and significant growth had been made. A camel museum is available to apprise them of the developmental and research aspects of the camel in the desert ecosystem. Maharaja Ganga Singh of the Indian State of Bikaner founded Bikaner Camel Corps around 1890 and became a part of the BSF in Independent India. Cow sanctuary The Rajasthan government has decided to set up its first cow sanctuary in Bikaner. It has a dedicated Ministry of Cow Husbandry. The sanctuary is likely to be set up near Amarpura village, about 70 km from Bikaner. Education Educational Institutes located in Bikaner are Sardar Patel Medical College, Government Engineering College Bikaner, Government Polytechnic College Bikaner, Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, and Bikaner Technical University. Fairs and festivals International Camel Festival International Camel Festival is held every year in January. Organised by the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, the city celebrates the festival in honour of the "Ship of the Desert – The Camel". Beautifully adorned camels and performances by artists from different regions are the key attraction for both domestic and foreign tourists. The event includes spectacular camel performances like Camel dances, Camel races, Neck shaking Camel rides. Competitions like Mr Bikana and Miss Marwan are also held during the festival. See also Magra sheep Bikaner State List of universities and colleges in Bikaner List of schools in Bikaner, Rajasthan References External links District Government Site 1488 establishments in Asia 15th-century establishments in India Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2008 All articles containing potentially dated statements Populated places established in the 1480s Former capital cities in India 15th-century Jain temples