthapuram district]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1955]]
[[Category:1955 establishments in India]]

College of Agriculture, Vellayani - Revision history

Udesign: Started first stub w/ sources