Chennai: R S Paroda, founder chairman of the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), New Delhi, was honoured with Dr MS Swaminathan Award for Environment Protection.
He was awarded for his contributions in the field of plant breeding and genetic resource management and his leadership in establishing over 20 institutions in the field of crops, horticulture, livestock, natural resource management, fisheries, agricultural engineering, and social science sectors.
The award was instituted by the Rotary Club of Madras East in the name of India’s acclaimed agricultural scientist Swaminathan. In consultation with Swaminathan, Paroda was selected for the award, the club said.
Paroda had designed the World Bank’s most innovative and the largest National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) in 1998 to reorient agricultural research, education and extension systems to meet emerging challenges towards household food, nutrition and environmental security. He was also the main architect of one of the world’s largest and most modern national gene banks housing currently more than 400,000 crop germplasm accessions.
The award was presented to Paroda by Telengana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan.