Yara India Announces First Women in Agronomy Scholar Awards

By: WE staff | Thursday, 18 December 2025

• Yara India named the initial winners of the Women in Agronomy Scholar Awards
• This initiative seeks to encourage and empower female agronomy leaders
• The prizes in 2025-26 honored five woman Ph.D. students in Agronomy and Soil Science

Yara India, a subsidiary of Yara International, a global crop nutrient company, has announced the winners of the Yara International Women in Agronomy Scholar Awards for the first time, which reflects their emphasis on awarding scholarships to women agronomists.

During the 2025-2026 academic years, the program identified five female Ph.D. students majoring in Agronomy and Soil Science. This number was increased based on the merit of the candidates.

The chosen scholars are Ruchi Rajpoot of Rani Lakshmibai Central Agricultural University, Meka Kalyani of Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Dharani S of Kerala Agricultural University, Gobikashri N. of Pondicherry University, and Barsha Mansingh of CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University.

The winner will also be awarded a financial grant of US$1,500. Furthermore, the project entails a six-month research mentorship in 2026, whereby winners will be able to avail themselves of Yara’s research and development team, an opportunity to learn about practices in the industries, as well as learning about possible future careers at Yara.

Speaking at the occasion was Sanjiv Kanwar, the Managing Director of Yara South Asia, who said that the program embodies the company’s passion for academic excellence, diversity, and the use of research for the development of agriculture. “Today’s scholars represent the future of agricultural innovation in India,”

Rejane Souza, the Senior Vice President of Global Innovation at Yara International, added: "Enhancing women’s representation in agricultural decision-making and innovation circles can certainly add to making this sector more resilient and competitive. Aligning investments in young scientists with Yara International’s strategy of innovation based on knowledge can also be fitting."

The selection of the scholars followed a series of procedures, including reviews of applications by a Yara committee and virtual interviews with experts.

The selection of the scholars entailed academic performance, relevance of study, results of the interviews, and the motivation of the individuals to make a contribution to the agriculture sector