Rao Raja Shrikant Mandloi Zamindar
Current Titular Rao Raja of Indore, director at Rao Raja Rao Chatrakaran Cold Storage, and Director at Gajra Devi Krishi Farms
Rao sahab belongs to the royal family of Indore, and the 12th generation of the ruler of Indore, Rao Raja Nandlal Ji. Rao Sahab. Rao sahab continues to carry on his multiple businesses, estates and philanthropic projects from his ancestral home, The Bada Rawala Palace, situated in Juni (old) Indore.
Rao sahab’s main focus has been on uplifting the local community and providing solutions for farmers belonging to surrounding villages that once came under the family’s jurisdiction in the pages of history.
In 1990, when the potato crops of the farmers in Datoda village began rotting due to a lack of proper storage facilities, Rao sahab established India’s first modern cold storage facility specifically for the farmers. The Rao Raja Rao Chatrakaran Cold Storage, named in honour of his forefather, was the pioneering entity in India to implement P.U.F. Panel potato storage, which was the tallest cold storage in Asia at the time. Under his guidance, the facility was the first in India to introduce anti-sprouting technology to extend the shelf life of potatoes. Built at five times the cost of conventional storage facilities of that era, the storage facility was equipped with the finest technology, imported from leading global companies, ensuring superior service for farmers.
He has also set up organic farms on over 200 acres around Indore with certification for organic produce by SGS. He has held various workshops and community service events to educate farmers on cost-effective organic concoctions to improve their crops. He used his farm as the business model to encourage other farmers to adopt the organic approach. He was invited as a speaker by the Chinese government at the 2015 World Potato Congress in Beijing, where he shared traditional Indian farming techniques. The Congress further promoted his ideas on how to convert potatoes into a staple crop in China.
As the head of the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh Indore Chapter for many years, he has consistently advocated for farmers’ rights and stood up for their grievances. For the past 20 years, he has promoted organic farming and encouraged farmers to adopt traditional practices for the betterment of the environment. He creates his own natural treatments for crop diseases and distributes them to farmers free of cost. His cold storage facility displays his organic pesticide recipes for farmers to make at their own dwellings.
During his official visit to India in 2008, then-US President Barack Obama appreciated Rao Sahab’s work in farming during his visit to India. Rao Sahab was Invited by the White House to meet the President in Mumbai, his suggestions were mentioned by the President in his speech at the Indian Parliament the following day. Rao Sahab has played a significant role in fostering bilateral ties between Indian and American farmers through the United States Trade and Development Association, enabling knowledge and technology transfer. His efforts have allowed Indian farmers to gain insights into advanced farming technologies and facilitated the import of beneficial machinery for Indian farmers even when some of it had to be done at his own expense.
In the last two decades, he has hosted an annual conference at his storage facility, where he educates farmers on new farming techniques, methods, and machinery. These conferencesalso provide a platform for farmers to discuss their issues and seek solutions. His contributions to farming were recognised by Consul General of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Marike van Drunen Littel, who visited Indore to observe his work.
Rao Sahab’s efforts have been acknowledged and awarded by several entities:
● The M.P. State government honoured him on January 26, 2011, during the Republic Day function.
● Rao sahab raises awareness about the history of Malwa through various city-wide public events. On March 3, 2016, he organised a celebration for the 300th anniversary of Indore, where representatives of several religions congregated to share his vision and views on environmentally friendly city development. The event was graced by the M.P. Minister of Education and other M.L.A.s of Indore.
● On November 3rd the same year, he organised a function to remember Rao Raja Rao Nandlal Ji Mandloi, the founder of Indore, marking it as “Balidan Diwas” (Martyrs Day) to honour the fallen warriors of Rao Raja Nandlal Ji’s army and other soldiers from Malwa who died for the nation. The event featured Shri P.S. Rathore, DIG BSF, as the chief guest, and Commandant BSF Shri Anant Singh as a respected guest, where four families of soldiers who had lost their lives for the nation were honoured.
