Anuradha N. Naik
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Anuradha N. Naik is an Indian researcher working at the Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI) in
Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
. She received the 2018
Nari Shakti Puraskar The Nari Shakti Puraskar is an annual award given by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India to individual women or to institutions that work towards the cause of women empowerment. It is the highest civilian hono ...
for her work supporting tribal women in cultivating Khola chilies.


Early life

Anuradha N. Naik comes from
Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
and studied in the department of Botany at
Goa University Goa University is a public state research university headquartered in the city of Panaji, in the Indian state of Goa. In addition to Panaji ( Taleigão Plateau Campus), it has a campus in Margao, Mapusa, Ponda, Old Goa and Vasco da Gama. ...
.


Career

Naik worked as a researcher at the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) and then at the
Indian Council of Agricultural Research The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India. It reports to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture. Th ...
's Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI). Whilst at CCARI, she noticed the red Khola chillies lying in the sun to dry when visiting
Cabo de Rama Praça do Cabo de Rama is a medieval hillfort on the coast of Canacona, Goa. History In the 1760s, the Portuguese gained control of Cabo de Rama after the Raja of Soonda surrendered his territory to them in return for protection against Hyder Ali ...
. The chillies take their name from the village of Khola and are only grown on hillsides in the
Canacona Canacona () is a city and a municipal council in the district of South Goa, Goa state, India. Canacona taluka includes Patnem, Chaudi, Poinguinim, Loliem-Polem, Agonda, and Gaumdongre. Chaudi is the headquarters and the most developed town in t ...
region during the monsoon season. The tribal women cultivating the chillies were at first reluctant to discuss their growing techniques with Naik, but she persuaded them of the value of scientific research. She helped the women to form a community organisation, the Khola Canacona Chilli Cultivators Group, which packages and sells the chillies at market. The group was awarded the Plant Genome Saviour Community Award and Naik received the 2018
Nari Shakti Puraskar The Nari Shakti Puraskar is an annual award given by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India to individual women or to institutions that work towards the cause of women empowerment. It is the highest civilian hono ...
. The latter is India's highest civilian award only for women and Naik was the first Goan to win it. In January 2020, the Khola chili was given
geographical indication A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...
status and trials were announced aiming to broaden its cultivation area, although Naik expressed concerns about growing it on flatlands. She had turned her attention to other local crops such as Harmal chillies from Agaçaim and
Taleigão Taleigão, or Platô de Taleigão, is a neighborhood located in the southern part of the city of Panaji, the capital of the Indian state of Goa. It is entirely located on the island of Tiswadi, which is one of the talukas in the state of Goa. Th ...
, and okra from St Estevav island.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Naik, Anuradha N. Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Indian women scientists 21st-century Indian scientists Women scientists from Goa Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018 winners Botanists active in India Living people