An evening celebrating changemakers for the rural development of India
Hundreds of people across India dedicate their lives to rural development, and their efforts deserve recognition. The fourth edition of the Rohini Nayyar Prize, held recently in the Capital, honoured such changemakers, with S Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, gracing the occasion as the chief guest.
The award commemorates Rohini Nayyar, one of India’s most respected economists, whose life’s work centred on empowering rural communities and driving inclusive growth.
The evening opened on a poignant note as economist Deepak Nayyar reminisced about his late wife: “The idea for this prize, inspired by Rohini’s life and work, came from a conversation with my sons. For her, rural development was both passion and purpose, and she mentored a generation of economists and policymakers.”
This year’s recipient, 24-year-old social entrepreneur and food technologist Vidhya Parshuramkar, was honoured for her Nutri Dabba initiative, a programme tackling malnutrition and iron deficiency anaemia among children through millet-based food boxes.
Speaking at the event, Vidhya said, “The project started because of my personal story. I grew up suffering from iron deficiency anaemia. I wanted to find natural ways to tackle this disease, and after years of work, it has finally taken shape. Today, our initiative connects farmers who grow the grains, underprivileged women who prepare the boxes, and children who benefit from them.”
