PUNE: Yavatmal farmer Subhash Sharma won the prestigious Agrowon Maharashtra Smart Shetkari Puraskar (Smart Farmer of Maharashtra Award) instituted by Sakal Media Group, in a grand ceremony held at Balgandharva Auditorium recently. He received this award from of Sakal Media Group Chairman Pratap Pawar, and author Dr Rajan Gavas. The award consisted of Rs1 lakh in cash, certificate and a memento.
The audience was enthralled by the glamorous dance and music performance during the event.
Sugar Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad, Agriculture Commissioner Suhas Divase, Sakal Media Group Editor Shriram Pawar, Director Bhausaheb Patil, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mahendra Pisal, Agrowon Editor Adinath Chavan were present for the event besides the representatives of sponsor companies, including Rivulis Irrigation Consultant Umeshchandra Sarangi, Bore Charger Founder Director Rahul Bakare, Maharayat Agro Director Sudhir Mohite, Niramaya Agro Solutions Director Dr Yogesh and Systema Bio Alex Eton CEO Amruta Chandorkar. Award Committee Member and Former VC Dr Veynkat Mainde, Maha FPC (Maharashtra Farmer Producer Company) Chairman Yogesh Thorat and poet Kalpana Dudhal too were present.
Pratap Pawar congratulated the award winning farmers during the event. He said Sakal Media Group believes in affirmative growth, rather than indulging in unnecessary criticism and therefore through Sakal Relief Fund as many as 800 villages have become scarcity-free.
Pawar said, “We are providing skill training to 3 lakh farmers in the State. Through Agrowon Sarpanch Conclave we gave training to hundreds of sarpanchs.” He appealed to all to come together for the greater social good beyond the barriers of caste and religion. “Let’s encourage the farmers and make Maharashtra ‘Sujalam Suphalam’ (rich and prosperous),” he said.
Agrowon Editor Adinath Chavan said Agrowon is not just a newspaper, but over the years it has become an agro movement.
AGAINST ALL ODDS
The audience gave a huge round of applause to two exemplary women farmers who received awards in two different categories. Vaishali Yede, recipient of Agrowon Motivational Award comes from a farmer family which has seen a suicide, while Vijaya Gulbhile, who received Agrowon Smart Woman Farmer Award, was feted for successful farming after the death of her husband. Likewise, farmer Uttam Dukare who has only one leg has created successful agri-related businesses.
THE AWARD WINNERS
- Agrowon Smart Farmer, Subhash Sharma, Yavatmal
- Agrowon Smart Woman Farmer, Vijaya Gulbhile, Beed
- Agrowon Smart Organic Farming, Shyamsundar Jaigude, Pune
- Agrowon Smart Agri Entrepreneur, Tatyasaheb Phadtare, Pune
- Agrowon Motivational Award, Vaishali Yede, Yavatmal
- Agrowon Smart Farm Related Businesses, Uttam Dukare, Pune
- Agrowon Smart Researcher, Pandharinath More, Ahmednagar
- Agrowon Smart Water Management Farmer, Dattatray Vane, Ahmednagar
- Agowon Western Maharashtra Smart Farmer, Pratap Chiplunkar, Kolhapur
- Agrowon North Maharashtra Smart Farmer, Prashant Mahajan, Jalgaon
- Agrowon Konkan Smart Farmer, Anil Patil, Palghar
- Agrowon Marathwada Smart Farmer, Rajesh Patil, Osmanabad,
- Agrowon Vidarbha Smart Farmer, Avinash Kahate, Wardha
