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K. Chellammal
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Agriculture · Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Nariyal Amma's many-layered farm

With schooling only up to Class 6, K. Chellammal turned her coconut farm in South Andaman into a place where farmers come to learn and colleges send their students.

K. Chellammalके. चेल्लम्मल
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K. Chellammal on her farm in South Andaman. Photo: The New Indian Express

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Born
6 February 1957
Place
South Andaman, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Farm
8-acre organic, coconut-based multi-cropping
Honour
Padma Shri 2024 (Agriculture)
8 acresorganic model farm
170+nearby farmers trained
200+farmers have visited the farm

From island farm to model farm

The President of India’s Padma citation describes Chellammal as an organic farmer from South Andaman who developed her 8-acre farm into a coconut-based multi-cropping model. Instead of leaving the spaces between the coconut palms empty, she grows a mix of spices, tubers, fruits, vegetables and flowers. That spreads both the use of the land and the sources of income.

Organic, with a system behind it

The official profile records her use of Jeevamrutham, Panchagavya, green manure, farmyard manure, beekeeping, and pheromone-based integrated pest management. This is the strongest farming lesson of her story: more important than the “organic” label is the whole system of feeding the soil, mixing crops and managing pests.

A farm that became a classroom

According to the citation, she has trained more than 170 nearby farmers and more than 200 farmers have visited her farm. Agricultural institutions also send students on study visits. Her farm has grown from a private livelihood into a place of demonstration and learning.

Her formal schooling went only up to Class 6. Yet institutions now send students to learn from her farm. That bridge between lived farming knowledge and formal agricultural learning is the most inspiring part of her story.

Nariyal Amma and agro-tourism

The Padma Shri in 2024 followed earlier recognition from the Coconut Development Board and ICAR-CIARI. She is also exploring agro-tourism, connecting farming, education and island tourism.

Her farm shows that growing many crops together lowers the risk of depending on one, and that a model farm matters most when its knowledge passes to other farmers.

Sources