It was a proud moment for Indians when Dr Shakuntala Hark Singh Thilstead, of Indian origin, was awarded World Food Award 2021. The award aims to recognise achievements made in the field of food and agriculture.
“The foundation supports this mission through programmes recognising and rewarding individuals making, exceptional achievements in addressing food security; convening global leaders in Des Moines each year to address the latest issues and innovations in food and agriculture; inspiring and recognising exceptional students in Iowa, in the US and around the world by providing educational and professional experiences on pressing food security and agriculture issues; and addressing Iowa’s challenges and successes in fighting hunger and poverty through the Iowa Hunger Summit and Directory,” said an official source of the World Food Award.
As a young girl, Dr Shakuntala oversaw her grandmother’s cooking and appreciated the nuances of its impact on health. She began her career as the first and only woman in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries on the island of Tobago.
The award is also known as the Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture. Every year, a committee dedicated to the award selects a person of the year who is awarded the $250,000 title and prize money.
Who is Dr Shakuntala Hark Singh Thilstead?
A global nutritionist of Indian origin, Dr Shakuntala Thilstead, won the award for her research in developing a holistic, nutrition-sensitive approach to aquaculture and food systems.
She is a resident of Denmark and was born in Trinidad and Tobago. Her family and most of the other island inhabitants are descendants of India who were brought there as agricultural labourers.
As a young girl, Dr Shakuntala oversaw her grandmother’s cooking and appreciated the nuances of its impact on health. She began her career as the first and on