Butchers of Sopore and Birmingham

Nine years of calm before icy storm

Kashmir turns crimson with blood of Pandits

AN UN-ISLAMIC KIDNAPPING AND CHAOS IN THE VALLEY

The illusion of azaadi and Kashmir’s historic deception

How Pak's terror policy evolved in Kashmir

Birth of social media jihadists, death of Article-370

Operation Sindoor: When Indian missiles rained on Pak terror parade

<div class='ite_mg_banner ads__container'><div class='it_mg_bnrBox'><div class='ite_bnr_cont'><div class='ite_cont_dtl'> <h4>Get <span class='bold_text'>37%</span> off on an annual Print +Digital subscription of India Today Magazine</h4><a href='https://subscriptions.intoday.in/indiatoday?utm_source=top-web-banner ' class='ite_subscribe_btn origin_conscent_url' target='_blank'>SUBSCRIBE</a></div></div></div></div>

US Election coverage

India

World

NewsMo

Fact Check

Programmes

Match Schedule

Teams

Player Stats

LIVE SCORES

<p><span ><strong>Basudha Trust</strong></span><span >, Rayagada,</span> Odisha</p><p><strong>Key person:</strong> Debal Deb, founder, conservation scientist</p><p><strong>Year of inception:</strong> 2001 (Bankura campus), 2012 (Rayagada campus)</p><div data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="83c3d7c4-f77d-4abd-9801-a96254416a7d" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><article class="media media--type-ckeditor-image media--view-mode-image">
  
      
            <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item">  <div class="itgimage"><amp-img  src="https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/indiatoday/styles/medium_crop_simple/public/2026-01/gems-basudha-2.jpg?VersionId=d1qtxTiurPIdcchgSEidBhn5.DWRCGuS&size=750:*&size=750:*" alt = "" height="1325" width="770" class="image-style-medium-crop-simple" layout="responsive"></amp-img></div>


</div>
      
  </article>
</div><p><span ><b>A</b></span> dedicated ecological farm and conservation initiative, Basudha functions as a trust under the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS), an umbrella organisation working on preserving traditional crop diversity, especially for India’s indigenous rice varieties. Basudha (‘Earth Mother’ in Bengali) now works out of a 1.7-acre farm in a tribal village in the Bissam Cuttack area of Rayagada district in southern Odisha, where farmers and researchers gather and learn about traditional agricultural practices, organic farming and ecological architecture.</p><p>At the heart of its work is the collection and regeneration of indigenous rice varieties. Founder and conservation scientist Debal Deb says over the past many years, he has collected 1,480 varieties of rice, of which some 800 varieties are preserved only on Basudha’s farm or in national/international gene banks. Another 180 ‘rarest’ varieties are not known to exist anywhere outside Basudha’s farm. To maintain genetic integrity and purity, the centre verifies 56 phenotypic features in each rice variety every year. Deb points out that till the 1970s, the Indian subcontinent hosted an estimated 110,000 distinct varieties of rice. Decades of industrial hybrid seed adoption and modern crop practices have dramatically reduced this diversity, leaving only around 6,000 varieties extant today.</p><div data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="806326ea-b76e-4029-b893-5450b5d3d586" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><article class="media media--type-ckeditor-image media--view-mode-image">
  
      
            <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item">  <div class="itgimage"><amp-img  src="https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/indiatoday/styles/medium_crop_simple/public/2026-01/gems-basudha-3_0.jpg?VersionId=FDLZVnvJ4X_1fIAtzpksUQ_n_wqGZiiM&size=750:*&size=750:*" alt = "" height="274" width="770" class="image-style-medium-crop-simple" layout="responsive"></amp-img></div>


