Amrik Singh Cheema
Born1 December 1918
Badhai Cheema, Sialkot, British India
Died18 July 1982
Tanzania
SpouseRaminder Kaur Gill
ChildrenJatinder Cheema
Jagdeep Cheema
Boona Cheema
AwardsPadma Shri

Amrik Singh Cheema (1918 - 1982) was an Indian civil servant, author,[1] an advocate of green revolution[2] and a former vice chancellor of the Punjab Agricultural University,[3] known for his contributions to the agricultural initiatives of the Indian government.[4] He was honoured by the Government of India in 1969, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his contributions to the society.[5]


The Young Farmers Association set up the annual Dr Amrik Singh Cheema award in his name, the former awardees of which include former Punjab Chief Minister CAPT AMRINDER SINGH, former Union Minister Ch BIRENDER SINGH and former Chief Election Commissioner of India MS Gill.[6]

Biography

Amrik Singh Cheema was born on 1 December 1918 at Badhai Cheema village in Sialkot district (presently in Pakistan) in the British India.[4][7] He secured his master's degree in agriculture from Punjab University and a doctoral degree in Agriculture Extension from Cornell University, USA.[4][7] Starting as an agricultural assistant, he pursued a notable career during which he served in various positions such as the Director of Agriculture, Faridkot State, the Joint Director of Agriculture of Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), Director of Agriculture of Punjab, Central Agricultural Production Commissioner[2] and Senior Agriculturist, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).[4][7] He also served as the honorary Advisor on Agriculture to the Government of India and as the vice chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.[3]

Cheema founded the Punjab Young Farmers' Association (PYFA) (1952),[8] the Rural Youth Volunteers Corps,[9] All India Chamber of Agriculture and the Punjab Chamber of Agriculture.[7] His contributions were reported behind the establishment of the Young Farmers' Training Center,[10] Rakhra, a centre for dissemination of scientific knowledge and technology,[7] with assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization.[11]

Cheema was married to Raminder Kaur Gill and the couple had three children.[2] The eldest, Jatinder Cheema, works for USAid[12] while the son, Jagdeep Singh Cheema[13] is the chairman of Dr. Amrik Singh Cheema Foundation Trust.[14] The youngest, Boona Cheema is a social worker, community leader and a former director of Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), a self build organization.[2][15]

Cheema was the author of four books, The Geeta and the Youth Today, Namyog, Spiritual Socialism[16] and Role of cooperatives in package approach and case study on cooperatives in IADP District Ludhiana (Punjab).[17] A winner of the Indian civilian award of Padma Shri in 1969,[5] Cheema died in Tanzania on 18 July 1982, at the age of 64.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "All Book Stores". All Book Stores. 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Hyung-chan Kim (1999). Distinguished Asian Americans: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 430. ISBN 9780313289026. Dr. Amrik Singh Cheema.
  3. ^ a b "Punjab Agricultural University". Punjab Agricultural University. 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d "Orkut". Orkut. 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Padma Shri" (PDF). Padma Shri. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Dr. Amrik Singh Cheema Award Winners - Official Website of Young Farmers Association Punjab". www.youngfarmersassociation.org. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Dr. Amrik Singh Cheema Foundation Trust". Dr. Amrik Singh Cheema Foundation Trust. 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  8. ^ "Briefly State". Indian Express. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  9. ^ Marcus F Franda (1979). Extending Punjabi agriculture through youth. Hanover, N.H. OCLC 5665862.
  10. ^ B. R. Sinha (2003). Encyclopaedia Of Professopnal Education (10 Vol.). Sarup & Sons. ISBN 9788176254106. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  11. ^ "FAO". FAO. 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  12. ^ "US Aid". US Aid. 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  13. ^ "Jagdeep Singh Cheema".
  14. ^ "Cheema Trust". Cheema Trust. 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Berkeley Side". Berkeley Side. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  16. ^ Amrik Singh Cheema (1981). Spiritual socialism. Kalyani Publishers. p. 36. ASIN B0000CQXZR.
  17. ^ Amrik Singh Cheema (1969). Role of cooperatives in package approach and case study on cooperatives in IADP District Ludhiana (Punjab). ASIN B0007JERRG.

Further reading

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