NITI Aayog member Prof. Ramesh Chand and renowned agricultural scientist Prof. Ram Badan Singh received the US Awasthi IFFCO Lifetime Achievement FAI Award for 2022-23. Prof. Ramesh Chand was given the award for his contribution to the growth & development of the fertiliser industry, while Prof. Ram Badan Singh was awarded for his contribution to the field of Agriculture research and development.
The prestigious award was given by the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Dr. Mansukhbhai Mandaviya at the Fertilizer Association of India (FAI) annual conference held in New Delhi. It carries a citation, a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh and a gold medal of 100 grams.
Padma Bhushan Prof. Ram Badan Singh has made important contributions in the fields of agriculture science, research and policy development. He was a Member of the National Commission on Farmers, Chairman of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board and Director and vice Chancellor of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. He held senior positions at FAO including Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific. As a research and development leader, Professor Singh had developed widely adopted modern varieties of wheat, rice, pulses, oilseeds and cotton, which contributed immensely to food, nutrition and livelihood securities. Currently, as President of NAAS, Prof. Singh is providing a science-society interface towards achieving sustainable livelihood security.
Prof. Ramesh Chand, A PhD in Agricultural Economics from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, has been making notable contributions in the field of agricultural policy and research for the last several decades. Before becoming a member of NITI Aayog, he was Director, of the National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP), New Delhi, Head of the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University and Professor at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He has also been a member of the 15th Finance Commission. Prof. Chand is associated with many international institutions including CIMMYT and has been making significant contributions in the field of agricultural policy and development at the national and international levels.