Angul: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, today announced that Mr. Dillip Kumar Pradhan from Anugul, Odisha, has clinched the First Rank in the Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT) category (Non-NER) for the prestigious National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2025.
The NGRA is one of India’s highest national honours in the livestock and dairy sector, recognizing the crucial role AITs play in improving bovine breeds and enhancing milk production across the country.
Shri Pradhan, whose work in Anugul has been instrumental in breed improvement, secured the top spot in the Non-North Eastern Region (Non-NER) category, highlighting the significant contribution of Odisha’s dairy service providers.
The award recognizes his dedicated service and exceptional success rate in the field of Artificial Insemination, a key program under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) aimed at the scientific conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds.
The Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, and Panchayati Raj, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), will confer the awards on November 26, 2025, as part of the National Milk Day celebrations.
While the Best Dairy Farmer and Best Dairy Cooperative categories receive monetary prizes, the Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT) category is honoured with a Certificate of Merit and a Memento in recognition of exemplary service.
This achievement not only celebrates Shri Pradhan’s individual success but also brings national attention to Odisha’s growing dairy sector and the efficiency of its artificial insemination services, including recent initiatives like the ‘On-Call AI’ system.