*AN AWARD CEREMONY THAT BECOME A CELEBRATION OF FARMING AND FARMERS: ‘UZHAVAN FOUNDATION’S UZHAVAR VIRUDHUGAL 2024’ HONOURS 5 ACHIEVERS IN THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE*Every year Uzhavan Foundation honours and recognizes individuals who have achieved in the field of agriculture and also to those who have contributed to those achievements. This year’s Uzhavar Virudhugal was held in Chennai with great fanfare. Actor and Artist Sivakumar, Actress Rohini, Actor and Director Thambi Ramaiah, Actor Pashupati and Actress Keerthy Pandian were present as special guests.Dr. K. Sivaraman, Prof. Sultan Ahmad Ismail, Agriculture Activist Paamayan and OFM Ananthu were also present in the event. Added, the event was well attended by many agricultural experts and students. • Madurai, Thirumangalam’s Agricultural Regulatory Market Supervisor Mr. Venkatesh was awarded Outstanding Contribution to Farmers Development for making sure the produce of the farmers gets a fair price share • Sri. Aparna Karthikeyan who has been writing continuously about farmers, especially women farmers and their produce, was awarded the Best Agricultural Journalist • Honor for Best Farmer’s Association was awarded to Pallur Landless Farmer Women’s Association, which brought together landless women and converted barren land into a communal farm. • Sri. Rajaletchumi who hails from a tribal community has been fighting for the tribal people in a virtuous way. She has fought and go separate residential are for her community people as well as a fair price for their agricultural produce. She was awarded For her outstanding contribution to the development of Tribal people’s livelihood • Sri. Chitravel was honored with an award for outstanding contribution to restoration of water bodies as she has played a major role in restoration of various water streams Like every year, this year the awardees were each presented with a check of Rs.1 lakh along with the award.While speaking at this event, actor and founder of Uzhavan Foundation, Karthi said, “Every year, farmers celebrate Pongal by thanking the mother nature and Cattles. We too celebrate that day as Pongal. But we forget to thank the farmers who provide us with the food we eat every day. We are forever grateful to them. Pongal shouldn’t be the only occasion where we think of them.We celebrate individuals when the taste success fields like cinema and sports. We came up with Uzhavar Awards to celebrate the farmers who produce food for us even during natural calamities.This is the 5th anniversary of our event. It is a matter of pride to us to honour various agricultural achievers with the awards. We hope that through this award we had shed a little light in their lives”.He added that Uzhavan Foundation will continue to identify and honour the good souls who support agriculture and farmers and will also contribute to agriculture.Topics like agricultural issues, agricultural technologies, millet produce, climate change and pesticides use were addressed in this event making it a complete bouquet for agriculture crusaders.Now the grand award ceremony is all set to reach more eyes and ears. The function will be telecasted in Star Vijay TV on the auspicious Pongal day, January 15th, from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.
