The morning sun rose softly over a village in Meerut district. Ramesh Chaudhary stood in his field, smartphone in hand, staring at a weather alert. "No irrigation today," he declared, switching off the pump motor. With a grin, he added, "These days, our fields don't depend on the whims of the sky; they follow an app."

In his grandfather Hariya Chaudhary's time, such technology was unthinkable. Farmers gauged the soil's readiness by its scent and sowed seeds on faith alone. Good rains meant bounty; failure brought debt and hunger. Agriculture then relied on ancestral wisdom and sheer perseverance, not data-driven precision. 

Read in Hindi: भारतीय खेती की नई कहानी लिख रहा है आज का किसान

Across three generations, Indian farming has undergone not just technological upgrades but a profound mindset shift, a true revolution. Hariya owned a pair of oxen, a wooden plough, and heirloom seeds. Yields were modest, yet hope endured. He often said, "Give to the soil, and it will give back."

Today, those same fields resemble open-air laboratories. Farmers like Multan Singh in Haryana deploy soil moisture sensors, drip irrigation, drone surveillance, and negotiate prices via WhatsApp groups. Farming has evolved from backbreaking toil into a blend of data analytics, algorithms, and knowledge sharing. This transformation extends far beyond Agra, Hathras, or Mathura; it mirrors the nation's agricultural renaissance.

Following independence, India struggled with chronic food shortages amid a rapidly growing population. The 1960s brought severe droughts, forcing massive wheat imports from the United States. The world wondered if India could ever feed itself. The Green Revolution provided the resounding answer.

Scientists introduced high-yielding varieties, expanded irrigation, and promoted fertiliser use. Farmers embraced the risks, trusting science, while government policies offered crucial support. The results were dramatic: fields burst with vibrant harvests year after year.

In the 1960s, foodgrain production hovered around 50-60 million tonnes. By 2024-25, India achieved a record 357.73 million tonnes. The nation now stands as the world's leading rice exporter, with shipments reaching record highs in recent years, and remains a key wheat supplier despite periodic restrictions to prioritise domestic needs. Agricultural exports surpassed $51 billion in FY25, bolstering foreign reserves and elevating farmer incomes.

This journey, from famine to food security and global prominence, represents a silent scientific triumph rooted in the soil. Ramesh explains it simply: "We no longer farm by guesswork but by insights. What once yielded one crop's income now doubles with two." Precision tools like drip irrigation conserve water, mulching suppresses weeds, soil tests optimise nutrients, drones minimise labour, and AI forecasts weather patterns. Modern agriculture harmonises technology with time-honoured traditions.

Perhaps the most profound benefit is environmental stewardship. Reduced water usage, fewer chemicals, and targeted applications ease groundwater depletion and restore soil vitality. Saved water in fields rejuvenates rivers. Farming and nature are evolving from adversaries to allies.

Women are central to this evolution. Initiatives like the ‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme empower rural women in self-help groups with drone training for crop spraying and monitoring. They now pilot drones, boosting efficiency while gaining economic independence and social dignity.

Regions like Braj and western Uttar Pradesh exemplify ‘green potential’. Polyhouses enable year-round cultivation of tomatoes, cucumbers, and capsicums, shielding crops from weather extremes and maximising output from limited land. This embodies smart farming: higher yields, sustainable practices, and turning agriculture into a viable enterprise.

Challenges persist. Erratic climate brings floods, droughts, and pests; soils show signs of exhaustion. Yet farmers are resilient, supported by scientists, policymakers, and innovators.

"Now we farm with renewed hope," Ramesh says with a smile. Evenings find him gazing at his grandfather's faded photograph on the wall. "The fields Grandfather tilled," he murmurs, "we are advancing, with solutions born not only in experience but in laboratories."

Institutions have been the unsung heroes. Centres like Agra's Bichpuri Agricultural Institute bridged lab research to farmland realities, developing resilient varieties, improving soil and water management, and fostering scientific temper among farmers.

Agra's historic foundries powered the Green Revolution, crafting ploughs, harrows, pumps, threshers, and machinery that equipped farms nationwide. Strong tools complemented superior seeds.

Today, with food self-reliance secured, we reflect on a deeper victory: overcoming not just soil limitations but mental barriers. From the 1970s hunger crises to post-COVID free grain distribution for millions, this saga is etched in farmers' sweat.

Indian agriculture gazes forward. From ploughs to drones, oxen to sensors, fields to labs, the farmer has reinvented himself, propelling India to the forefront of global agriculture.

The future lies in smartphone-soil synergy, where tradition's roots gain science's wings. As the next generation enters the fields, perhaps without ploughs but with Grandfather Hariya's enduring dream: evergreen fields and full bellies for all.