Pappammal

Rangammal, known to all as Pappammal, was an organic farmer from Coimbatore district who kept working her land into her second century. She was named for the Padma Shri in 2021 in the field of agriculture, from Tamil Nadu ^[1].

From shop to farm

Pappammal was born on 10 March 1916 ^[2]. She lost her parents young and was brought up by her grandmother ^[2]. She earned her living from a grocery shop, then started a small eatery, and with its income bought 10 acres of land, which she farmed organically ^[2].

Millets and pulses

For many years she grew millets such as thinai, samai, ragi, cholam and kambu, pulses including Bengal gram, black gram, horse gram and red gram, and vegetables ^[2]. Her fertiliser was cow dung and crop residue from her own farm, and she urged her neighbours to use rotted dung and the leaves of neem, kolinji and avaram ^[2].

For 45 years she was an active member of the farmers’ discussion group of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore, whose officials often visited her land, and she was recognised by twelve of its vice-chancellors ^[2].

In local government

In 1959 she was elected a ward member of Thekkampatti panchayat, and in 1964 a councillor of the Karamadai panchayat union ^[2]. She was also president of the village women’s association ^[2].

Pappammal died in Coimbatore in September 2024 ^[3].