Cheruvayal Raman, the Wayanad tribal farmer who guarded native paddy, dies at 74
14 October 2026
Cheruvayal Raman, the Wayanad farmer known as the guardian of native paddy, has died at the age of 74.
He belonged to the tribal community in Wayanad and conserved traditional and indigenous rice varieties on his own land.
He received the Padma Shri in 2023 for his contribution to sustainable agriculture and the preservation of biodiversity.
He was also the first recipient of the Oommen Chandy memorial award for outstanding contribution to Kerala's farm sector.
Agriculture Minister T. Siddique had announced his selection for the 2025 Kerala State Farm Awards, which carried a cash prize of ₹5 lakh.
In plain words
Agro-biodiversity Diversity of crops and crop varieties — The range of crop species and local varieties kept alive in farming.