Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the nation, for agricultural scientist, also known as the father of India’s Green Revolution Dr MS Swaminathan.
The award has also been announced for former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Taking to his official account on X, PM Modi wrote, “It is a matter of immense joy that the Government of India is conferring the Bharat Ratna on Dr. MS Swaminathan Ji, in recognition of his monumental contributions to our nation in agriculture and farmers’ welfare.”
He further said that Dr Swaminathan played a pivotal role in helping India achieve self-reliance in agriculture during challenging times and made outstanding efforts towards modernizing Indian agriculture.
“We also recognise his invaluable work as an innovator and mentor and encouraging learning and research among several students. Dr. Swaminathan’s visionary leadership has not only transformed Indian agriculture but also ensured the nation’s food security and prosperity. He was someone I knew closely and l always valued his insights and inputs,” he added.
On September 28, last year Dr Swaminathan passed away at the age of 98 at his residence in Chennai.
Here is All You Need to Know About Dr M S Swaminathan
- Swaminathan had played a key role in developing high-yielding varieties of paddy that enabled India’s farmers to produce more yield.
- Born on August 7, 1925, Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan had the vision to rid the world of hunger and poverty. An advocate of sustainable development and preservation of bio-diversity, he has been described by the United Nations Environment Programme as “the Father of Economic Ecology”.
- After being awarded the first World Food Prize in 1987, Swaminathan set up the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai.
- Swaminathan had two bachelor degrees. One in Zoology and the other in Agricultural Science, however after experiencing the Bengal Famine in 1943, he made the decision of pursuing the field of agriculture. In 1960, when India was facing mass shortage of food, M S Swaminathan along with Norman Borlaug and other scientists developed the HYV (high yielding variety) seeds of wheat.
- He served as the Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research from 1972 to 1979 and International Rice Research Institute between 1982 to 1988. Swaminathan also served as the Principal Secretary of Ministry of Agricultural in 1979.
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