Subramani Ra Mancombu, Consulting Editor, businesslineSubramani Ra Mancombu of the businessline was among the recipients of the SOMS Agri Journalism Awards 2026, conferred to journalists on Thursday for their contribution to agricultural reporting and policy discourse in India.The awards were presented as part of SOMS 2026 (Specialty Fertilizer Summit & B2B Expo 2026), being held from July 2–4 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, under the theme “The Foundation of a Self-Reliant India.” Mancombu was conferred the SOMS Thought Leadership Award in Agri Journalism, in recognition of his reporting on agriculture and allied sectors.Other awardees included Laxmi Devi Aere of Press Trust of India, who received the SOMS Excellence in Agri Journalism Award; Shambhavi Anand of The Economic Times, who was recognised for shaping fertilizer policy discourse; and Suchetna Chaudhry of Agro Spectrum, who received the SOMS Agricultural Communication Excellence Award. The awards aim to honour journalists across English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi media for their contribution to strengthening awareness and understanding of India’s agriculture and fertilizer ecosystem.The recognition ceremony was part of a broader initiative under SOMS 2026, which brings together policymakers, industry stakeholders, researchers, agri-input companies and startups to discuss innovation, policy reforms and India’s push towards self-reliance in the specialty fertilizer sector. Speaking on the occasion, organisers said the awards are intended to highlight journalism that captures “farmers’ pain, progress and innovation” while contributing to informed public discourse on agriculture.Published on July 2, 2026