From Bastar to the National Agricultural Leadership Summit: Dr Rajaram Tripathi Honoured with Agri-100 Award 2026

Dr Rajaram Tripathi, a farmer, agricultural innovator and prominent advocate of organic and sustainable agriculture from Bastar, Chhattisgarh, has been honoured with the prestigious Agri-100 Agricultural Leadership Award 2026, placing him among the country’s 100 leading individuals and institutions contributing to the future of Indian agriculture.
The award was presented at the inaugural Agri-100 Awards Ceremony, organised by Krishi Jagran in association with Messe München India, with the participation and support of institutions including the State Bank of India and NABARD. The ceremony was held on October 1, 2026, at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru.
The Agri-100 initiative has been established to recognise outstanding agricultural leadership on the basis of leadership, impact, innovation, contribution and long-term legacy. The platform brings together leading voices from agriculture, science, research, technology, policy, industry, entrepreneurship and farmer leadership.

Dr Tripathi was selected for his sustained contribution towards creating innovative, farmer-centric and environmentally sustainable agricultural models. His selection followed an evaluation process involving a 58-member high-level jury comprising experts from various fields connected with agriculture and allied sectors.
Bastar’s traditional knowledge meets modern agricultural innovation
Dr Rajaram Tripathi is the founder of Maa Danteshwari Herbal Group and the National Convenor of the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Mahasangh (IFFA). For several years, he has worked towards connecting Bastar’s traditional agricultural and forest-based knowledge with modern technology, scientific approaches and market-oriented agricultural practices.
One of his prominent agricultural innovations is Maa Danteshwari Black Pepper-16 (MDBP-16), an advanced high-yielding black pepper variety developed for improved productivity and wider cultivation possibilities.
Another major innovation associated with his work is the Natural Greenhouse, a nature-based low-cost protected cultivation model designed as an alternative to conventional plastic-intensive greenhouse structures.

he underlying objective of these innovations is to promote an agricultural system in which productivity and farmers’ income go hand in hand with soil health, water conservation, biodiversity and environmental protection.
Dr Tripathi has consistently advocated an agricultural model that seeks to reduce dependence on chemical-intensive farming while strengthening the economic position of farmers through value addition, innovation and better market opportunities.
Distinguished national and international gathering
The Agri-100 awards brought together prominent personalities from India and abroad representing agriculture, food security, science, public policy, technology and industry.
Among the prominent dignitaries present at the event were Bhupinder Singh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Messe München India; M. C. Dominic, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Krishi Jagran and Agriculture World and Chairman of the Agri-100 Organising Committee; and Prof. Ramesh Chand, Chairman of the Agri-100 Jury.
The jury’s Co-Chairs included Dr Himanshu Pathak and Dr Trilochan Mohapatra.
The ceremony was also attended by Silvio Erkens, Minister for Food Security, Fisheries and Horticulture, Government of the Netherlands; Dinesh M. L., Chairman of the Coffee Board; former senior civil servant Dr Tarun Shridhar, along with several experts and representatives from the Indian and international agriculture and food sectors.
Dr Tripathi was among the distinguished agricultural leaders invited to the inaugural proceedings. The subsequent award ceremony recognised 100 selected agricultural leaders and institutions from across the country.
“The honour belongs to Bastar’s farmers”
Speaking after receiving the award, Dr Rajaram Tripathi said that the recognition was much more than a personal achievement and should be seen as an honour for the farmers and tribal communities of Bastar.
He dedicated the recognition to farmers practising organic agriculture, tribal communities preserving traditional knowledge and all those working towards a nature-based and sustainable agricultural future.

According to Dr Tripathi, the future of Indian agriculture lies in creating a system in which farmers are not merely producers but also agricultural entrepreneurs, custodians of nature and self-reliant citizens capable of securing a fair value for their produce.
He expressed his gratitude to Krishi Jagran, the Agri-100 jury, M. C. Dominic, Shiny Dominic, Mamta Jain and the entire organising committee, as well as Messe München India, for recognising his work.
Recognition for Bastar’s farmer-centric agricultural model
Dr Tripathi’s journey from a farmer family in Bastar to a national agricultural leadership platform is being viewed as an important recognition of the potential of local knowledge, indigenous practices and farmer-led innovation.
His work has focused on demonstrating that agricultural innovation need not always depend on high-cost infrastructure or resource-intensive models. Instead, locally available resources, traditional knowledge and modern scientific understanding can be integrated to create practical and economically viable solutions for farmers.
The recognition also highlights the growing national importance of sustainable agriculture, organic farming, environmental conservation and farmer-led innovation at a time when Indian agriculture faces challenges related to climate variability, soil degradation, water stress and rising input costs.
The organisers described Agri-100 as a national platform designed not only to recognise the agricultural leaders of today but also to inspire the next generation of farmers, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators to contribute towards a more resilient, sustainable and prosperous agricultural sector.