</div>
      
  </article>
</div><p>Around 17,000 farmers across eight Indian states have received rice seeds from Basudha, 7,000 of them in Odisha alone. These farmers do not pay for the seeds; instead, they agree to share the benefits with others. With this multiplier effect, another 20,000 farmers have taken up cultivation of these traditional rice forms, creating a grassroots network of biodiversity custodians. Prof. Subhasis Mondal, from the department of plant physiology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, says, “Basudha’s conservation is not just on paper. It is through participatory farming, which helps these genes survive and grow.”</p><p>Deb worked initially in Bankura, West Bengal, but the lack of interest among farmers there led him to relocate his conservation efforts to Odisha in 2012, where the work has flourished. Over the years, Basudha’s seeds and conservation practices have gained popularity among farming communities not only in eastern India but in states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra, where farmers are reviving and cultivating ancestral rice varieties.</p><p>To collect the rare seeds, Deb has travelled across states, often in punishing conditions. On one such journey in Bengal, he travelled through relentless rain for a whole day to reach a remote village in Lataguri, in Jalpaiguri district. The goal: collect seeds of a near-forgotten rice variety, Agnishal. “That day,” he remembers, “I was soaked to the bone. But I kept thinking—if I don’t reach today, the seeds may disappear forever.” It is this dedication that has built Basudha’s identity in rice conservation circles all over the world.</p><div id="lrcmtcont"></div><div class="end_story">- Ends</div><div class="dottedimg"></div><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Shyam Balasubramanian</div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Jan 24, 2026 21:17 IST</div></div></div>

Gems of India | Republic Day Special

<p><span style="color:#c0392b;"><strong>Basudha Trust</strong></span><span style="color:#000000;">, Rayagada,</span> Odisha</p><p><strong>Key person:</strong> Debal Deb, founder, conservation scientist</p><p><strong>Year of inception:</strong> 2001 (Bankura campus), 2012 (Rayagada campus)</p><div data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="83c3d7c4-f77d-4abd-9801-a96254416a7d" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><article class="media media--type-ckeditor-image media--view-mode-image">
  
      
            <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item">  <div class="itgimage"><img  height="1325"  title=""  width="770"  class="image-style-medium-crop-simple" alt="" src="https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/indiatoday/styles/medium_crop_simple/public/2026-01/gems-basudha-2.jpg?VersionId=d1qtxTiurPIdcchgSEidBhn5.DWRCGuS&size=750:*" loading="lazy" /></div>


</div>
      
  </article>
</div><p><font color="#c0392b" face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 58px;"><b>A</b></span></font> dedicated ecological farm and conservation initiative, Basudha functions as a trust under the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS), an umbrella organisation working on preserving traditional crop diversity, especially for India’s indigenous rice varieties. Basudha (‘Earth Mother’ in Bengali) now works out of a 1.7-acre farm in a tribal village in the Bissam Cuttack area of Rayagada district in southern Odisha, where farmers and researchers gather and learn about traditional agricultural practices, organic farming and ecological architecture.</p><p>At the heart of its work is the collection and regeneration of indigenous rice varieties. Founder and conservation scientist Debal Deb says over the past many years, he has collected 1,480 varieties of rice, of which some 800 varieties are preserved only on Basudha’s farm or in national/international gene banks. Another 180 ‘rarest’ varieties are not known to exist anywhere outside Basudha’s farm. To maintain genetic integrity and purity, the centre verifies 56 phenotypic features in each rice variety every year. Deb points out that till the 1970s, the Indian subcontinent hosted an estimated 110,000 distinct varieties of rice. Decades of industrial hybrid seed adoption and modern crop practices have dramatically reduced this diversity, leaving only around 6,000 varieties extant today.</p><div data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="806326ea-b76e-4029-b893-5450b5d3d586" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><article class="media media--type-ckeditor-image media--view-mode-image">
  
      
            <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item">  <div class="itgimage"><img  height="274"  title=""  width="770"  class="image-style-medium-crop-simple" alt="" src="https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/indiatoday/styles/medium_crop_simple/public/2026-01/gems-basudha-3_0.jpg?VersionId=FDLZVnvJ4X_1fIAtzpksUQ_n_wqGZiiM&size=750:*" loading="lazy" /></div>


