Maharashtra-Based Innovator Dr Anil K Rajvanshi To Receive PAN IIT Impact Award 2026 On April 24

Mumbai: Dr Anil K Rajvanshi, Director of the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute in Phaltan, Maharashtra, has been selected for the prestigious PAN IIT Impact Award 2026 in recognition of his pioneering work in rural development and sustainable innovation.

The award will be presented at the PAN IIT meet in Long Beach, California, on April 24. This year’s list of awardees also includes noted entrepreneur Vinod Khosla and other leading figures from Silicon Valley.

Though widely associated with his work in rural Maharashtra, Dr Rajvanshi traces his roots to Lucknow, where he was born and raised. He completed his schooling at St Francis High School before joining IIT Kanpur in 1967 to pursue mechanical engineering. In 1974, he moved to the United States for a PhD in solar energy and returned to India in 1981, choosing to dedicate his career to rural Maharashtra.

Over the decades, he has emerged as a leading figure in grassroots innovation, working extensively on technologies aimed at improving rural livelihoods. He is widely credited as one of the inventors of the e rickshaw and has developed several low cost, sustainable solutions tailored for villages.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr Rajvanshi was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022. His work has also earned him several national and international honours, including the Jamnalal Bajaj Award, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from IIT Kanpur, and induction into the US based Solar Hall of Fame.

Despite his long association with Maharashtra, he continues to share a deep bond with his hometown Lucknow. He often visits the city while travelling to IIT Kanpur for lectures, reconnecting with old friends and revisiting memories from his early life.

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