Hariman Sharma, popularly known as the ‘Apple Man’ of lower Himachal Pradesh, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award by President Droupadi Murmu for his pioneering contribution to Indian agriculture. The ceremony was held in New Delhi on Tuesday evening.
A resident of Paniyala village in the Ghumarwin Assembly constituency of Bilaspur district, Sharma was honoured for developing the HRMN-99 variety of apple — a breakthrough that has enabled apple cultivation in tropical climate of India, significantly transforming fruit farming in lower altitudes.
Sharma expressed his gratitude to the Centre for the recognition. “Receiving the Padma Shri from the President is a lifetime memory. This honour motivates me to continue supporting farmers, especially in the lower regions of the state, to establish successful apple orchards,” he said.
Sharma’s HRMN-99 apple variety is self-pollinating and requires low chilling, making it ideal for growth in warmer climates with temperatures ranging between 40°C and 45°C. The variety is registered with the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority.
His innovation has already earned him 15 national and 10 state awards. Reflecting on his journey, Sharma shared that it began in 1990 with a small nursery in his native village. His experiment began yielding results by 2007, culminating in national recognition with the Padma Shri in 2025.
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