The second edition of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2025, organised by the Kisan Trust in New Delhi on Saturday, brought together senior ministers, farmers, and representatives from agriculture, journalism and rural development to honour contributions to rural India and commemorate former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Chaudhary Charan Singh.
“For villages, the poor and farmers, Chaudhary Saheb was a symbol of hope, and he left no stone unturned in working for their upliftment,” said Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, addressing the ceremony as Chief Guest.
He said Chaudhary Charan Singh had made farmers the owners of land and consistently worked to safeguard their dignity and interests.
The awards ceremony was presided over by Dr Yashveer Singh, President of the Kisan Trust, with Trustee Smt Charu Singh also present. The event recognised individuals and institutions for their contributions to agriculture, service, journalism and rural development, and was dedicated to Chaudhary Charan Singh’s ideology, which viewed farmers, villages and the rural economy as the foundation of nation-building.
Chouhan said the former Prime Minister firmly opposed the concept of cooperative farming at a time when few leaders questioned prevailing ideas. He recalled Singh’s Gandhian inspiration, his participation in the salt movement on the banks of the Hindon River, the abolition of the zamindari system that made farmers landowners, the creation of the post of lekhpal, and his refusal to succumb to pressure while defending the rights of farmers.
{{/usCountry}}Chouhan said the former Prime Minister firmly opposed the concept of cooperative farming at a time when few leaders questioned prevailing ideas. He recalled Singh’s Gandhian inspiration, his participation in the salt movement on the banks of the Hindon River, the abolition of the zamindari system that made farmers landowners, the creation of the post of lekhpal, and his refusal to succumb to pressure while defending the rights of farmers.
{{/usCountry}}Highlighting Singh’s foresight, Chouhan said the ideological roots of the present NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lay in his vision. He added that employment under the VB G RAM G scheme had been increased from 100 to 125 days, with adjustments made after discussions with farmers by pausing work during the cultivation season to benefit both labourers and farmers.
He said the government remained committed to ensuring that no injustice was done to farmers.
Guest of Honour Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Minister of State for Education, congratulated the awardees and thanked the jury members.
He said it was a matter of pride that farmers had come to Delhi not to protest but to confer awards in memory of Chaudhary Charan Singh, describing the celebration in the presence of the Agriculture Minister as significant for all recipients.
Emphasising progress in the agriculture sector, Jayant Chaudhary referred to Chaudhary Charan Singh’s ‘food for work’ initiative, which later evolved into MNREGA and now stands as the VB G RAM G scheme. He also applauded the role of agricultural scientists and said the recently passed Bill reflected farmers’ aspirations.
Congratulating the award winners, Jayant Chaudhary urged them to avoid complacency and continue working with renewed commitment towards farmers’ welfare. He said positivity and a broad outlook were vital for progress in both public life and politics.
In its second edition, the Kisan Trust introduced the Agricultural Entrepreneur Award to recognise agripreneurs, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and institutions promoting innovation, sustainability and commercial viability in agriculture. An AI-generated video featuring interviews with Chaudhary Charan Singh was also screened during the programme.
Yashveer Singh said Chaudhary Charan Singh had empowered farmers and enabled Dalits and backward communities to become landowners, granting them dignity and the right to live with self-respect. He said farmers suffered the greatest loss after Singh’s passing.
Award recipients paid tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh and expressed gratitude to the Kisan Trust and the ministers present. Farmer Award winner Satyawan Sahrawat said empowering farmers in line with Chaudhary Charan Singh’s vision was essential to achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Agricultural Upliftment Award recipient Dr Devendra Yadav said being associated with Chaudhary Charan Singh’s name was the greatest honour of his life.
Accepting the Agricultural Entrepreneur Award on behalf of Fruvetech, Dr Jagdish Gupta said the institution remained committed to fulfilling Chaudhary Charan Singh’s dreams. Seva Ratna Award recipient Rukmini Banerjee, accepting the honour on behalf of the First Education Foundation, said receiving an award named after Chaudhary Charan Singh was both inspiring and humbling, despite not being from the agriculture sector.
Kalem Ratna Award winner and senior journalist Harveer Singh said Chaudhary Charan Singh’s name remained central whenever farmers’ rights were discussed, and receiving an award in his memory was an emotional moment for him.