ITOTY Awards 2026 Convenes Industry Leaders to Celebrate Farm Mechanization Excellence; Mahindra Yuvo Tech+ 585 DI Secures Top Honour

The 7th edition of the Indian Tractor of the Year (ITOTY) Awards, presented with CEAT Specialty as the Title Sponsor, concluded successfully on 17th June 2026, at the Taj Vivanta, Dwarka, New Delhi. The prestigious event convened more than 250 tractor industry leaders, 20+OEMs, finance institutions, policymakers, agricultural experts, thought leaders, and ecosystem stakeholders from across India.

The highest honour of the evening, the ‘Indian Tractor of the Year 2026’ title, was conferred upon Mahindra Yuvo Tech+ 585 DI following a rigorous evaluation conducted by an independent jury panel. The recognition acknowledged the tractor's strong performance, technological innovation, farmer-centric features, and growing market acceptance. Accepting the award, Mr Veejay Nakra, President, Farm Equipment Business & Member of Group Executive Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, expressed gratitude to farmers, customers, dealer partners and employees for their trust and support.

Reflecting the growing momentum behind sustainable and technology-driven farm machinery, the ‘Electric Tractor of the Year 2026’ award was presented to the AutoNxt X45H2. The 2026 edition also marked the introduction of a newly designed trophy for the flagship category, further elevating the stature of the industry's most coveted recognition.

The event formally commenced with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony attended by members of the ITOTY Jury, representatives from CEAT Specialty, Tractor Junction, FADA, Krishi Jagran, and eminent industry stakeholders, setting the tone for a day dedicated to recognising excellence and innovation across the agricultural ecosystem.

Welcoming the gathering, Mr. Harshvardhan Kanotra, Vice President Sales, CEAT Specialty, highlighted the increasingly pivotal role of innovation, advanced technologies, and stakeholder collaboration in strengthening India's farm mechanization capabilities and enhancing productivity outcomes for farmers.

A defining moment of the ceremony was the conferment of the Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 upon Dr. T. R. Kesavan in recognition of his exceptional contribution to India's farm mechanization sector and agricultural development journey. The honour acknowledged his decades-long leadership, strategic foresight, and enduring contribution towards advancing mechanization, fostering stronger industry-farmer linkages, and supporting sustainable agricultural growth in India.

Industry Stalwarts Outline India's Agricultural Transformation Roadmap

Delivering the Jury Chairman’s Keynote Address, Dr. C. R. Mehta, Director, ICAR–Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Chairman of the ITOTY Jury, set the tone for the industry's future outlook, highlighting the growing imperative for farm mechanisation amid shrinking land holdings, labour constraints, and rising input costs. Citing the record sale of nearly 10 lakh tractors last year, he emphasised that advanced farm machinery and technology-led innovation will be key enablers of productivity, self-reliance, and India’s agricultural aspirations for 2047.

During the industry outlook session, Mr. Mohit Adnani, Associate Director, CRISIL, provided a nuanced perspective on the evolving dynamics of the tractor industry, highlighting its enduring resilience and positioning it among the strongest segments of India's automotive ecosystem. He noted that even during the pandemic, the industry recorded nearly 27% growth and going forward tractor sales are expected to grow by 2–4% in fiscal 2027 despite the IMD’s forecasts of deficient rainfall and the potential risk of El Niño, supported by healthy reservoir levels, improved financing, GST 2.0 rejig, replacement demand and government subsidies. Adnani further pointed to the structural shift in demand toward the 41–50 HP segment, reflecting a discernible shift towards more powerful and productivity-oriented farm equipment.

Addressing the audience on behalf of the Title Sponsor, Mr. Jay Doshi, Marketing Head, CEAT Specialty, reaffirmed the company's commitment to supporting the agriculture ecosystem through innovation and customer-centric solutions.

"ITOTY has become a benchmark platform for recognising excellence across India's agricultural ecosystem. We are proud to support an initiative that celebrates innovation, leadership and the organisations shaping the future of farm mechanisation," he said.

ITOTY 2026 Award Winners

A total of 16 award categories were presented across tractors, farm machinery, implements and agri-finance institutions. Winners were selected through a structured and transparent evaluation process conducted by an independent jury panel comprising agricultural experts, industry veterans, finance professionals and market specialists.

Tractor Awards

Implement & Farm Machinery Awards

Finance Institution Awards

Special Awards

Following the announcement of select award categories, the proceedings were interspersed with a special performance by renowned mentalist and mind reader Yash Pataskar, whose engaging act added a unique experiential element to the celebrations and captivated the audience.

During the Tractor Junction Keynote Address, Mr. Animesh Agarwal, Co-Founder & COO, Tractor Junction, discussed the company's growing footprint in used tractor procurement and financing. He outlined the plans to scale its dealer inventory acquisition programme, aimed at addressing working capital constraints across dealership networks while leveraging the company's expertise in asset valuation and used tractor transactions.

He also emphasised the company's focus on quality sourcing, digital verification, and risk assessment frameworks, which continue to deliver stronger portfolio performance and lower delinquency levels for lending partners across the ecosystem. Further, the co-founder remarked on the increasing penetration of AI across rural India and its potential to drive the next phase of transformation within the agricultural ecosystem.

Reflecting on the broader pace of innovation across the sector, he traced the evolution of ITOTY into a benchmark platform for recognising excellence across India's farm mechanization landscape.

"When we conceptualised ITOTY, the objective was to create a platform where the best of the best could compete. Today, the awards have become an industry benchmark, attracting participation from leading brands & institutions across categories and reflecting the growing spirit of innovation across India's agricultural ecosystem," he shared.  

The 7th edition of the ITOTY Awards concluded with a vote of thanks by the Jury Chairman, who acknowledged the invaluable support and contributions of all the winners, partners, sponsors, jury members, participating OEMs, implement manufacturers, financial institutions, media representatives, social media influencers and delegates for making ITOTY 2026 a grand success.  

About Tractor Junction

Founded in 2018, Tractor Junction is one of India's leading digital platforms for tractors, farm equipment, rural commerce, and agricultural finance solutions. The platform enables users to compare products, access industry insights, explore financing options, and connect with manufacturers, dealers, and lenders through a single integrated ecosystem.

Today, Tractor Junction serves millions of users annually and works closely with leading tractor manufacturers, implement brands, and finance institutions across India, making it one of the country's most trusted platforms for farm mechanization and rural commerce.

About ITOTY

Launched in 2019, the Indian Tractor of the Year (ITOTY) Awards is the flagship initiative of Tractor Junction dedicated to recognising excellence, innovation, and leadership across India's farm mechanization ecosystem. The platform brings together OEMs, implement manufacturers, finance institutions, industry experts, and media organisations to honour achievements that are advancing the sector and shaping the future of Indian agriculture.

As the agricultural machinery and finance landscape continues to evolve, ITOTY Awards 2026 aims to recognise the technologies, products, organisations, and institutions that are setting new benchmarks for innovation, performance, and customer impact across the industry.