Pune, March 24: Bhagyoday Shetkari Gat from Tasgaon taluka, Sangli district, secured the top prize at the Paani Foundation Satyamev Jayate Farmer Cup awards on Sunday. The competition saw participation from 4,300 farmer collectives, including 2,000 women’s groups.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, and Paani Foundation founders Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao presented the awards at Balewadi Stadium, where over 4,000 farmers gathered.
Bhagyoday Shetkari Gat won ₹25 lakh as the first prize for their efforts in sustainable agriculture.
Women Farmers Shine
Annadata Mahila Shetkari Gat from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar won the award for the best all-women’s group.
Varsha Wadekar, a member of the group, recalled how she attended the 2024 Satyamev Jayate Farmer Cup and dreamt of receiving an award on stage. She later joined a training session in Jalgaon, leading to the formation of their collective, which cultivated cotton successfully.
Initially, she faced resistance from her family, but after proving her success, her husband, Rajendra Wadekar, expressed pride in her achievements. Now, families of women in the group are encouraging them to expand their farming efforts.
