It is matter of pride that Dr. Deepak Sharma & Dr. Parmeshwar K. Sahu (Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV), Raipur) and Dr. B.K. Das (SO(G), Nuclear Agriculture & Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai) have jointly bestowed with the prestigious “Dr. S.K. Vasal Award for Efficient Use of Plant Genetic Resources-2022” by Indian Society of Plant Genetic Resources (ISPGR), ICAR- National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi on 14th August 2023 for their outstanding contributions towards collections, conservation, registration, evaluation, improvement and revival of traditional rice landraces of Chhattisgarh through radiation induced mutation breeding under the joint collaboration of IGKV, Raipur and BARC, Mumbai. The award consisted of cash prize of Rs. 100000.00 (One Lakh Rupees Only), certificate and memento which was provided by the gracious hands of Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE), GOI & Director General, Indian Council of Agriculture, Research (ICAR), New Delhi in the presence of Padma Bhushan Dr. R.S. Paroda, Ex-DG, ICAR & President, ISPGR; Dr. G.P. Singh, Director, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi; Dr. R.C. Agrawal, DDG (Education), ICAR, New Delhi; Dr. S.K. Vasal; Dr. R.K. Tyagi & Dr. Anuradha Agrawal. This award is instituted to recognize those who have shown professional excellence in the utilization of plant genetic resources, including areas of pre-breeding, genetic enhancement, use of germplasm or crop wild relatives for breeding, widening genetic base of crops etc. It is important to mention that Dr. Sharma & team has done excellent work for collections, conservation, registration, evaluation, improvement and revival of traditional rice varieties of Chhattisgarh state in collaboration with BARC, Mumbai. Till now more than 100 rice landraces have been improved through radiation induced mutation breeding; five rice mutant varieties i.e. TCDM-1, Vikram-TCR, CG Jawaphool Trombay, TCVM and TCSM have been developed for commercial cultivation in Chhattisgarh state and 7 mutants are under the state and national multi-location trials and they will be submitted for release soon. More than 30 stable mutants are under different stages of evaluation; more than 365 farmers’ varieties of rice have been registered at PPV&FRA, New Delhi; two rice landraces of Chhattisgarh viz., “Jeeraphool” & “Nagri Dubraj” have conferred with Geographical Indication Tag for Sarguja & Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh, respectively.