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{{short description|Indian agronomist}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = R. H. Richharia
| image = 
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = 1909
| birth_place = Nandanwara, [[Hoshangabad district]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], India
| death_date = 1996
| death_place = [[Bhopal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| fields = [[Agronomy]], [[Botany]]
| workplaces = [[Central Rice Research Institute]] (CRRI), Indira Gandhi Agricultural University (IGAU)
| alma_mater = [[Nagpur University]]
| known_for = Conservation of indigenous [[rice varieties]]
| awards =
}}
'''Radhelal Harelal Richharia''' (1909–1996) was an Indian [[Agriculturist|agronomist]] and rice scientist renowned for his extensive work in conserving indigenous rice varieties.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Basile |first=Elisabetta |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Changing_Identity_of_Rural_India/JAFNHBLv5PgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=rh+richharia&pg=PA271&printsec=frontcover |title=The Changing Identity of Rural India: A Socio-historic Analysis |last2=Mukhopadhyay |first2=Ishita |date=2009 |publisher=Anthem Press |isbn=978-81-907570-2-7 |pages=271–273 |language=en}}</ref> He played a pivotal role in documenting and preserving India's rich rice biodiversity, amassing a collection of approximately 19,000 [[List of rice cultivars|rice varieties]] during his career.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Dr. Richharia's story – Crushed, but not defeated - Satavic Farms |url=https://satavic.org/dr-richharias-story-crushed-but-not-defeated/ |access-date=2025-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-18 |title=Top Rice Scientist Dr. Richharia Who Sacrificed Much to Protect Interests of Farmers |url=https://countercurrents.org/2021/02/top-rice-scientist-dr-richharia-who-sacrificed-much-to-protect-interests-of-farmers/ |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Countercurrents |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Richharia was born in 1909 in Nandanwara village, [[Hoshangabad district]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]. Influenced by his father's interest in gardening, he developed an early fascination with plants. He pursued higher education in [[Botany]], completing his [[Master of Science|M.Sc.]] from [[Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University|Nagpur University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=R.H. Richharia Is the Unsung Hero of Indian Agriculture |url=https://m.thewire.in/article/agriculture/r-h-richharia-is-the-unsung-hero-of-indian-agriculture |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=thewire.in |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==
In 1959, Richharia was appointed as the director of the [[National Rice Research Institute|Central Rice Research Institute]] (CRRI) in [[Cuttack]], [[Odisha]], a position he held until 1966. During his tenure, he emphasized the importance of indigenous rice varieties and initiated extensive collection and conservation efforts.<ref>{{Citation |title=National Rice Research Institute |date=2025-04-26 |work=Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rice_Research_Institute |access-date=2025-05-05 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the web page of Dr. Sanjoy Kumar Pal, India |url=http://sanjoypal.com/meetimpperson.html |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=sanjoypal.com}}</ref>

Later, he served as the director of the [[National Rice Research Institute|Madhya Pradesh Rice Research Institute]] (MPRRI) in [[Raipur]] (present–day [[Chhattisgarh]]), where he continued his work on rice biodiversity. His efforts led to the establishment of a comprehensive rice germplasm collection, which became a valuable resource for future research and breeding programs.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=17 October 2014 |title=Dr RH Richharia laboratory inauguration at IGAU today |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2014/state-editions/dr-rh-richharia-laboratory-inauguration-at-igau-today.html |work=The Pioneer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=R.H. Richharia Is the Unsung Hero of Indian Agriculture |url=https://thewire.in/agriculture/r-h-richharia-is-the-unsung-hero-of-indian-agriculture?mid_related_new |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=The Wire |language=en}}</ref>

From 1978 to 1991, Richharia continued his scientific work from his residence and a small farm near [[Bhopal]], despite lacking institutional support. He faced considerable adversity, including personal loss and systemic pushback due to his opposition to the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides and promotion of indigenous agricultural practices.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |title=The life and work of Dr. R.H. Richharia by Bharat Dogra |url=https://ia800400.us.archive.org/7/items/LifeworkRichharia/life&work%20richharia.pdf |journal=Bharat Dogra}}</ref>

In 1984, he was affected by the [[Bhopal disaster|Bhopal gas tragedy]], and later that year, he suffered a heart attack, the aftereffects of which impacted him for the remainder of his life. Despite these setbacks, Richharia remained dedicated to his mission. He was supported by his daughter and family, who helped him maintain his work.<ref name=":2" />

He engaged in the compilation of a large-scale encyclopedia of rice germplasm from Madhya Pradesh, cataloguing over 20,000 rice cultivars. He also prepared a Botanical Dictionary of Useful Plants of India, with work on it beginning in 1946–47 and accumulating over 8,000 entries including botanical names, family names, local names, and other data.<ref name=":2" />

== Contributions ==
Richharia's most notable contribution was his dedication to preserving traditional rice varieties. He believed that these varieties possessed unique traits such as pest resistance, adaptability to local conditions, and nutritional value. His collection of 19,000 rice varieties is currently housed at the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University (IGAU) in [[Raipur]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Richharia |first=R. H. |date=May 1962 |title=Clonal Propagation as a Practical Means of Exploiting Hybrid Vigour in Rice |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/194598a0 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=194 |issue=4828 |pages=598 |doi=10.1038/194598a0 |bibcode=1962Natur.194..598R |issn=1476-4687}}</ref>

In addition to his conservation efforts, Richharia authored several publications advocating for sustainable agriculture and the protection of farmers' rights. His work emphasized the significance of indigenous knowledge and the need to safeguard genetic diversity in crops.

== Legacy ==
Despite facing challenges and opposition, Richharia's work laid the foundation for future research in rice biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. In recognition of his contributions, the Dr. R.H. Richharia Research Laboratory was inaugurated at IGAU in 2014.<ref name=":1" />

== Selected publications ==
* ''Rice in Abundance for All Times Through Rice Clones: A Possible One-grain Rice Revolution'' – R.H. Richharia

== Further reading ==
* Dogra, Bharat. ''The Life and Work of Dr. R.H. Richharia''. B. Dogra, 1991.

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXuElTw6Uks Dr R H Richharia, the Unsung Hero of Indian Agriculture – YouTube]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richharia, R.H.}}
[[Category:1909 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian agronomists]]
[[Category:Indian botanists]]
[[Category:People from Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Indian agriculturalists]]
[[Category:20th-century agronomists]]

R. H. Richharia - Revision history

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