PepsiCo India continued its mission to uplift the country’s agricultural backbone through the second edition of the Voices of Harvest Awards 2025. The ceremony celebrated farmers who are driving transformation in rural India through sustainability, leadership, digital advancement, water conservation and crop diversification. Aligned with PepsiCo India’s Partnership of Progress philosophy, the initiative underscores that meaningful growth happens when farmers, industry, civil society, and policymakers unite to solve real agricultural challenges. The event was hosted in collaboration with NDTV.
This year’s programme shone a spotlight on exceptional contributions from farmers across the nation—individuals whose resilience and ingenuity are creating positive change in their surroundings. From more than 200 nominations, 10 standout farmers and agri groups were honoured for catalysing community development and championing modern, future-ready practices.
Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, graced the event as Chief Guest and lauded Indian farmers as the driving force behind national food security and sustainable growth. He emphasized the government’s continuous efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen farmer incomes, enhance productivity, and safeguard soil health so that India can emerge as the world’s leading food supplier.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jagrut Kotecha, CEO – PepsiCo India and South Asia, said, “Our farmers are the heart of India. Voices of Harvest is a platform to celebrate them and showcase the remarkable strides they are making with technology and regenerative methods. With over 27,000 farmers as our partners, we witness firsthand how India’s rural landscape is evolving and how young talent is embracing agriculture with pride.”
A distinguished jury comprising leading agricultural experts evaluated entries across ten categories. Grant Thornton Bharat ensured an independent and rigorous selection process. This year’s accolades celebrated individuals and groups who are reshaping the future of farming through enterprise, community development, and crop transformation. Among them, the Agri-Entrepreneurship Catalyst Award was bestowed upon Gayatri Devi Rathore from Tawadahi in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, while the Community Impact Champion Award recognized the exceptional efforts of Aamon Mahila Chasi Producer Company Limited from Nayagram in West Bengal’s Jhargram district.
The spotlight also shone on champions of diversification and digital progress. Gayatri Paikara from Gamekela in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, earned the Crop Diversification Champion Award, and Guru Pawar of Berigawada in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, received the Digital Agri Excellence Award for advancing technology adoption in farming practices.
In recognition of climate-smart agriculture, the Farm Resilience & Climate Adaptation Award was presented to Kumari Bai Mandavi from Chhattisgarh, while Dhubdi Bai Solanki of Osada in Barwani was honoured with the Regenerative Agriculture Champion Award for promoting soil health and sustainable techniques. Meanwhile, Nita Kanani from Rajkot, Gujarat, was celebrated with the RevolutioNari in Farming Award for her leadership as a woman farmer pioneering change.
Ensuring long-term livelihood stability and effective natural resource use were also prominent focus areas. K Selvakumar from Mela Sindhalai in Theni, Tamil Nadu, secured the Sustainable Livelihoods Award, and Om Prakash Sharma from Khedi Milk in Jaipur district received the Water Stewardship Award. The recognition of future agricultural innovators continued with the Young Agri Innovator Award, which went to Biswajit Sarkar from Alipurduar, West Bengal.
Following the success of last year’s RevolutioNari Awards, this expanded edition reinforces PepsiCo India’s long-term commitment to empowering rural communities and highlighting agriculture as a valued and aspirational profession. The initiative aims to instill national pride in farming while strengthening the company’s deep-rooted partnerships across India’s agricultural landscape.
The event also featured thought-leadership dialogues on emerging opportunities in agriculture, such as scaling regenerative models and promoting women-led farming enterprises. More than 300 attendees—including farmers, innovators, government representatives, academics, and industry leaders—engaged in discussions on advancing a more resilient and inclusive agricultural future.
PepsiCo products are enjoyed over a billion times daily across 200+ countries. With nearly USD 92 billion in net revenue reported in 2024, its diverse portfolio spans globally loved brands like Lay’s®, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Doritos, Quaker, Cheetos, and SodaStream. Guided by the pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) strategy, the company is focused on delivering business growth grounded in sustainability and positive impact for people and the planet.
