Gadchiroli Feb 8 (District correspondent) A historic moment was witnessed today at the grand agricultural festival ‘Koya Krushi Kumbh 2026’, organized with the aim of giving global exposure to agricultural culture and local produce. Under the leadership of renowned chef Vishnu Manohar, a world record was created by preparing 1,111 kilograms of ragi (finger millet) sheera. Through this initiative, the nutritional value and importance of millets, especially ragi grown in Gadchiroli district, were highlighted at national and international levels.
The massive ragi sheera prepared as part of this event has been officially recorded in the India Book of Records, Asia Book of Records, and the World Record Book of India. The ragi used for this record was sustainably produced by farmers from Gadchiroli district.
Special planning for this historic initiative had been underway for the past 15 days. Traditional and nutritious ingredients such as water, jaggery, ghee, charoli and dry fruits were used in preparing the sheera. Representatives of the record-keeping organizations were present throughout the process and conducted a thorough verification.
The event was attended by District Collector Avishyanth Panda, Superintendent of Police Mr. Nilotpal, Assistant Collector M. Arun, along with various district officials, officers and staff from the Agriculture Department, farmers, students, and a large number of citizens. The attendees expressed that this achievement has given a unique identity to Gadchiroli district’s agricultural heritage and to the hard work of local farmers.
Project Director of (ATMA) and District Superintendent Agriculture Officer Preeti Hiralakar stated that the main objective of this initiative was to give global recognition to millet crops, spread awareness about their nutritional value among citizens, and encourage farmers. She added that through ‘Koya Krushi Kumbh’, Gadchiroli’s agricultural tradition is making its mark on the global forum and this initiative will continue to be inspirational in the future.
This initiative will prove to be inspirational for the farmers and the people, she hoped.
