Farmer couple, 4 Rajasthan village heads invited as special guests for I-Day at Red Fort

The couple have been working with both traditional and medicinal crop cultivation for several years while also adopting advanced livestock-rearing practices

Barmer: A Rajasthan farmer couple who combine traditional farming with medicinal crop cultivation and modern animal husbandry, along with four village heads (sarpanches) from the state’s border villages, have been invited as special guests to the national Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on August 15.

From Barmer district’s Batadu tehsil, Dewaram Panwar and his wife Dhapu have earned this honour for their exemplary work in integrating traditional farming with medicinal crops and modern animal husbandry. (Sourced HT photo)

From Barmer district’s Batadu tehsil, Dewaram Panwar and his wife Dhapu have earned this honour for their exemplary work in integrating traditional farming with medicinal crops and modern animal husbandry, an official said.

Panwar said that by effectively leveraging central and state government schemes, they have boosted their own income and shared knowledge with other farmers, encouraging the adoption of innovative practices. The government will arrange their air travel from Jodhpur to Delhi.

The couple have been working with both traditional and medicinal crop cultivation for several years while also adopting advanced livestock-rearing practices.

According to Panwar, he is the only farmer in the border district cultivating guggul (Commiphora wightii) and also the first beneficiary in the state under the National Livestock Mission. They have effectively utilised various central and state government schemes to expand their work.

Their medicinal crop yields and modern animal husbandry techniques have gained attention among farmers across the country. Not only have they increased their own income, but they have also shared their experience and knowledge with other farmers, helping them to progress.

Also participating for the first time under the Indian government’s Vibrant Village Programme 2.0 will be four sarpanches from Rajasthan’s border villages. Those invited are Geeta Kanwar from Myaajlar (Jaisalmer), Bharat Ram from Nawatala Bhakhasar (Barmer), Shakuntala from Kanwarpura (Sri Ganganagar), and Sajna from 22 KYDP village in Khajuwala tehsil (Bikaner). The government will arrange their air travel from Jodhpur to Delhi.