79-yr-old farmer conferred with UAS honorary doctorate for organic farming, irrigation

Patel has been credited with being one of the first to cultivate and popularise mango varieties like ‘Mallika’ and grapes like ‘Bangalore Blue’

For the first time in two decades, the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru, conferred an honorary doctorate on a farmer at its 56th annual convocation here on Friday.

N C Patel, one of Karnataka’s pioneers in agriculture who is into farming in Bengaluru Urban’s Nagadasanahalli since the 1960s, received the honour for his initiatives in cultivation, organic farming and irrigation. The 79-year-old farmer was instrumental in obtaining a national subsidy for drip irrigation in the 1990s.

He has also been credited with being one of the first to cultivate and popularise mango varieties like ‘Mallika’ and grapes like ‘Bangalore Blue’, ‘Red globe’, and Jamun variety, ‘Patel jumbo’.

After completing his postgraduate degree in History in the 1960s, Patel decided to pursue agriculture. He began to plant various fruits on his 75-acre land, choosing to cultivate new and rare varieties. Over the years, Patel came to be known for his cultivation of rain-fed crops such as mango, jamun and jackfruit.

S V Hittalmani, former additional director of horticulture, said, “He popularised many varieties that were not known earlier. He has even come up with new varieties, such as the Patel Pasand mango and the Patel Jumbo Jamun.”

“Patel was one of the first in the state to cultivate the mango hybrid variety Mallika, which has become commercially popular now. He planted it on over 40 acres of land back in the 80s when it was first developed,” he added.

It was the first yield of this variety that contributed to a nationwide drip irrigation subsidy. “When my first crop of Mallika came in the early 1990s, Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal was visiting the state. A friend had asked me to bring a few mangoes for him and the other members of parliament who had come to visit him,” Patel recollected.

Impressed by the taste of the mangoes, Devi Lal visited Patel’s farm. “Devi Lal saw the varieties I was growing, the borewell I had dug to no avail, and the drip irrigation system that was sustaining my crops. I did not even have to ask or persuade him. He declared then and there that he would ensure all of India gets a subsidy for drip irrigation,” Patel added.

Through family and neighbours, Patel shared his knowledge with hundreds of other farmers. Vice Chancellor Rajendra Prasad explained that Patel has been brought to the notice of the institution due to the excellence of his fruit crops, the novelty of his cultivation practices and its impact on other farmers. “We live in an era of innovation where anyone can be an innovator. We wanted to recognise such model farmers to inspire younger generations. We are hoping to recognise many more such farmers who are doing great work in water conservation and biodiversity as well,” Prasad added.

For Patel, the recognition offers an opportunity to learn and educate others. “Regardless of this honour, I am a born agriculturist. I started farming alongside my father right from my middle school days. Now, I gather a community of scientists, and officials and take them to different farms, so we can learn more,” he said.