Hyderabad: Chitturi Jagapati Rao, Chairman of Srinivasa Farms Group, and one of the founders of the National Egg Coordination Committee has passed away today (November 29) in Hyderabad.
He was 92. It was just a month ago on Dasara day in October that Srinivasa Farms, that he had founded, celebrated its diamond jubilee (60 years) formation day.
Considered one of the pioneers in the Poultry industry in India, Jagapathi Rao was bestowed with the prestigious Denis Wellstead Award “International Egg Person of the Year 2023” by The International Egg Commission (IEC). He was the first Asian to receive this highest award.
The Srinivasa Farms is now led by his son Suresh R Chitturi (Managing Director), who also became the Chairman of the IEC a few years ago. It is one of the leading poultry firms in the country. It operates an integrated layer and broiler business.
Incidentally, Srinivasa Farms was a major participant at the Poultry India 2025 event recently. The company showcased its complete poultry ecosystem: Srinivasa Hy-Line, Srinivasa Ross, High Quality poultry feed and premium soya solutions, Hello Eggs & Freshen retail egg brands and Jagapati Finance-supporting poultry farmers with financing options.
Suresh R Chitturi says, “As we celebrated 60 Years of Excellence, our focus continued to be on strengthening India’s poultry future with better performance, better nutrition & better profitability.”
Jagapati Rao and B V Rao, founder of Venkateswara Hatcheries (VH Group) laid the foundations for the growth of the poultry sector during the early 1970s and through their efforts grew it. The VH Group was established in 1971 and expanded into one of Asia’s largest, fully integrated poultry groups with the famous ‘Venky’s’ brand.
Jagapati Rao was a visionary and a leader who played a key role in transforming backyard poultry farming into an organised sector. In October 1965, Srinivasa Farms was launched by him and Chitturi Mangayamma.
Today, with the contribution of big firms like Srinivasa, Venkateswara, etc. India has emerged as the number two country in the world with egg production of 142.77 billion eggs per annum; fourth in chicken production at 10.25 million tonnes per annum; empowers 9 lakh farmers, and the poultry sector provides 6 million jobs.
Award & global recognition
The IEC recognised and presented the award to Jagapati Rao for his notable success and outstanding achievements across the global egg industry at the IEC Global Leadership Conference, Lake Louise 2023.
Presenting the award IEC Chairman, Greg Hinton said, “Mr Chitturi has contributed significantly to the development of the Indian poultry sector throughout his lifetime. He not only built his own business, Srinivasa Farms Group, from the ground up, but he has also been instrumental in working closely with the government to streamline processes for the industry, creating better employment opportunities and raising the calibre of poultry products in India.”
“Mr Chitturi was one of the founders of the NECC in India, an association for producers which has been instrumental in supporting the industry to grow exponentially. His contributions to the Indian layer industry have not only revolutionised the sector but also improved the lives of many people.” Greg added.
In his acceptance and response, Jagapati Rao said, “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive the prestigious ‘International Egg Person of the Year’ award. Eggs are not just a source of nutrition but also a symbol of hope and sustainability for a brighter future. This recognition is a testament to the incredible work of countless individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing the egg industry globally. I share this honour with all those who are committed to promoting the benefits of eggs, and the family of Srinivasa Hatcheries Group.”
