Agriculture scientists and innovative farmers get Padma Shri boost for their pioneering efforts

NEW DELHI: Prominent agriculture scientist Ashok Kumar Singh, who developed over 25 rice varieties, especially Basmati, and co-developed India’s first genome-edited rice, and former Vice-Chancellor of the Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa in Bihar, Gopal Ji Trivedi, were among nine persons associated with the farm and allied sector selected for this year’s Padma Shri award.Besides Singh, former director of the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), there were four other scientists and four farmers in the list of awardees from the sector who helped farm growth through their research and innovative farm practices and contributed towards improving the livelihood of farmers in different parts of the country. Rice varieties, including different Pusa Basmati and non-Basmati varieties, developed by Singh and other ICAR-IARI scientists, significantly increased rice output over the years and helped India earn roughly around Rs 50,000 crore annually from Basmati rice export.The country’s first genome-edited rice varieties, ‘DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)’ and ‘Pusa DST Rice 1’, which Singh co-developed with other scientists of the ICAR’s institutes, were expected to enhance output, save water and reduce greenhouse gas emission during cultivation. It was estimated that cultivation of these varieties, released last year, in about 5 million hectares of the recommended area would produce 4.5 million tons of additional paddy, save a total of 7,500 million cubic metres of irrigation water, particularly by using the shorter duration maturity variety of ‘DRR Dhan 100 Kamala’, and reduce methane emissions by 20%.Trivedi helped farmers cultivate Makhana (fox nuts) in a big way and popularise the nutrient-dense, low-calorie and gluten-free snack among health conscious Indians. Besides helping farmers cultivate Makhana, Trivedi also popularised adoption of canopy management in Litchi orchards to improve yield and promoted winter maize cultivation in Bihar.Other agriculture scientists selected for Padma Shri were Prem Lal Gautam, former chairperson of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA); K Ramasamy, former Vice Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU); and N Punniamoorthy, former dean at Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANVASU).Ramasamy championed natural farming and significantly contributed in National Policy Planning of Agriculture Biotechnology, Ferti-irrigation and Biogas Development. Gautam established India’s first plant germplasm registration system and helped in operationalising India’s National Gene Bank.Punniamurthy, a veterinarian, pioneered antibiotic-free herbal and traditional protocols and developed herbal formulations for Mastitis, FMD and parasitic infection. He helped reduce antibiotic residues in milk and treated over 8 lakh cows.Four farmers selected for the Padma Shri for contributions to agriculture and animal husbandry included Raghupat Singh (Posthumous), a progressive farmer from Bilari in Moradabad district, who conserved more than 55 rare and nearly extinct vegetable varieties and developed 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 “Dada Lad technique” for cotton cultivation to increase yield; and Rama Reddy Mamidi of Telangana (Posthumous), who strengthened cooperative models in animal husbandry and dairy development.