IFFCO MD Dr Awasthi honoured with 'Fertilizer Man of India' by Sahakar Bharati
The honour was presented by Dattatreya Hosabale, Sar Karyavah (General Secretary) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Dr. Uday Joshi, National General Secretary of Sahakar Bharati, and Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, during the 8th National Convention of Sahakar Bharati held in Amritsar, Punjab.
World’s biggest processed fertiliser cooperative IFFCO’s Managing Director, Dr Udai Shanker Awasthi, honoured with the title “Fertiliser Man of India” by Sahakar Bharati. The honour was presented by Dattatreya Hosabale, Sar Karyavah (General Secretary) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Dr. Uday Joshi, National General Secretary of Sahakar Bharati, and Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, during the 8th National Convention of Sahakar Bharati held in Amritsar, Punjab.
The title was bestowed upon Dr. U.S. Awasthi for his remarkable lifetime contributions to the fields of fertilisers and agriculture. His innovative concept of nano fertilisers can be a game-changer for the nation as well as the global fertiliser and agriculture sectors. The development and indigenous production of Nano Urea, Nano DAP, and Nano NPK have the potential to revolutionize agriculture.
Dr. Awasthi initiated the "Save The Soil" campaign to improve soil nutrition across the country through the adoption of green manure, organic content, and farmer education via CORDET. He was presented the honour alongside a Tamra Patra (Bronze Plaque) and a citation recognizing his contributions to the industry. Recently, Dr. Awasthi was also awarded the Rochdale Pioneers Award by International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) for his significant contributions to the cooperative movement in India, putting IFFCO on the global map and promoting the vision of Sahakar Se Samriddhi at an international level.
Dr. Awasthi expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am extremely happy that the cooperative fraternity has acknowledged the work done for farmers and cooperators. I thank Sahakar Bharati for this prestigious honour and title, which recognizes my grassroots efforts for the growth and development of cooperatives and fertilisers.” He further emphasized the importance of India becoming truly AatmaNirbhar in fertilisers, advocating for reduced dependency on raw material imports by adopting innovative Nano Technology-based fertilisers. This shift, he noted, would save foreign exchange and reduce the reliance on rock phosphate, potash, and natural gas.
Dr. Awasthi urged Sahakar Bharati to actively promote cooperation among cooperatives by supporting small cooperatives in the remotest villages and strengthen them for sustainable business model. He also urged that Sahakar Bharati should come forward and explain the benefits of Nano Fertilizers to farmers across the country emphasizing it’s potential to make India self-reliant in agriculture.
