In a heartening recognition of his dedicated efforts, Kasargod farmer Sathyanarayana Beleri has been honored with the prestigious Padma Shri award for his outstanding work in preserving 650 varieties of rice. Hailing from Nettenige village near Dakshina Kannada, Beleri’s commitment to rice conservation extends beyond Indian borders, encompassing varieties from countries like Japan and the Philippines.
Beleri embarked on his journey of rice conservation in 2006 when he received seeds of Rajakayame rice from Gandhian Ramachandra Rao of Cherkady in Udupi, an organic farmer. Inspired by interactions with renowned rice conservationist B K Devaraya of Belthangady in Dakshina Kannada, Beleri’s passion for preserving diverse rice varieties led to his recommendation for the Padma award by the Mangaluru Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
Despite facing challenges in cultivating paddy on his agricultural land, Beleri ingeniously maintains an artificial paddy field on approximately 25 cents of land, primarily dedicated to rubber cultivation. Delighted by the unexpected recognition of the Padma Shri award on Republic Day 2024, Beleri expressed his commitment to continuing his mission and expanding his collection of rice seeds.
Beleri’s meticulous conservation process involves sowing ten to twenty seeds of each paddy variety in paper cups with pot mixture. After around ten days, the seedlings are transplanted to polybags containing compost mixture, ensuring the preservation of diverse rice genetic resources.
Acknowledging the responsibility that comes with the prestigious award, Sathyanarayana Beleri remains dedicated to his mission, fostering collaboration with agricultural scientists and farmers across the country who willingly contribute seeds to support the cause. For Beleri, a handful of seeds is sufficient, as his cultivation endeavors are solely driven by the noble purpose of conservation.
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