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The New Indian Express Hyderabad
|May 15, 2025
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In the world of rice breeding, few stories bloom as beautifully as Kamala's. Born not just in the lab but in the heart of a grieving son, Kamala—the world's first genome-edited rice variety—is both a scientific triumph and a tribute. Dr Satendra Kumar Mangrauthia, the principal scientist at the Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Rajendranagar, and his team developed DRR Dhan 100—popularly known as Kamala—entirely in India using cutting-edge genome editing.
Kamala promises higher yields, stronger stems, and sustainability—all without foreign DNA. As India joins the US and Japan in this breakthrough, Dr Mangrauthia, in a conversation with TNIE's Adeena A, discusses the significance of this innovation and its potential to transform Indian agriculture.
Excerpts
What makes Kamala unique?
DRR Dhan 100, or Kamala, is the first rice variety in the world developed using genome-editing technology. This cutting-edge method allows for precise crop improvement, making Kamala a milestone in rice breeding. While the US and Japan have commercialized genome-edited crops, India has become the third country to apply this technology specifically to rice.
Why the name 'Kamala'?
This story is from the May 15, 2025 edition of The New Indian Express Hyderabad.
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