Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has urged the youth to prioritize agriculture, highlighting it as the country’s backbone. He emphasized the importance of research and scientific progress reaching farmers directly in the fields rather than staying limited to laboratories.
Speaking at an event in Hyderabad to present the M.S. Swaminathan award, the former Vice President raised concerns about the excessive use of chemical fertilizers. He stressed the significance of soil conservation, environmental protection, and the welfare of nature and livestock.
Venkaiah Naidu expressed his privilege in presenting the prestigious merit award, named after Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, to Ch Srinivasa Rao, Director and Vice-Chancellor of ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute. He praised Dr. Srinivasa Rao’s contributions to agriculture, including formulating national policies and promoting natural farming practices.
The 9th Professor M.S. Swaminathan Award (2024-25) presentation ceremony was jointly organized by the Retired ICAR Employees Association and Nuziveedu Seeds Limited at the Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development Institute. Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Chairman of Nuziveedu Seeds Limited Mandava Prabhakara Rao, and the president of Retired ICAR Employees Association Vidyasagar Rao were present at the event.
Agriculture Minister Nageswara Rao expressed joy at the award being presented during Professor M.S. Swaminathan’s birth centenary year. He emphasized the importance of making scientific research more accessible to farmers and warned against neglecting soil health, which could reverse the gains of the Green Revolution. Mandava Prabhakara Rao commended Dr. Srinivasa Rao’s work in climate-resilient agriculture and natural resource management, noting his efforts in strengthening agricultural stability through resource conservation technologies and district-level contingency plans.
