New Delhi: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has announced the winners of the National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2025. The NGRA is one of the highest national honours in the livestock and dairy sector.

These awards will be conferred by Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh). Minister of State for MoFAHD Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel and George Kurian will also be present at the event. The awards will be presented on 26 November 2025 as part of the National Milk Day celebrations.

This year, a total of 2,081 applications were received, from which the awardees were selected.

Details of Winners in Each Category

1. Best Dairy Farmer Rearing Indigenous Cattle/Buffalo Breeds

Non-NER:
1st – Aravind Yashavant Patil, Kolhapur, Maharashtra
2nd – Dr. Kankanala Krishna Reddy, Hyderabad, Telangana
3rd – Harshit Jhuria, Sikar, Rajasthan
3rd – Shraddha Satyawan Dhavan, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

NER/Himalayan:
– Vijay Lata, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh
–  Pradeep Pangariya, Champawat, Uttarakhand

2. Best Dairy Cooperative Society / Milk Producer Company / Dairy Farmer Producer Organisation

Non-NER:
1st – Meenan Gadi Ksheerolpadaka Sahakarana Sangham Ltd, Wayanad, Kerala
2nd – Kunnamkattupathy Ksheerolpadaka Sahakarana Sangham, Palakkad, Kerala
2nd – Ghinoi Dugdh Utpadak Sahkari Samiti, Jaipur, Rajasthan
3rd – TYSPL 37 Sendurai Milk Producers Cooperative Society Ltd, Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu

NER/Himalayan:
– Kulha Duud Udpadhak Sahkari Samiti, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand

3. Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT)

Non-NER:
1st –  Dillip Kumar Pradhan, Anugul, Odisha
2nd – Vikas Kumar, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan
3rd – Anuradha Chakali, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh

NER/Himalayan:
–  Deluwar Hasan, Barpeta, Assam

Award Components

The NGRA 2025 will include a Certificate of Merit, a memento, and monetary prizes for the first two categories (Best Dairy Farmer and Best DCS/FPO/MPCs):

• ₹5,00,000 – 1st rank
• ₹3,00,000 – 2nd rank
• ₹2,00,000 – 3rd rank
• ₹2,00,000 – Special Award for NER/Himalayan States

For the Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT) category, the award will consist of a Certificate of Merit and a memento only, with no cash prize.

Background

Launched in December 2014, the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) focuses on the scientific conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds. Since 2021, the Department has been conferring the National Gopal Ratna Awards annually to encourage dairy farmers, dairy cooperative societies/MPCs/FPOs, and Artificial Insemination Technicians (AITs).