Chennai, November 22, 2012: Coromandel International Limited, India’s leading manufacturer of a wide range of farm inputs, has conferred the coveted ‘Borlaug Award’ for the year-2012 to two distinguished scientists of Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) - Dr. K. V. Prabhu and Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, who have rendered outstanding contribution to Basmati rice research and development. A five-member Jury headed by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, the father of the green revolution in India, has named these eminent scientists for the award.
Coromandel International Limited has instituted the award in 1972 to honour Nobel Laureate Norman E. Borlaug, which is awarded in recognition of outstanding research and contributions in the field of Agriculture, Environment and Extension by Indian Scientists. The Award carries a cash prize of Rs. 5 Lakhs, a Gold medal and a citation. Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India will present the prestigious award to the winners on the occasion of the prestigious Coromandel Lecture being delivered by Dr. Robert S. Zeigler, the Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), on 28th November 2012, at a function in New Delhi.
Coromandel International Limited had instituted the Coromandel Lecture in 1970 to promote and develop symbiotic interaction among agriculture, industry and academia across the world. Distinguished national Leaders and former Presidents of India viz., Mr. V. V. Giri, Mr. Fakruddin Ali Ahmed, Dr. K.R. Narayanan, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh etc., have presided over some of the past lecture functions. The Lecture series in the past was delivered by internationally reputed Scientists such as Dr. Norman Borlaug, Sir Joseph Hutchinson, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, Sir John Crawford, Prof. Jeffery D. Sachs, and Dr. Jacques etc.
This year, Dr. Robert will deliver Coromandel Lecture on “Cutting edge Science for food security, economic growth and environment protection”.
About the Borlaug Award
The Borlaug Award was instituted in honour of Nobel Laureate Dr. Norman E. Borlaug (father of the Wheat revolution), honours eminent men of science and industry, for their distinctive contribution to the cause of agriculture. It reflects the company’s concern to develop a symbiotic interaction between agriculture, industry and academia. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a gold medal and a citation. So far, 38 eminent scientists have won this award. Some of the earliest awardees have also won the World Food Prize, which is regarded as the highest recognition in the field of Agriculture and food security.
About the Awardees
Dr. K. V. Prabhu has contributed significantly towards devising the breeding strategy for combining poly-genes for various Basmati quality traits including linear cooked kernel elongation - a main feature of Pusa Basmati 1121, the most widely cultivated Basmati rice variety. His experience in improving wheat and mustard for disease resistance and quality with the help of fast-paced molecular marker application in plant breeding came handy in supporting the rice group. He has been actively involved as member of panel test for analyzing cooking and eating quality. After taking over as the Head of the Division of Genetics in the year 2006, Dr. Prabhu was instrumental in taking up the issue of redefining basmati rice in India to enable development of high yielding basmati rice so that farmers of India can compete effectively in international markets. He has been associated with the crop improvement programme of wheat, barley, brassica and rice leadin
g to development of 14 varieties including two of rice (Pusa Basmati 6 and Pusa Basmati 1121). The contributions have facilitated the improvement of the livelihood of millions of Basmati rice farmers of India.
Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh has made pioneering contributions in basic and applied research in rice genetics and breeding. He has been associated with the IARI’s development and popularization of seven Basmati/long grain aromatic rice varieties. These include, Pusa Sugandh 2, Pusa Sugandh 3, Pusa Sugandh 5, Pusa Basmati 1121 and Improved Pusa Basmati- 1. He assisted pyramiding of bacterial blight resistance genes ‘xa13’ and ‘Xa 21’ in Pusa Basmati 1, Pusa Basmati 6 and the world’s first superfine grain aromatic rice hybrid Pusa RH 10. He has also incorporated bacterial blight resistance genes in parental lines of Pusa RH 10, and developed isogenic lines of Pusa Basmati 1 carrying major genes for blast resistance. Dr. Singh has also improved Pusa Basmati 1121 for resistance to blight, blast and tolerance to salinity. In basic research, Dr. Singh has made noteworthy contribution through the development of novel markers, mapping populations, molecular ma
pping of genes for grain and cooking quality traits in Basmati rice, which will be helpful in accelerating the pace of breeding program.
About Coromandel International Limited
Coromandel International Limited, India’s second largest Phosphatic fertilizer player, is in the business segments of Fertilizers, Specialty Nutrients, Crop Protection and Retail. The Company manufactures a wide range of fertilizers and markets around 2.9 million tons making it a leader in its addressable markets.
In its endeavor to be a complete plant nutrition solutions Company, Coromandel has also introduced a range of Specialty Nutrient products including Organic Fertilizers. The Crop Protection business produces insecticides, fungicides and herbicides and markets these products in India and across the globe. Coromandel is the second largest manufacturer of Malathion and only the second manufacturer of Phenthoate. Coromandel has also ventured into the retail business setting up more than 640 rural retail centers in the States of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The Company clocked a turnover of Rs. 9,823 crore during FY 2011-12. lt was ranked among the top 20 best companies to work for by Business Today and was also voted as one of the ten greenest companies in India by TERI, reflecting its commitment to the environment and society. Coromandel is a part of the `22314 Cr Murugappa Group.
About Murugappa Group
Founded in 1900, the Rs. 22314 Crores (USD 4.4 billion) Murugappa Group is one of India's leading business conglomerates. The Group has 28 businesses including eight listed Companies actively traded in NSE & BSE. Headquartered in Chennai, the major Companies of the Group include Carborundum Universal Ltd., Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd., Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd., Coromandel International Ltd., Coromandel Engineering Company Ltd., E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd., Parry Agro Industries Ltd., Tube Investments of India Ltd., and Wendt (India) Ltd.
Market leaders in served segments including Abrasives, Auto Components, Cycles, Sugar, Farm Inputs, Fertilizers, Plantations, Bio-products and Nutraceuticals, the Group has forged strong alliances with leading international companies like Groupe Chimique Tunisien, Foskor, Cargill, Mitsui Sumitomo, Morgan Crucible and Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM). The Group has a wide geographical presence spanning 13 states in India and 5 continents.
Renowned brands like BSA, Hercules, Ballmaster, Ajax, Parry’s, Chola, Gromor and Paramfos are from the Murugappa stable. The organization fosters an environment of professionalism and has a workforce of over 32,000 employees. For more details, visit www.murugappa.com.
For Media queries, please contact:
Sreenivasa Rao Behara
Head – PR, Coromandel International Limited
Tel : 040 – 66997476, 27842034/27847212
Mobile : 9963550040
Email: sreenivasaraob@coromandel.murugappa.com |
8,560 Crore during FY 2012-13. lt was ranked among the top 20 best companies to work for by Business Today and was also voted as one of the ten greenest companies in India by TERI, reflecting its commitment to the environment and society. Coromandel is a part of the 
