M S Swaminathan Research Foundation

The human resource of rural India is rooted with enormous potentials and experience and
particularly rich in traditional knowledge and wisdom. Hitherto, such rural potentials were
not explored for larger sections of society nor provided opportunity to share and remain
invisible in the front line of development. If these men and women who, with enormous
potentials on various aspects of development are recognized and provided with life long
training, they could make a concerted effort in their respective and neighbouring village to
lead the villagers and progress knowledge revolution and place the community in the development
sphere. If such rural transformation is to take place, identification of grassroots
academicians and their contributions are essential since they know the problems of rural
communities and also the solutions. Therefore, it is significant and appropriate to identify
and select suitable rural women and men as NVA fellows. So far, 985 members including
women and 25 international members have been chosen as NVA Fellows from 22 states.
Adding value to this effort, NVA had decentralized the process of peer review and selected
238 NVA fellows from 13 states and a Union Territory in India. As NVA Fellows have been
recognized as “Torch Bearers” of knowledge revolution, the selection process is pivotal.