Hubballi: Abdul Khadar Nadakatin, on Tuesday was named among the winners of Padma Shri Award.
He is an innovative farmer from the city of Annigeri in the Dharwad district.
Being a mechanical with a hobby, he developed interest in agriculture on his land inherited by 60 hectares to fall in dry areas.
The experiment began with planting Mango, Sapota with interbrop such as chili and in the 1980s.
His innovative idea turned into reality in 1994 when he developed a device to separate acid seeds from pulp after spending RS 3 Lakh and six months.
In one day, this device can do work equivalent to 500 workers per day.
Nadakatin began innovating in 1974 as soon as he left school because he could not get up early and his father wanted him to become a farmer.
At that time, he had developed a kind of bullock puppies drawn which was able to hijack deeply where the whip was not needed.
He also found a multi-purpose sowing machine in 1985.
He founded the Vishwashanthi Agricultural Research and Industrial Research Center in 1975.
Now agricultural equipment is named after ‘Nadakattin’ is well-known throughout the country.