WAYANAD — Cheruvayal Raman, the Padma Shri award-winning farmer who devoted his life to preserving Kerala’s traditional rice varieties, will be laid to rest with state honours in Wayanad on Thursday.

Raman, 74, passed away on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. He was widely known as ‘Nellachan’ for his dedication to protecting indigenous rice seeds and preserving Kerala’s agricultural heritage.

A public viewing is being held from 9 am to 12 noon at Kammanam Navodaya Lower Primary School in Mananthavady, where Raman received his primary education. The funeral is scheduled for the afternoon at the Kurichya community cremation ground in Kodum.

Several political leaders and public representatives are expected to pay their final respects. Minister T. Siddique is among those expected to represent the state government, while former ministers and other leaders are also expected to attend.

Raman, a native of Kammanam in Mananthavady, preserved more than 45 traditional rice varieties that were at risk of disappearing. He practised traditional organic farming methods and maintained a seed-sharing system that allowed other farmers to cultivate indigenous varieties and return seeds after the next harvest.

His contribution to agricultural biodiversity earned him the Padma Shri in 2023. He also received the National Plant Genome Saviour Award for his work in conserving traditional plant varieties.

Raman’s work helped protect a valuable part of Kerala’s farming heritage and pass traditional agricultural knowledge on to future generations.