It’s well said that ‘Agriculture’ is the backbone of our society and a farmer is someone who not only grows food to feed us but also raises sons, strengthening our nation & instilling pride in our people.
Many people in prominent positions today come from a farming background. Almost everyone who shared their experiences acknowledged that their farming background allowed them to stay physically fit and also provide the mental strength to overcome challenging tasks. They were fostered and encouraged by their parents, who were farmers, along the way, which all contributed to their success.
We recently witnessed a landslide victory of a farmer's son, Jagdeep Dhankhar, who became our country's Vice-President. It's a happy moment for the entire farming community! And, believe me, the list of such people with a farming background is lengthy. Let us begin by informing you of the achievements of farmers' brave sons:
Pankaj Tripathi: Farmer’s Son to Finest Actor
Pankaj Tripathi, the son of a farmer, used to work on farms before winning the hearts of audiences with his wonderfully nuanced performances in films like 'Gangs of Wasseypur' and shows like Criminal Justice, Mirzapur, and Sacred Games.
Tripathi is from the village of Belsand in Bihar. He grew up in the village and participated in some amateur-level plays as a child, mostly playing the role of a girl onscreen. He moved to Patna for higher education, where his life eventually took a turn for the better.
He joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the BJP's campus wing, in college and was imprisoned for a week for participating in a student movement. Tripathi discovered an entirely new world when he entered the small jail barrack.
He didn't have lofty goals. He just wanted to make enough money to cover his rent. After years of playing minor roles, he was cast in Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur, which changed his life. He is now one of Bollywood's most sought-after actors.
Jagdeep Dhankhar: Farmer’s Son to Vice President
The first person on our list is none other than 'Jagdeep Dhankhar,' who recently won a landslide victory and will become the country's 14th Vice President. On July 11, he will be sworn in. Yes, he won with 528 votes out of 725 total votes cast.
The BJP referred to Dhankhar as a "Kisan Putra" when announcing his candidacy for vice president, a move seen in political circles as an attempt to reach out to the politically significant Jat community, which had participated in large numbers in the year-long farmers' protests on the borders of the national capital against agriculture reform measures unveiled in June 2020.
Jagdeep Dhankhar is from Rajasthan's Jhuzhunu district and served as Governor of West Bengal prior to his election as Vice President. Simultaneously, after being named the BJP's candidate, he resigned as governor. Dhankhar comes from a farming family, as did his father, Gokul Chandra Dhankhar.
K Sivan: Farmer’s Son to Chairman of ISRO
A humble farmer's son who attended local government schools in Tamil medium in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu rose to the highest position in ISRO. From January 2018 to January 2022, he was Secretary of Space, Chairman of the Space Commission, and Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
He joined ISRO in 1982 and worked on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) project, where he made significant contributions to mission planning, design, integration, and analysis. During his time at ISRO, he was responsible for a variety of tasks. "This is a rare opportunity," Sivan said of his promotion to Chairman. This is a legendary position, and I accept it with humility."
Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, including a Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from Sathyabama University in Chennai in April 2014 and the Shri Hari Om Ashram Prerit Dr Vikram Sarabhai Research Award in 1999.
Dr. Ravi Kanth Medithi: Farmer’s Son to IAS Officer
Dr. Ravi Kanth Medithi's journey (ex-IAS officer and ex-chairman and managing director of Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited, or HUDCO) is an inspiration not only for the farming community but for everyone. He recently visited Krishi Jagran and shared his struggles as a farmer's son who grew up in the paddy fields of a tiny hamlet in the Krishna-Godavari Delta region, known as India's Rice Bowl. His journey was one of the difficult obstacles and struggles he had to overcome in order to get to where he is now. Dr Medithi, an ex-IAS officer, is a modest and humble man whose life motto is 'To live light and give light.'
He visited 64 cities in 37 countries, served as an Indian Administrative Service officer in the Kerala Cadre's 1986 batch, and was the former chairman and managing director of Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited, or HUDCO. Dr. Medithi received the Newslink Legend CMD Award for his outstanding work at HUDCO.
