Ludhiana, January 1
Two Punjab farmers Mr Mohinder Singh Grewal of Kanganwal village of this district and Mr Sukhpal Singh Bhullar of Ghuman Kalan village near Bathinda have been awarded Chaudhry Charan Singh Krishak Shiromani Samman for the year 2002 for their outstanding achievement in agriculture and allied sector.
The award, which was presented to them by Mr Ajit Singh, Union Minister for Agriculture, during a function to celebrate Kisan Diwas at New Delhi to commemorate the memory of late Chaudhry Charan Singh, former Prime Minister, includes a citation, a shawl and a turban.
Mr Hukam Deo Narayan Yadav, Minister of State for Agriculture and Corporation, Government of India and Dr Panjab Singh, Director General, ICAR and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education were among these present on the occasion.
Mr Mohinder Singh Grewal, an ex-servicemen started farming on scientific lines in late sixties after getting training from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar and Department of Animal Husbandry, Punjab, in different areas like bee-keeping, poultry farming, chick sexing, hybrid seed production, fresh vegetable production and seed and fresh flower production.
He gave special attention to marketing of his farm produce. He sold it directly to the consumers as well as to different private and cooperative marketing agencies at state and national levels. He has also been actively associated with professional organisations of farmers and was president of the Punjab Kisan Club for about eight years. He is also a prolific writer and has been continuously sharing his experiences with people through television and Punjabi newspapers. He has also written a book in Punjabi giving the details of his innovative techniques for a guidance of other farmers.
Mr Sukhpal Singh Bhullar is a living example of successful diversified farming and is a well known grower of fruits, including kinnow and grapes, vegetables, soyabean and tomato. He has also successfully cultivated the latest chilli hybrid Ch-I, and Ch-3 evolved by Dr Jarnail Singh Hundal, vegetable scientist of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
