Current and Past Shin Award Honorees
2023 Shin Award Honoree
President Killeen (wearing a shawl of wisdom presented by Singh), Dr. BB Singh, and Dr. Tai Shin at the inaugural Shin Humanitarian Award ceremony. September 12th, 2023. (Photo Beth Parrott)
From a small farming village in India where he used kerosene lamps to study at night, BB Singh went on to truly make the world a better place for millions of people.
After graduating from Uttar Pradesh Agricultural University in Pantnagar (now GB Pant University) - a university the U of I helped found – he would receive a Master’s and PHD in soybean genetics and breeding from UIUC, Hos subsequent work improved the food security of millions of people in India, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Dr. Singh was nominated by UIUC Professor Adam Davis. Davis noted “Singh is credited with improving the diets, incomes, and lives of hundreds of millions of small farmers and food insecure consumers in many of the poorest regions of the world. Singh has dedicated his 47-year career to breeding improved varieties of high protein pulses while also developing integrated crop management practices improv(ing) the lives of millions and enhanced food security, family nutrition and income generation for millions of farmers and their families.” His dedication to food security and assistance to farmers has been globally honored and recognized and he is a fitting recipient of the first Shin Humanitarian Award. Dr. Singh presented the award’s $50,000 and donated his own honorarium to UIUC’s department of Crop Sciences.
Dr. Singh received the award from President Killeen and Dr. Tai Shin at a special ceremony on September 12th.
Press release
First Shin Humanitarian Award recipient honored for work 'the world is proud of' | U of I System (uillinois.edu)