Sri S. Jayapal Reddy was born on 8th October 1956 in Thallapusapalli village, located in the Kesamudram block of Mahabubabad district, Telangana. He comes from a modest farming background, where values such as hard work, discipline, and a deep respect for the land were a natural part of life. These principles became the foundation for his long and steady journey in agriculture.
With 46 years of hands-on farming experience, Sri Reddy cultivates 40 acres of land that remain under active production. His approach to farming goes beyond routine cultivation—he is committed to sustainable, scientific, and organic practices. The farm supports a variety of field and horticultural crops, grown in ways that prioritize soil health and long-term productivity.
Diverse Crop Portfolio with a Focus on Sustainability
He grows a wide variety of crops on his 40 acres of land. Field crops grown by him are varieties of paddy like RNR 15048, KNM-1638, and Telangana Sona, pulses like MGG-295 and 351, maize (DHM-117), and groundnut varieties like Kadari 36 and Girnar 4.
He also cultivates turmeric varieties such as Rajapuri, Rajendra, Solan, and Kasturi, and chillies like LCA-334, LCA-625, and Warangal Chapata. His six acres of mango orchard include high-density and ultra-high-density planting with top varieties like Baneshan, Himayat, Dasheri, Alphonso, Chinnarasalu, and Peddarasalu.
What sets his farming apart is his focus on sustainability. In the past decades, he has used green manure methods in paddy and turmeric. Green manuring has been able to enhance soil carbon from 1% to 2%. His cultivation of chilli and cotton adheres to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) methods. He has also adopted raised bed and paired row cultivation, drip irrigation, fertigation, and mulching to make water use more efficient and lower labour input.
Integrated Farming: A Holistic Approach to Agriculture
Sri Jayapal Reddy is a strong believer in the Integrated Farming System. His farm has ten indigenous cows (Sahiwal, Gir, and Ongole), six buffaloes, 200 Nellore and Duncan sheep, 60 goats, and 50 backyard poultry birds. All the manure from the livestock is recycled and utilized in organic farming. He also has a vermicomposting unit and an azolla unit, which yield high-quality organic matter and animal feed.
His cattle management and dairy operation have received numerous awards for optimum milk production and efficient farming practices. Farm yard manure is used, along with homemade bio-solutions such as Panchagavya, Jeevamrutham, Neemasthram, Ganamrutham, and Agniastram on the farm. Even fish culture in ponds and open wells has been brought into operation for yet another sphere of sustainability and income generation.
Innovation-Driven Scientific Farming with Value Addition
Sri Reddy is utilising advanced methods, including drip irrigation, fertigation, mulching, and raised-bed farming. He uses solar-powered light traps in chilli fields for pest control. He has also implemented Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) throughout his farm.
He cultivates fish in farm ponds and open wells, which optimizes the utilization of natural resources. A vermicompost unit and an azolla tank supplement his self-reliance. Green manuring, crop rotation, intercropping, and paired-row maize cultivation enable him to maintain soil fertility and maximize yield.
Innovation with a Vision
His innovative style of farming involves the installation of solar-powered street lights and solar light traps in his chilli fields to reduce pest attacks. He also processes spice powders from his turmeric and chilli harvests through cold-press methods to preserve maximum aroma and nutrients, giving value addition to his farm products. This not only brings him better returns but also delivers high-quality products to consumers.
Leading the Community by Example
Not only a single farmer, Sri Jayapal Reddy is a community leader. He established the Thallapusapalli Society in his village, which now consists of 199 active members and generates an annual revenue of Rs. 12 lakhs. He also established a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) at the Mandal level and assisted in the establishment of a Farmer Producer Company Limited (FPCL) at the district level.
He is also a member of the ATMA district committee and remains engaged in policy discussions and training. He has a WhatsApp group for local farmers, where he provides timely advice and market information and brings farmers into contact with agriculture scientists. His farm has also organized a number of training programs, among which was a natural farming program that had the District Collector and Magistrate of Mahabubabad in attendance.
Promoter of Natural Farming and Technology Transfer
He is also a firm supporter of organic and natural farming. He has conducted several training camps on his farm with the participation of farmers, agriculture officers, and even the District Collector. His initiatives for promoting Panchagavya and natural farming practices are revolutionizing agriculture to become a more environmentally friendly and profitable industry.
Awards and Recognition
His achievements have been recognized at both state and national levels. Some of the notable awards he has received include:
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Best Farmer Award 2021 by PJTSAU
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Udyan Ratna Awards (2020 & 2021) by Lt. Amit Singh Memorial Foundation
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Navonmesh Krushak Puraskar 2018 by ICAR-IARI
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Progressive Farmer Award 2017 by All India Sonalika AIFA
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Appreciation Certificates from the CM of Gujarat, State Agriculture Minister, and Animal Husbandry Department
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Best Farmer Award in Drip Irrigation and Ultra High Density Horticulture 2021
He has also participated in several national and international agricultural forums and policy workshops, including the World Agricultural Forum Congress and the International Conference on Organics and Millets.
Personal Life and Future Vision
Sri Jayapal Reddy resides with his homemaker wife and is proud to have a daughter who is a doctor. He also has four siblings. At present, with an annual turnover of Rs. 20–22 lakhs from his model of integrated farming, his dream is to reach Rs. 50 lakhs by expanding his value-added product line and turning his entire farm organic and innovative.
Sri S. Jayapal Reddy's success is a demonstration of how a visionary farmer, committed to work and scientific method, can not only enhance his own living but also raise an entire community to a better level. He represents the essence of Indian agriculture—inventive, hardy, and earthy. His achievement entitles him to be a worthy nominee for the Padma Shri and a role model for generations of farmers to come.
