Ngari makes it to ENA
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 01 2025: Under the leadership of Professor Ajit Kumar Ngangbam, the School of Biological Sciences, Manipur International University (MIU) has achieved a historic milestone by successfully publishing the first genetic blueprint/dataset of Utong Ngari (fermented fish) in the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA).

The bacterial shotgun metagenomic gene sequence of the traditional fermented fish delicacy of Manipur was published under Project ID: PRJEB91848 and Accession Number: ERP174778 in the European Nucleotide Archive, UK, said a press release issued by Professor T Brajeshwari Devi, Registrar, MIU.

The genetic dataset provides the first-ever comprehensive metagenomic profile of the bacterial communities involved in Utong Ngari fermentation traditionally processed in bamboo trunks.

Speaking in this connection, Professor Ajit Kumar Ngangbam, Dean, School of Biological Sciences, MIU said that by decoding the microbial language of Utong Ngari, they are preserving indigenous knowledge while contributing to global food biotechnology.

The press release also noted that given its unique microbial identity, traditional preparation method, and strong cultural heritage, Utong Ngari is also a strong candidate for Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which could further promote its global recognition and protect its indigenous value.

Notably, Professor Ajit Kumar Ngangbam is an accomplished scientist with multiple international accolades, including the Young Scientist Award (SERB), Erasmus Mundus Fellowship (European Union), IPRS Fellowships and Australian Postgraduate Award (Australia Govt), Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation Postdoctoral Fellowship (BGU, Israel Govt), Postdoc Fellowship, FAMU, USA, and Marcus Postdoctoral Fellowship in Water Sciences (Israel Govt), and has served as a postdoctoral fellow in Australia.

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