Hari Om

Hari Om is a retired principal scientist in agronomy at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, known for promoting natural farming. He was named for the Padma Shri in 2024 in the field of science and engineering, from Haryana ^[1].

Scientist

He was born on 10 January 1959 in Siwana Mai village, Jind district ^[2]. He took his BSc, MSc and PhD in agronomy at the university in Hisar, winning a gold medal for the best doctoral research ^[2]. He then worked there as a scientist for 36 years ^[2].

Natural farming

For about ten years he has led natural-farming work, which he promotes as an alternative to conventional chemical farming ^[2]. He has trained more than 10,000 farmers and others at the Gurukul in Kurukshetra and its natural-farming training institute, and has trained scientists from more than 500 Krishi Vigyan Kendras ^[2]. He has also briefed officials from several states, a delegation from Nepal and visitors led by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner ^[2].

He has published more than 150 research papers, articles, chapters and books ^[2]. While at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Kurukshetra he won Haryana’s best KVK award in 2016 and a zonal best KVK award in 2018 ^[2].