New Delhi, December 21 (IANS). “Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2025 (Second Edition)” was organized by Kisan Trust in the memory of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Rev. Chaudhary Charan Singh in a dignified atmosphere in New Delhi.
On this occasion, distinguished personalities and institutions who made significant contributions in the fields of agriculture, service, journalism and rural development were honored. The chief guest of the program was Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and the special guest was Union Minister (Independent Charge) Honorable Jayant Singh. The program was presided over by Dr. Yashveer Singh, President of Kisan Trust. On this occasion, Trustee of Kisan Trust Charu Singh had a special presence.
This felicitation ceremony was dedicated to the visionary ideology of Chaudhary Charan Singh, in which farmers, villages and rural economy were considered the cornerstone of nation building. The objective of the program was to honor such individuals and organizations who, through their continuous efforts, are strengthening the issues related to farmers’ welfare, rural empowerment and public welfare. A new category ‘Agri Entrepreneur Award’ was introduced in the second edition of the Awards this year. Under this category, Agripreneurs, FPOs and institutions developing innovation, entrepreneurship, business approach and sustainable solutions in the agriculture sector were honored.
This effort of Kisan Trust is being seen as an important initiative towards giving a strong direction to rural India by connecting the thoughts of Chaudhary Charan Singh with the needs of the present time. On this occasion, AI video of the interview of Chaudhary Charan Singh was also showcased by Kisan Trust.
President of Kisan Trust, Dr. Yashveer Singh, while welcoming all the guests in his welcome address, said that Bharat Ratna Chaudhary Charan Singh empowered the farmers, made the Dalits and backward classes the owners of the land and gave them the right to live with self-respect. Therefore, the farmers suffered the biggest loss due to Chaudhary Saheb’s absence.
Addressing the award ceremony, chief guest Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said, “I see the simplicity of Chaudhary Charan Singh in my friend Jayant Chaudhary. Today, in this ceremony in the name of Chaudhary Saheb, I have come not to be a big man but to bow with humility at the feet of Chaudhary Saheb. The villages, the poor and the farmers saw Chaudhary Saheb as their hope. Chaudhary Saheb also left no stone unturned in the upliftment of the villages, the poor and the farmers.”
Recalling Chaudhary Saheb’s political vitality, Shivraj Singh said, “At the time when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru did not have the courage to speak against Jawahar Lal Nehru, Chaudhary Saheb vehemently opposed his foreign theory of cooperative farming. Inspired by Gandhian ideology, Chaudhary Saheb went to the banks of the Hindon river and broke salt, abolished the Zamindari system and made the farmer the owner of the land, did not bow to anyone’s pressure in the interest of the farmers and held the post of accountant with a pen. Gave strength to the farmers by creating it.”
Talking about Chaudhary Charan Singh’s foresight and political skills, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “Chaudhary Charan Singh had sown the seeds of the NDA leading the country today under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Inspired by Chaudhary Saheb’s thoughts, we made a provision of 125 days of employment instead of 100 in VB Ji Ram Ji and this will do things that will change the picture of the village. Only after listening to the voice of the farmers, we have decided to keep this scheme closed during the farming season and now This scheme has been made suitable for the welfare of both laborers and farmers. We have taken a clear resolution that we will not allow dishonesty with the farmers.
Addressing the awards ceremony, special guest Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary, while thanking the jury members and congratulating all the award winners, said, “When farmers come to Delhi, they come to shake Delhi, but today is different in the sense that today farmers had come to Delhi to give awards in the memory of Chaudhary Saheb and the distribution of these awards at the hands of Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh is a proud moment for all the winners.”
Appreciating the contribution of agricultural scientists, Jayant Chaudhary informed about the efforts of the present Indian government in the agriculture sector. In the same context, while describing the VB Ji Ram Ji Bill as being in line with the views of Chaudhary Charan Singh, he said, “Chaudhary Saheb had started the food-in-lieu-of-work scheme, which later became NREGA and is now in front of everyone in the form of VB Ji Ram Ji as per the hopes of the farmers.”
Congratulating the award winners, Union Minister Jayant Singh said, “One should not be satisfied with the forest. Complacency is a hindrance in moving forward and I hope that all the award winners will not stop after today but will work in the interest of farmers with double the energy. In politics, in normal life, there is often a feeling of insecurity, but a man should have a big heart. Therefore, there should be positivity in life.”
While paying tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh, the award winners thanked Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Union Minister Chaudhary Jayant Singh and Kisan Trust for the award. Farmer Award winner Satyawan Sehrawat said that the dream of a developed India 2047 can be realized only by making the farmers prosperous and empowered by following the footsteps of Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Dr. Devendra Yadav, winner of Krishi Utthan Award, said that it is a matter of pride for me to have the name of farmers’ messiah Bharat Ratna Chaudhary Charan Singh associated with my name in the form of this award. This is the biggest award of my life.
Receiving the Agricultural Entrepreneur Award, Dr. Jagdish Gupta said that the institute feels proud to receive this award and the institute is determined to fulfill the dreams of Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Receiving the Seva Ratna Award on behalf of Pratham Education Foundation, Rukmini Baner said that despite not being from the agriculture sector, it is not only a matter of pride for the institute to receive the Bharat Ratna Award in the name of Chaudhary Charan Singh for our contribution in the field of education but it will also inspire our efforts.
Senior journalist Harveer Singh, winner of the Kalam Ratna Award, said that whenever it comes to the rights of farmers in the country, Chaudhary Saheb’s name remains and will remain at the highest place. Receiving the award in the name of Chaudhary Saheb is a proud and emotional moment for me.
–IANS
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