Soil Scientist, World Food Award Winner Dr Rattan Lal To Get Padma Shri Award
Publication year
Resource type
UNCCD Library
Material Type
news article
Just like every year, the Indian government has announced the recipients of the prestigious civilian award Padma Shri this year.
And one of the recipients is a scientist who revolutionised research in the field of soil science, helping millions of farmers to help get better yield while also take better care of their land, meet Dr Rattan Lal, who is also the recipient of the World Food Award in 2020.
Dr Rattan Lal was born in Karya, Punjab on September 5th, 1944 which is now a part of Pakistan after partition. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Science from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana, followed by a Master’s Degree in Science from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. After this, he headed to the US’s Ohio State University to complete his PhD.
After completing his academics, he was a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sydney from 1968-1969. After this, he moved to Nigeria, Africa for the role of a Soil Physicist at IITA, Ibadan, and worked there from 1970 to 1987.
In the year 1987, he arrived back at Ohio State University for the role of Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science and Director of Carbon Management and Sequestration Centre.
Through his research, he has developed and even promoted the use of novel soil-saving technique which has benefitted 500 million small farmers, improving the food and nutritional security of more than two billion people and saving hundreds of millions of hectares of natural tropical ecosystems.
His innovation and research has reduced hunger by pioneering agricultural methods across the globe that has helped to not just restore degraded soil but also reduce global warming.
Read also UNCCD SPI more about Dr.Rathan Lal
And one of the recipients is a scientist who revolutionised research in the field of soil science, helping millions of farmers to help get better yield while also take better care of their land, meet Dr Rattan Lal, who is also the recipient of the World Food Award in 2020.
Dr Rattan Lal was born in Karya, Punjab on September 5th, 1944 which is now a part of Pakistan after partition. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Science from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana, followed by a Master’s Degree in Science from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. After this, he headed to the US’s Ohio State University to complete his PhD.
After completing his academics, he was a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sydney from 1968-1969. After this, he moved to Nigeria, Africa for the role of a Soil Physicist at IITA, Ibadan, and worked there from 1970 to 1987.
In the year 1987, he arrived back at Ohio State University for the role of Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science and Director of Carbon Management and Sequestration Centre.
Through his research, he has developed and even promoted the use of novel soil-saving technique which has benefitted 500 million small farmers, improving the food and nutritional security of more than two billion people and saving hundreds of millions of hectares of natural tropical ecosystems.
His innovation and research has reduced hunger by pioneering agricultural methods across the globe that has helped to not just restore degraded soil but also reduce global warming.
Read also UNCCD SPI more about Dr.Rathan Lal
Keywords
soil science
land restoration
science and technology
food security