SRINAGAR: The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-Kashmir) has successfully produced a gene-edited sheep, setting a new benchmark in reproductive biotechnology and propelling the country into an elite group of nations capable of advanced genome editing.
The lamb, born at the university’s research facility, has undergone targeted modification of the myostatin gene – a known regulator of muscle growth. The result is a significant enhancement in muscle mass by approximately 30 percent, a trait seen in high-yielding European breeds like the Texel, but absent in indigenous Indian sheep.
“This is not just the birth of a lamb, but the birth of a new era in livestock genetics in India,” said Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-Kashmir, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai. The Vice Chancellor hailed the achievement as a technological leap comparable to the impact Artificial Intelligence is having across disciplines. He emphasised that the gene editing does not involve foreign DNA, making the process precise, safe, and potentially acceptable to both regulatory bodies and the wider public.
The editing was conducted using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, one of the most advanced tools in genomic science, and followed global biosafety standards. Unlike transgenic modification, this technique alters the organism’s native genome, which may facilitate easier policy-level approval in the near future under India’s evolving biotech regulatory framework.
The feat is credited to a team led by noted scientist Dr Riyaz A Shah, who had earlier made headlines in 2012 for cloning India’s first Pashmina goat, “Noori.” The current success reinforces the university’s status as a hub for cutting-edge agricultural and veterinary research.
Vice Chancellor Ganai personally briefed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha about the scientific milestone. The LG appreciated the university’s effort and underscored the importance of technological innovation in addressing food security, sustainable agriculture, and rural livelihoods.
“This success reflects the university’s long-term vision to establish India’s most advanced reproductive biotechnology centre,” Prof. Ganai noted. “Biotechnology, in collaboration with AI and other next-gen technologies, is a key driver in building a sustainable bioeconomy.”
The gene-edited sheep is a significant development in India’s agriculture and livestock landscape. It follows closely on the heels of the Union Agriculture Ministry’s approval of the country’s first gene-edited rice variety, reinforcing India’s strides in molecular breeding and food sustainability.
SKUAST-Kashmir’s breakthrough also comes at a time when CRISPR technology is being increasingly used globally to tackle a host of challenges — from enhancing crop resilience to curing genetic diseases like sickle cell anaemia, cystic fibrosis, and certain cancers. Though the sheep project was conducted purely for research purposes, it opens doors for future applications in productivity enhancement, disease resistance, and sustainable farming practices.
With this success, SKUAST-Kashmir has become the first institution in the country to translate CRISPR technology into a live livestock model. According to experts, this move holds enormous promise for improving India’s livestock productivity, especially in regions like Kashmir, where traditional pastoral economies are vulnerable to climatic, economic, and infrastructural challenges.
The development also shines a spotlight on the emerging potential of genome science in the context of India’s larger developmental goals. As policymakers increasingly focus on achieving food and nutritional security while reducing environmental impact, biotechnological tools such as gene editing are expected to play a transformative role.
The project at SKUAST is part of a broader institutional push to integrate reproductive cloning, gene editing, vaccine development, stem cell research, and transgenic technologies into mainstream veterinary and agricultural practice. The university has also initiated training and infrastructure development to build capacity in these specialised areas, aiming to attract and develop the next generation of scientific talent.
Though the edited lamb will not enter the food chain or livestock markets in the immediate term, scientists believe that the study will provide valuable data for future translational research, especially in developing disease-resistant, high-yield animal breeds.
“The possibilities are immense,” said Dr Shah. “If scaled responsibly, such technologies could help double farmer incomes, reduce dependence on imports, and ensure that India’s livestock sector becomes resilient in the face of climate change.”
Experts have underlined that with stringent ethical and biosafety oversight, gene editing could serve as a more acceptable and safer alternative to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which have faced regulatory hurdles and public scepticism in India.
While the research was carried out in a controlled lab setting and is in its early stages, it has already stirred optimism among scientists, agricultural experts, and policymakers. International scholars have also taken note of SKUAST’s achievement, calling it a “game-changing moment for Indian livestock science.”
As the first of its kind in the country, the gene-edited lamb stands as a powerful symbol of India’s growing capabilities in genomic and animal science. It highlights the scientific rigour and ambition of Kashmir’s premier agricultural university, which continues to lead with innovation even in the face of regional challenges.
