SHIMLA — Himachal Pradesh Governor, Shri Kavinder Gupta, formally released a new biography chronicling the life and legacy of visionary horticulturist Dr. K. C. Azad, titled Dr. K. C. Azad: An Architect of Abundance, authored by Dr. Vandana Varma Azad.
The book traces Himachal Pradesh’s transformation into India's horticultural powerhouse through the journey of Dr. Azad, the former Director of Horticulture who spearheaded the state’s “Second Apple Revolution” between 1961 and 1993.
Born into a farming household in Kutara village in the Spail Valley of Rohru sub-division, Dr. Azad witnessed firsthand the trials and backbreaking toil of mountain horticulture.
That grounded, village-level experience shaped his administrative and scientific approach, driving his expansion of commercial orcharding deep into the remote valleys of Shimla district and higher hill terrains.
The biography highlights critical milestones under Dr. Azad’s leadership, notably his crisis management during the devastating 1982–83 apple scab epidemic that threatened the region's monoculture orchards.
Driven by his core conviction that "quality planting material is the ultimate secret to a grower’s prosperity," he pioneered the introduction of high-density spur varieties, standardized rootstocks, and eco-friendly carton packaging to replace traditional timber boxes.
Published by IndiePress and now available on Amazon, the book release brought together family members including Mrs. Triambica Gautam, Mrs. Kartikshree Mrityunjaya Chauhan, Dr. Vandana Varma Azad, and Dr. Tejaswi Vijay Azad alongside the Governor and Dr. Azad.
