Fifth World Cotton Research Conference was inaugurated by Shri. Sharad Pawar, Union Minister of Agriculture, Govt. of India on 7th November 2011 at The Renaissance, Mumbai, India. The inaugural function was also attended by Shri. Vilasrao Deshmukh, Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Govt of India,
Dr. S Ayyappan, Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR, Dr. Terry Townsend, Executive Director, ICAC, Dr. C D Mayee, Chairman, National Organising CommitteeWCRC-5,
Dr K R Kranthi, Secretary, National Organising Committee- WCRC-5, Dr A J Shaikh, Secretary, National Organising Committee- WCRC-5.
The conference also attended by 650 delegates from 30 countries.