</div>
      
  </article>
</div><p>Around 17,000 farmers across eight Indian states have received rice seeds from Basudha, 7,000 of them in Odisha alone. These farmers do not pay for the seeds; instead, they agree to share the benefits with others. With this multiplier effect, another 20,000 farmers have taken up cultivation of these traditional rice forms, creating a grassroots network of biodiversity custodians. Prof. Subhasis Mondal, from the department of plant physiology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, says, “Basudha’s conservation is not just on paper. It is through participatory farming, which helps these genes survive and grow.”</p><p>Deb worked initially in Bankura, West Bengal, but the lack of interest among farmers there led him to relocate his conservation efforts to Odisha in 2012, where the work has flourished. Over the years, Basudha’s seeds and conservation practices have gained popularity among farming communities not only in eastern India but in states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra, where farmers are reviving and cultivating ancestral rice varieties.</p><p>To collect the rare seeds, Deb has travelled across states, often in punishing conditions. On one such journey in Bengal, he travelled through relentless rain for a whole day to reach a remote village in Lataguri, in Jalpaiguri district. The goal: collect seeds of a near-forgotten rice variety, Agnishal. “That day,” he remembers, “I was soaked to the bone. But I kept thinking—if I don’t reach today, the seeds may disappear forever.” It is this dedication that has built Basudha’s identity in rice conservation circles all over the world.</p><div id="lrcmtcont"></div><div class="end_story">- Ends</div><div class="dottedimg"></div><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Shyam Balasubramanian</div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Jan 24, 2026 21:17 IST</div></div></div>

Basudha's yeoman service in preserving traditional rice varieties has not just preserved forgotten seeds but also created a grassroots network of biodiversity custodians

India Today

Saviour of our rice diversity | Basudha Trust, Rayagada, Odisha - India Today

Saviour of our rice diversity | Basudha Trust, Rayagada, Odisha

After Homebound, actor Ishaan Khatter is set to star in Jugaadu. He announced the film on social media. Here's everything you need to know about the film's cast, crew and more.

Ishaan Khatter

Ishaan Khatter announces Jugaadu: All about the cast, director and more

Rapper King dismissed the idea of acting being a “mainstream leap” as he steps into Lukkhe, saying he doesn’t follow a fixed career path. The rapper-actor also spoke about breaking hip-hop stereotypes and viewing music and acting as equal forms of art.

King

Lukkhe star King on stereotypes around rappers: Some flex chains, some flex lyrics

India Today Fact Check found that the video is not from West Bengal at all. It also predates the election results in the state.

Fact Check: TMC worker caught faking an injury? This video is from Bihar!

Mohamed Alabbar's praise for Indian employees' late-night availability has sparked debate over workplace expectations. The reaction has widened into a conversation on work-life balance, burnout and changing employee boundaries.

Alabbar and Fred marchitto ceo of Net A Porter, Interview held at The Address Boluward club lounge,

Indians answer at 1 am: Burj Khalifa developer on why he hires Indians

Wildlife scientist Krithi K. Karanth has become the first Indian to win the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year award for 2026.

Under Karanth's leadership, CWS has trained 50,000 local stakeholders across 100 wildlife reserves in eight Indian states. (Photo: National Geographic)

Meet Krithi Karanth: First Indian named Nat Geo Explorer of the Year

Play Time!

Elections 2026

Bengal Violence

Mamata Banerjee

Vijay

PM Modi

Suvendu Adhikari

CBSE 12th Result

Election Results Live

8th Pay Commission

Tamil Nadu Election Result

West Bengal Election Result

Kerala Election Result

Puducherry Election Result

TVK chief Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday to stake claim to form a government.

Vijay meets Governor, stakes claim to form Tamil Nadu government

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to attend TVK chief Vijay's upcoming swearing-in ceremony. This move could result in the national party securing a cabinet position in the state government after several decades.

Rahul Gandhi likely to attend Vijay's swearing-in ceremony

Watch as India Today's Geeta Mohan brings this exclusive ground report from Iran's fourteenth-century Golestan Palace, which was damaged during the US-Israel airstrikes on Tehran.

Inside Iran's Golestan Palace: India Today reports from the damaged heritage site

A day after BJP scripted history by winning 206 seats in West Bengal, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was seen relishing jhalmuri after a cabinet briefing in Delhi.

Video: Ashwini Vaishnaw celebrates BJP's Bengal victory with jhalmuri

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been appointed as the central observer for West Bengal as the party brainstorms to select the next Chief Minister of the state.

Download App

Get 37% off on an annual Print +Digital subscription of India Today Magazine

Saviour of our rice diversity | Basudha Trust, Rayagada, Odisha

Basudha's yeoman service in preserving traditional rice varieties has not just preserved forgotten seeds but also created a grassroots network of biodiversity custodians

PUBLICATIONS

TELEVISION

EVENTS

RADIO

GAMING

USEFUL LINKS

PRINTING

WELFARE

DISTRIBUTION

SYNDICATIONS

WEBSITES

EDUCATION