As the nation bid adieu to former prime minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Saturday, two tribals in a remote Odisha district, who were honoured by him in 2012 for biodiversity conservation, recalled with tears cherished memories with the beloved leader.

Raila Muduli, a resident of Boliguda village and Chandra Pradhani of Nuaguda, said words were not enough to express their grief over the demise of Singh. The former PM passed away on Thursday night at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences due to age-related medical complications. He was 92. Muduli and Pradhani had received Certificates of Recognition for their contribution to biodiversity conservation from Singh during the 99th Indian Science Congress held at Bhubaneswar 12 years ago. “I was at a loss for words when I heard about his demise on Friday,” said Raila, a farmer from the Bhumia tribe.

“I remember feeling very nervous that day (in 2012), but receiving the award from the former prime minister was an unforgettable moment.

He was gentle and soft-spoken, and encouraged us to work dedicatedly for biodiversity conservation,” he said. Pradhani couldn’t hold back tears while recalling his brief interaction with Singh.

“Sir smiled at me as I received the award and motivated us to continue our efforts in preserving biodiversity. His words will remain an inspiration for years to come,” he said. “I wish I had more opportunities to meet him,” Pradhani said. Prasant Parida, director of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation in Jeypore, said Koraput was recognised as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 2012.

“Raila and Chandra were instrumental in representing Koraput at the event where the former prime minister acknowledged their community’s efforts,” said Parida.