At the farewell ceremony of IFFCO’s legendary former MD Dr. U. S. Awasthi, life came full circle before him. Everyone who had been a part of his journey, from Class One to college to his professional career, assembled to greet the man who lived life king-size. The farewell was organized at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Tuesday, with IFFCO Chairman Dileep Sanghani as the host. It was a heartfelt send-off, where many shed tears. Even Awasthi had moist eyes during his final speech.
Encouraged by the overwhelming presence of Dr. Awasthi’s admirers, Sanghani quipped that while he had attended many cooperative functions, none matched this one, where people from all sectors had come together. Among the high-profile guests were Cooperation Secretary Ashish Bhutani, Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, Jyotindra Mehta, and Sahakar Bharati leaders including Satish Marathe, Uday Joshi, and Sanjay Pachpore. There were also farmers from remote villages in Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and other places, people who came just to say thank you to the man who had transformed their lives.
Many foreigners who had collaborated with IFFCO and Dr. Awasthi during his tenure were present, as were lawyers from the Supreme Court and High Courts who had fought, and continue to fight, legal battles for him.
Carefree like a bird, Dr. Awasthi perhaps delivered the best speech of his life, speaking straight from the heart, unfiltered and fearless. But the most poignant moment came when he made an impassioned appeal to farmers to adopt Nano Urea. With moist eyes and an emotionally charged voice, he warned that the soil is slowly turning poisonous, and unless we switch to Nano, there may be no future.
His words had a deep impact on the audience. They knew this was not an MD promoting a product; he had nothing to gain personally. He was speaking for them, trying to shield them from future dangers.
Calling Nano a product of pride for the cooperative sector and for India, he silenced critics by acknowledging that earlier versions had limitations, but the one finally perfected by Dr. Laxman had proven its worth through numerous field experiments. Rejecting it, he said in an emotional outburst, would be anti-people, anti-society, and anti-India. He declared that the third agricultural revolution would be ushered in by these Nano inventions.
In his wide-ranging speech, Dr. Awasthi touched upon every phase of his life, beginning with the wheat crisis
of 1964 during the PL-480 episode, which inspired him to dedicate his life to making India self-sufficient in food grains. Today, one out of every five sacks of fertilizer used in India comes from IFFCO, a feat made possible by the unwavering support of IFFCO’s Board and successive Chairmen over the years.
He listed various initiatives and explained how they had transformed lives, mentioning IFFDC, CORDET, soil testing, neem tree plantations, and more. “I dreamt of making every farmer a professional, someone who not only subsists but earns profits,” he said.
“I’ve seen many ups and downs,” he added, “but I was the happiest man in July 2021 when the PM announced the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation and entrusted it to Amit Shah, whose business acumen and cooperative spirit are remarkable.”
Looking back, he recalled working with 37 ministers, witnessing the tenure of 9 Prime Ministers, and collaborating with 52 secretaries. “Many disagreed with me at first,” he said, “but eventually came around to support my stand.” He thanked IFFCO’s members for their trust, noting that in all 22 General Body Meetings during his tenure, every proposal he presented was approved.
He also recalled the accolades he received along the way, including being named Director Emeritus by an American institution, an award from President Pratibha Patil for his contributions to art and culture, Sahakar Bharati’s Inamdar Award, the Fertilizer Man Award, and the prestigious 2024 Rochdale Pioneers Award.
Calling himself a man of his word, Dr. Awasthi recounted how he once stood firmly behind Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav for KRIBHCO Chairmanship. “Even if I have to lose my life, I will do so happily to keep my promise,” he said, underlining that he would always stand by IFFCO whenever it needed him. “It’s my promise,” he declared.