Sudhakar Tomar: Farmer’s Son to a Multi-Millionaire in UAE
Sudhakar Tomar's journey as the son of a farmer from Hardoi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is inspiring. His success story comes straight from the UAE, where he is now a multi-millionaire entrepreneur in the food and agriculture industry. Even for someone like Tomar, who has deep roots in the agro-business, being a farmer in India is as difficult as it gets.
"My father was a farmer in the rural district of Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh." It is approximately 100 kilometres from Lucknow. I used to accompany my father to the farms as a child, watching him toil for a living. "The image of him on the farm is still very clear in my mind," he said in an interview.
Tomar's time spent with his father on farm visits laid the groundwork for his career and life path. "I recall my early days as a nomad as a child. I would accompany my father on trips to learn about farming and agriculture. Furthermore, the knowledge I gained from those experiences gave me a lot of confidence and made me realize how important it is to be self-sufficient in life. It also helped him "connect with people from all walks of life, understand their needs, and have the will to survive," he added.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran: Farmer’s Son to Chairman of Tata Sons
Tata Sons' chairman is Natarajan Chandrasekaran. He left his family farm in Tamil Nadu's Namakkal District to pursue computer programming instead of farming. Chandra, as the Tata Group chairman is affectionately known in business circles, enrolled in a postgraduate computer science course at the Regional Engineering College in Tiruchirappalli.
He began his career with the Tata group in 1986 as an intern with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). In 1987, he became a full-time employee of the company after only two months as an engineer. Since then, Chandrasekaran has remained a Tata employee. He gradually rose through the ranks of the organization over the course of 35 years. In the 1990s, he moved into management. He became the company's CEO in 2009, after assisting TCS in becoming a household name around the world. In 2017, he was appointed chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, which has interests in over 30 industries, including chemicals, automotive, consulting services, hospitality, and steel.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui: Farmer's Son to Bollywood's Most Wanted Actor
Nawazuddin is the ninth child of a north Indian farmer and one of the new faces of independent Hindi cinema. It's a long way from his humble beginnings in Uttar Pradesh, where he became the village's first chemistry graduate. After studying acting at Delhi's National School of Drama, he landed his first film role in the 1999 Aamir Khan film Sarfarosh, and moved to Mumbai in 2000.
The happy ending took 12 years to come to fruition. Before he became well-known, he struggled and appeared in minor roles, earning little money. Everything changed in 2012. Beginning with Kahaani, he achieved success after success. Gangs of Wasseypur, Miss Lovely, and Talaash all came after. There was no turning back now.
Awards followed, as did critically acclaimed films like The Lunchbox and Liar's Dice. Then there was a brief flirtation with mainstream blockbusters in the form of Salman Khan's 2014 film Kick.
Geeta Phogat: Farmer's Daughter to International wrestler
Geeta Phogat won India's first gold medal in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in 2010, and she is also the first Indian wrestler to qualify for the Olympic Summer Games. Geeta, one of the family's five daughters, was coached by her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat, who comes from a farming family. The life story of Mahavir Singh Phogat and her sisters was adapted into a Hindi film titled 'Dangal.'
Rupal Chaudhary: Farmer's Daughter who Win 2 Medals at World U-20 Athletics
Rupal Chaudhary recently made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win two medals at the World U20 Athletics Championship, after winning silver in the 4x400m relay and bronze in the women's 400m. Rupal is the second Indian to win a medal in the women's 400m, following Hima Das, who won a historic gold medal in Finland in 2018 with a time of 51.46s.
Her father is a farmer in Shahpur Jainpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district, and she comes from a modest family. The 17-year-old has been in incredible form, having run four 400m races in three days.
To sum up, I'd like to say: Take a minute to truly appreciate this profession and all the arduous effort and dedication required of farm life. In the situation that you ever feel like giving up, the aforementioned individuals can inspire you. In both farming & life, persistence and hard effort always pays off!!
