Dr. Girish Panicker receives the 2026 Global Ratna Award.

Dr. Girish Kumar Panicker, a tenured Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences and Director of
Conservation Research in Mississippi, has been honored with the 2026 Global Ratna Award for
Agricultural Science. Organized by the Malayalee Festival Federation (MFF), a non-profit
international organization with members around the globe, hosted the inaugural Global
Malayalee Festival on January 1 and 2 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Kochi, India. Designed as a
landmark gathering across continents, the festival aimed to celebrate global achievements,
strengthen community bonds, and channel diaspora expertise toward India’s development.

The two-day event brought together business leaders, professionals, cultural icons, and community
champions from around the world. A key highlight was the presentation of the Global Ratna
(Jewel) Awards, honoring 16 distinguished Malayalees for their exceptional contributions across
diverse fields, including business, science, engineering, finance, technology, politics, literature,
arts, culture, and community service.

Dr. Panicker is an authority on C-factor research (cover and management) and is an
internationally renowned agricultural scientist. He holds B.S. (Ag. Science, India), M.S.
(Agronomy, USA), and Ph.D. (Horticulture, USA) with specialization in Pomology and minor in
Plant Physiology. His federally funded research center has the world’s largest C-factor (cover
and management) database on horticultural crops, covering over 45+ crops and over 140,000
readings, at an investment of $6.5 million. 

Dr. Panicker, who has been a Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg), a Certified Crop Adviser (CCA), and a horticulturist, has worked largely in the conservation field on three continents: Asia, Africa, and North America. This research data goes to 193 member countries of the U.N. and is used for erosion prediction, nutrient management, conservation planning, and preventing soil erosion and climate change. In addition
to numerous publications, his groundbreaking research on C-factor technology, including his 42-
page technology transfer bulletin, is available on the websites of prominent agricultural
universities and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Dr. Panicker has succeeded in
increasing Vitamin C and anthocyanin levels in organic blueberries and melons and producing a
high-quality organic fertilizer from animal waste in collaboration with U.S. Army scientists that
traps ammonia and prevents groundwater pollution. His 25+ years of research work with animal
waste on soil health studies have been rated by the National Soil Health Lab, Cornell University,
as ‘Excellent’. The National Soil Health Lab at Cornell is utilizing this invaluable data for
training visiting scientists from around the globe. His advanced research methodologies for a
healthier environment are being podcasted globally by the American Society for Horticultural
Science (ASHS), International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), Belgium, USDA, e-
Organic, and e-Extension. Dr. Panicker is a Fellow of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences
(FMAS), recipient of the 1995 Chapter Award of the Soil and Water Conservation Society of
America (SWCS), 2011 Pride of India Award, 2020 Lifetime Organic Achievement Award of
the American Society of Agronomy, and 2023 International Conservation Research Award of
SWCS. Dr. Panicker’s depth of research and knowledge in the field has led him to become a
highly respected scholar and sought-after presenter at conferences around the world.

A native of Kerala State of India, his parents are the late Sukumara Panicker and Mrs. Pankajam
Panicker, Thiruvananthapuram. His wife Rani K. Panicker, a Data Analyst, is the daughter of the
late Mrs. & Mr.  Kozhencherry V.K. Padmanabhan, (Rtd. Asst. Secretary to the Govt. of
Kerala), Thiruvananthapuram. Panickers’ only child Ms. Aja Panicker (Gem) is an Architect and
adjunct faculty.