Kahan Singh Pannu

Ex-IAS Kahan Singh Pannu developed the SRB technique that enables Punjab farmers to grow paddy using just 25 percent of water traditionally used, saving costs and conserving groundwater.

Kahan Singh Pannu, a retired IAS officer from Punjab, has developed an innovative technique called Seeding of Rice on Beds (SRB) to combat the state’s critical groundwater depletion. His approach conserves water, saves money, and inspires a shift towards conservation-oriented agriculture.

“Rice husk was used as a fuel in mills, which produced ash. Disposing ash is a big issue in the state, but then we found a successful solution.”

For the 1990-batch Punjab Civil Services officer, who was promoted to the IAS in 1996, the reputation is one of honesty, fearlessness and a stickler for rules and their implementation.