About VSSPC

Sericulture has been deeply intermingled with the tradition and culture of India, serving as a lifeline for millions of families in India. Long before India’s independence, a humble yet visionary figure, Late Shri B. Muninanjappa, laid the foundation for what would later become a renowned silkworm seed production enterprise in India.

From his childhood, Late Shri Muninanjappa immersed himself in silkworm egg production and rearing, mastering the intricacies of silkworm seed technology. His exceptional dedication earned him the Gold Medal from His Highness Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar - the then Maharaja of the erstwhile Mysore State in 1937 for producing the best crossbreed seeds.

In 1942, when the Karnataka Sericulture Department began encouraging private individuals to undertake crossbreed silkworm egg production, Late Shri Muninanjappa grabbed the opportunity and laid the foundation for VSSPC (Venugopalaswamy Silkworm Seed Production Centre). Over the next 46 years (1942–1988), he became widely respected for consistently supplying disease-free crossbreed silkworm eggs to farmers across surrounding districts. Strict vigilance ensured that no Pebrine-infected batches were ever distributed, establishing an unwavering reputation for quality and reliability.

Determined to nurture this noble profession across generations, Late Shri Muninanjappa encouraged his son - M. Ramachandra Gowda to undergo a professional departmental training to carry forward his legacy.

For his contributions to silkworm seed sector with state-of-the-art technology and outstanding performance in the overall development and support to the sericulture industry, he was presented with many State and National level awards. Conspicuous among them is the ‘Seth Baldeodas Shah Award’ presented by the Central Silk Board. Besides, he also acted as member of following important committees constituted by both State and Central government

Determined to nurture this noble profession across generations, Late Shri Muninanjappa encouraged his son - M. Ramachandra Gowda to undergo a professional departmental training to carry forward his legacy.

VSSPC : A Legacy Timeline

Key Positions & Committees

Over the years, Mr. Gowda held several important positions and contributed to policy making and industry development through various forums:
• General Secretary, Quality Sericulture Service Club, Bangalore
• Editorial Committee Member, Reshme Krushi magazine, Sericulture Department, Govt. of Karnataka
• Member, State Level Sericulture Coordination Committee, Govt. of Karnataka
• Member, State Level Sericulture Race Authorization Committee, Govt. of Karnataka
• Member, Central Silkworm Seed Committee (CSSC), Govt. of India
• Member, Kunigal Seed Area Improvement Committee
• Member, Scientific Research Advisory Committee of NSSO and SSTL

Silk Association of India (SAI)

To cap all the things, Mr. Ramachandra Gowda established a national platform for sericulture stakeholders; the Silk Association of India (SAI), fostering close collaboration between the Department of Sericulture, Govt. of Karnataka, and the Central Silk Board, Govt. of India.

SAI continues to be led by eminent personalities, including Shri V. Balasubramanian, IAS (Retd.), a legendary sericulture bureaucrat serving as its President, and Dr.C.N.Manjunath (Member of Parliament) as its current Honorary President and C. Narayanaswamy (Ex Member of Parliament) was the Ex-Honorary President.

Through vision, innovation, and unwavering dedication, VSSPC has evolved from a humble village enterprise to a nationally recognized name in quality silkworm seed production, continuing to uphold the values of its founders while embracing modern advancements in sericulture.

Yes, Rooted in legacy, driven by quality and inspired by innovation, VSSPC has been India’s number one trusted name in Disease-free, Quality Silkworm Seeds!

About Managing Director