Overview

• The two-day Desi Rice Mela at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry showcased and sold more than 200 indigenous paddy varieties sourced from Karnataka and other Indian states.
• High-quality monsoon seeds and organic products were made available alongside heirloom rice to support sustainable planting and biodiversity.
• A desi rice cooking contest and a children’s drawing competition engaged food enthusiasts and youth, with winners honoured by farmer-conservator Gurulingaswamy and artist S. Vishnukumar.
• Experts highlighted the health benefits of red, black and aromatic rice and cautioned that reliance on polished white rice undermines dietary diversity.
• Seed conservators and activists renewed calls for government support to reintroduce heirloom paddy into active cultivation and preserve agricultural biodiversity.