Progressive farmers excelling in agriculture and allied activities will be honoured on the inaugural day of the Kisan Mela being organized by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) at its Ludhiana campus on September 26–27, 2025. The felicitation will take place during the inaugural ceremony.

Sharing the details, Dr. Makhan Singh Bhullar, Director of Extension Education, PAU, said that the university recognizes farmers who adopt new agricultural technologies, conserve natural resources, and set an example in horticulture, agro-processing, and allied enterprises. The objective is to inspire other farmers to embrace scientific farming.

Sardarni Jagbir Kaur Grewal Memorial Award for farm women will be presented to Mrs. Gurpreet Kaur, wife of S. Lakhwinder Singh, village Kalyan, Nabha tehsil, Patiala district. Striving for economic self-reliance and contributing to her family’s farm income, she has excelled in fruit and vegetable processing. Today, she is well-known for producing a range of quality squashes, chutneys, pickles, jams, and spices, along with health-promoting vinegars from grapes, sugarcane, apples, and jamun.

Pravasi Bharti Award for small farmers contributing to crop diversification will go to S. Manpreet Singh, son of S. Surinder Singh, village Fatehpur, block Bhunga, Hoshiarpur district. Serving as Director of Bhunga Oil Fed Seed Production Company, he harvests irrigation water using the rain-gun, on six acres of farmland and has adopted diversification through Basmati, poplar, eucalyptus, and intercropping. He also supplements his income through piggery, poultry, and dairy.

S. Dalip Singh Dhaliwal Memorial Award will be conferred on S. Sukhtaar Singh, son of S. Joginder Singh, village Sangatpura, block Lehragaga, Sangrur district. A 45-year-old progressive farmer, he practices goat rearing, vermicomposting, organic farming, integrated farming systems, dairy, piggery, and fruit and vegetable preservation. He has laid underground pipes for water management and uses Super Seeder technology for in-situ stubble management.

S. Surjit Singh Dhillon Award for small self-cultivator farmers will be given to Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Kahol, son of Shri Ram Sarup, village Mehliwal, Hoshiarpur district. On his 21-kanal holding, he has diversified into vegetables, fruit orchards, fodder, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, and processing of milk, fruits, and vegetables. He produces pickles, preserves, jaggery, and also practices organic farming.

S. Ujagar Singh Dhaliwal Memorial Award for vegetable growers will be awarded to S. Chanan Singh Saran, son of S. Nishan Singh, Tarn Taran district. Practicing crop rotation of cereals and vegetables, he grows turnips and carrots with wheat in the rabi season, and bitter gourd, round gourd, okra, and melon with paddy in the kharif season. His enterprise also includes carrot seed production, oilseed crops, and pear orchards. For efficient water use, he has installed underground pipelines and adopted direct-seeded rice (DSR) in paddy and Basmati. He also uses modern farm implements such as Happy Seeder, Super Seeder, mulcher, and reversible plough.

Dr. Tejinder Singh Riar, Additional Director of Communication, PAU, said the progressive farmers have become beacons of light for small and medium farmers in their regions. He urged farmers to attend the mela with their families, learn from these achievers about enhancing family income with limited resources, and adopt scientific and sustainable farming practices.