Nine Agriculture Sector Leaders Honored with Prestigious Padma Shri Awards
In a significant recognition of contributions to India's agricultural landscape, nine distinguished individuals from the farm and allied sectors have been selected for this year's Padma Shri awards. The list includes prominent scientists, innovative farmers, and agricultural leaders whose work has substantially advanced farming practices and improved farmer livelihoods across the country.
Scientific Excellence in Rice Development
Among the most notable recipients is Ashok Kumar Singh, a renowned agriculture scientist who has developed over 25 rice varieties, with particular emphasis on Basmati strains. As former director of the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Singh's work has had transformative impacts on India's rice production and export economy.
The rice varieties developed by Singh and other ICAR-IARI scientists, including various Pusa Basmati and non-Basmati types, have significantly boosted rice output over the years. These innovations have helped India earn approximately Rs 50,000 crore annually from Basmati rice exports alone, making a substantial contribution to the national economy.
Breakthrough in Genome-Edited Rice
Singh's most groundbreaking achievement involves co-developing India's first genome-edited rice varieties: 'DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)' and 'Pusa DST Rice 1'. Created in collaboration with other scientists from ICAR institutes, these innovative varieties promise to revolutionize rice cultivation through multiple benefits.
When cultivated across the recommended area of about 5 million hectares, these varieties are expected to produce 4.5 million tons of additional paddy while saving approximately 7,500 million cubic metres of irrigation water. The shorter maturity period of 'DRR Dhan 100 Kamala' contributes significantly to water conservation, and these varieties are projected to reduce methane emissions by an impressive 20% during cultivation.
Agricultural Leadership and Innovation
Another distinguished recipient is Gopal Ji Trivedi, former Vice-Chancellor of the Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University in Pusa, Bihar. Trivedi has played a pivotal role in promoting Makhana (fox nuts) cultivation among farmers while popularizing this nutrient-dense, low-calorie, and gluten-free snack among health-conscious Indians.
Beyond Makhana promotion, Trivedi has championed the adoption of canopy management techniques in Litchi orchards to improve yields and has actively promoted winter maize cultivation in Bihar, demonstrating comprehensive agricultural leadership.
Additional Scientific Honorees
The Padma Shri list includes three other eminent agriculture scientists:
- Prem Lal Gautam, former chairperson of both the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPVFRA), who established India's first plant germplasm registration system and helped operationalize the National Gene Bank
- K Ramasamy, former Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), who championed natural farming and made significant contributions to National Policy Planning of Agriculture Biotechnology, Ferti-irrigation, and Biogas Development
- N Punniamoorthy, former dean at Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANVASU), a veterinarian who pioneered antibiotic-free herbal and traditional protocols, developed herbal formulations for Mastitis, FMD, and parasitic infections, treated over 8 lakh cows, and helped reduce antibiotic residues in milk
Farmer Innovators Recognized
Four innovative farmers have also been honored with Padma Shri awards for their exceptional contributions to agriculture and animal husbandry:
- Raghupat Singh (Posthumous), a progressive farmer from Bilari in Moradabad district who conserved more than 55 rare and nearly extinct vegetable varieties while developing around 100 new varieties
- Jogesh Deuri of Assam, who promoted Muga silk and helped it gain wider national and international recognition
- Shrirang Devaba Lad of Maharashtra, who developed the innovative "Dada Lad technique" for cotton cultivation to increase yields
- Rama Reddy Mamidi of Telangana (Posthumous), who strengthened cooperative models in animal husbandry and dairy development
These awards represent a comprehensive recognition of excellence across the agricultural spectrum, from cutting-edge scientific research to grassroots farming innovation. The honorees' collective work has not only advanced agricultural productivity but has also contributed significantly to improving farmer livelihoods and promoting sustainable farming practices throughout India.