● In 2017, Rao sahab was honoured for his contributions to agriculture and storage by ICE magazine at their ICE expo in Indore. During the expo, he organised a programme for over 150 farmers, informing them about techniques to increase the value of their produce. Mr Sharma, head of the National Horticulture Board, was invited to explain various government schemes to the farmers. For the first time in thehistory of the expo, farmers directly participated in the processing world and experienced the technologies firsthand.
In 1990, when the potato crops of the farmers in Datoda village began rotting due to a lack of proper storage facilities, Rao sahab established India’s first modern cold storage facility specifically for the farmers. The Rao Raja Rao Chatrakaran Cold Storage, named in honour of his forefather, was the pioneering entity in India to implement P.U.F. Panel potato storage, which was the tallest cold storage in Asia at the time. Under his guidance, the facility was the first in India to introduce anti-sprouting technology to extend the shelf life of potatoes. Built at five times the cost of conventional storage facilities of that era, the storage facility was equipped with the finest technology, imported from leading global companies, ensuring superior service for farmers.
He has also set up organic farms on over 200 acres around Indore with certification for organic produce by SGS. He has held various workshops and community service events to educate farmers on cost-effective organic concoctions to improve their crops. He used his farm as the business model to encourage other farmers to adopt the organic approach. He was invited as a speaker by the Chinese government at the 2015 World Potato Congress in Beijing, where he shared traditional Indian farming techniques. The Congress further promoted his ideas on how to convert potatoes into a staple crop in China.
As the head of the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh Indore Chapter for many years, he has consistently advocated for farmers’ rights and stood up for their grievances. For the past 20 years, he has promoted organic farming and encouraged farmers to adopt traditional practices for the betterment of the environment. He creates his own natural treatments for crop diseases and distributes them to farmers free of cost. His cold storage facility displays his organic pesticide recipes for farmers to make at their own dwellings.
During his official visit to India in 2008, then-US President Barack Obama appreciated Rao Sahab’s work in farming during his visit to India. Rao Sahab was Invited by the White House to meet the President in Mumbai, his suggestions were mentioned by the President in his speech at the Indian Parliament the following day. Rao Sahab has played a significant role in fostering bilateral ties between Indian and American farmers through the United States Trade and Development Association, enabling knowledge and technology transfer. His efforts have allowed Indian farmers to gain insights into advanced farming technologies and facilitated the import of beneficial machinery for Indian farmers even when some of it had to be done at his own expense.
In the last two decades, he has hosted an annual conference at his storage facility, where he educates farmers on new farming techniques, methods, and machinery. These conferencesalso provide a platform for farmers to discuss their issues and seek solutions. His contributions to farming were recognised by Consul General of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Marike van Drunen Littel, who visited Indore to observe his work.
Rao Sahab’s efforts have been acknowledged and awarded by several entities:
● The M.P. State government honoured him on January 26, 2011, during the Republic Day function.
● Rao sahab raises awareness about the history of Malwa through various city-wide public events. On March 3, 2016, he organised a celebration for the 300th anniversary of Indore, where representatives of several religions congregated to share his vision and views on environmentally friendly city development. The event was graced by the M.P. Minister of Education and other M.L.A.s of Indore.
● On November 3rd the same year, he organised a function to remember Rao Raja Rao Nandlal Ji Mandloi, the founder of Indore, marking it as “Balidan Diwas” (Martyrs Day) to honour the fallen warriors of Rao Raja Nandlal Ji’s army and other soldiers from Malwa who died for the nation. The event featured Shri P.S. Rathore, DIG BSF, as the chief guest, and Commandant BSF Shri Anant Singh as a respected guest, where four families of soldiers who had lost their lives for the nation were honoured.
● In 2017, Rao sahab was honoured for his contributions to agriculture and storage by ICE magazine at their ICE expo in Indore. During the expo, he organised a programme for over 150 farmers, informing them about techniques to increase the value of their produce. Mr Sharma, head of the National Horticulture Board, was invited to explain various government schemes to the farmers. For the first time in thehistory of the expo, farmers directly participated in the processing world and experienced the technologies firsthand.