In a moment of national pride and recognition for grassroots innovation, Shri Hariman Sharma, a progressive farmer from Bilaspur district in Himachal Pradesh, has been conferred the Padma Shri 2025 for his pioneering contribution to Agriculture. He is best known for developing HRMN-99, a unique low-chill apple variety that grows successfully in tropical and subtropical climates.

Shri Sharma’s journey began humbly in 1998, when he planted apple seeds in his backyard out of curiosity. What followed was years of experimentation and grafting that led to the birth of HRMN-99—an apple variety that grows even in temperatures as high as 40–45°C and at altitudes as low as 1,800 ft, breaking the myth that apples grow only in the colder Himalayan belt.

Today, HRMN-99 is being cultivated by over one lakh farmers across 29 Indian states, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh, and has even been exported to countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Zambia. Over 1.4 million saplings of the variety have been distributed.

This innovation has opened the doors of apple cultivation to non-traditional regions, enhancing rural incomes and reducing dependency on apple imports. Shri Sharma’s work has been recognized by ICAR, the National Innovation Foundation, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras.

Speaking on the honour, Shri Sharma said, “I started with discarded seeds and a dream. Today, this award belongs to every farmer who dared to experiment.”