21-yr-old selected for Rashtriya Udyan Ratna award

It is said that any goal can be achieved if it is pursued with endurance and perseverance. In an era where every parent wants their child to work for white-collar jobs, a progressive farmer of Sakra block in Bihar's Muzaffarpur dared to dream off the beaten track.

He wanted his son to become a successful farmer and his expectations have been fulfilled.

Sonu Nigam Kumar, a 21-year-old youth of Machhia village, tried his hands at farming to fulfill his father's dreams, and was selected for the Rashtriya Udyan Ratna award within four years of his endeavour.

Kumar will receive his award in Jalgaon, Maharashtra on May 28, and has already got the letter issued by the government, regarding the same through mail.

Kumar said that his father, Dinesh Kumar had received several awards, including the President's Award for his remarkable contribution in the field of agriculture, died in an accident in August, 2019. He wanted his son to make the villagers aware about farming after pursuing his education.

The young man started working to achieve his father's dream after his death. He cultivates different types of vegetables, but rose to fame for his cultivation of seedless lemons and pointed gourd (parwal). Kumar said that he brought a Parwal plant from the Indian Vegetable Research Centre, Varanasi and a lemon plant from Jalgaon, Maharashtra about four years ago.

At present, he cultivates parwal in five acres and has 60 lemon trees. He apprised that the parwal he grows, are bigger in size and have only a seed or two inside, and do not turn yellow even if kept in the refrigerator for about a week, unlike the commonly found pointed gourd. He insisted that he practiced organic farming and did not use any chemical fertilisers in any of his plants.

Similarly, the size of seedless lemons is bigger than usual and is full of juice. He added that the lemons grow in bunches and each tree produces around 300 lemons per year. Kumar said that the lemon plant is prepared by crafting. He said that he was encouraged to do farming by his family and the officers of the Agriculture Department.

He said that if his father could be honoured by the President despite being less educated, he could do it too.

Kumar continues to get help from Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur and many other agriculture-based institutions.

Agricultural Scientist and the Principal of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay College of Horticulture and Forestry, praised Kumar and said that he was an inspiration to the youth.