Dharamshala: The Department of Home conferred this year’s Yarlung Sotang Best Farmer award to Tenzin Thinley from Phendeling Tibetan settlement in Mainpat, Chattisgarh. While the Yarlung Sotang Best Young Farmer award was conferred on Lodoe Gelek from Dekyi Larso Tibetan settlement in Bylakuppe, Karnataka state. The two award winners were invited to receive the award on this year’s democracy day ceremony. However, due to Covid restrictions, they were not able to come to the ceremony.

Co-inciding with Tibetan democracy day, the Yarlung Sotang award for best farmer and best young farmer was established on 2 September 2019 by the department of home to inspire and encourage new agriculture and farming techniques in the Tibetan community. The award comes with a cash prize of 1,00,000 Rs.

This year’s Yarlung Sotang best farmer award winner Tenzin Thinley is a former member of the Tibetan Special Frontier Force. After resigning from the force, he focused on farming and agriculture. He cultivates a farm of at least 138 acres and raises 11 cows. The milk from the cows are sold to the local people from which he looks after his family and farm.

This year’s Yarlung Sotang Best Young Farmer Award winner Lodoe Gelek from Dekyi Larso has been interested in farming from an early age. He plants a variety of commercial crops on his 62-acre farm and raises cattle including cows. He looks after his family and farm from the proceeds of his farming business.

Filed by Department of Home