Bengaluru: B K Deva Rao, a farmer known for preserving and cultivating as many as 155 varieties of paddy, was conferred with the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award for his achievements in agriculture.
He is among 64 achievers from the state who were conferred with the prestigious award on November 1. The award comprises Rs 1 lakh and a 20-gm gold medal. Ever year, the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award is conferred on achievers in from the state under various categories, some of which are literature, music, folk art, painting, sports, yoga, film, agriculture, and journalism.
This year Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and culture minister C T Ravi conferred the award and honoured the awardees. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya was also present.
Rao, who hails from the Dakshina Kannada district, cultivates agricultural produce without using chemical fertilisers and delivers them directly to end consumers who come to him for their choice of rice.
He cultivates rice, over 80 varieties of wild mangoes, 50 varieties of jackfruit, areca nut, coconut and vegetables in about 30 acres of land, along with his wife, son, daughter and daughter-in-law.
His products enjoy a high demand among urban consumers as they are organic. His produce fetche a price about two times higher than produce grown using chemicals and fertilizers.
