MS Swaminathan, a renowned agricultural scientist who revolutionised India’s farming and was a key architect of the country’s “Green Revolution”, has died. He was 98. He was known as the Father of India’s Green Revolution
Early Life and Education of MS Swaminathan
- Mankombu Sambasivan (MS Swaminathan) was born on 7th August 1925 in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.
- He completed Sc. in Zoology and Agricultural Sciences.
- He did Masters in Agricultural Sciences from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in 1949, with a focus on genetics and plant breeding.
- He completed his Ph.D. as a geneticist from Cambridge University in 1952, where he specialised in the genus Solanum of the potato and later returned to India in 1954.
- MS Swaminathan was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings of selfless service to the poor and the nation.
- He was very much influenced by the 1943 Bengal famine, which killed up to three million people.
- He served as the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), where he played a crucial role in advancing agricultural research and education in India.
- He also served as the Independent Chairman of the Food and Agricultural Organization Council and held leadership roles in international conservation and agricultural organizations.
MS Swaminathan and the Green Revolution
- The Green Revolution (began in the mid-1960s) was a transformative period in Indian agriculture characterised by the adoption of high-yielding crop varieties, and the use of modern agricultural practices.
- MS Swaminathan was instrumental in his pivotal role in the Green Revolution in India during the 1960s and 1970s.
- MS Swaminathan invited Dr. Norman Borlaug to India after learning about his newly developed Mexican dwarf wheat variety.
- The two scientists collaborated to develop wheat varieties that would yield more grain while also developing stalk structures that would be strong enough to support the increased biomass.
- MS Swaminathan established thousands of demonstration and test plots in northern India in 1965, demonstrating to small-scale farmers that the new, genetically superior grain could thrive in their own fields.
- He not only directed the experiments that resulted in the development of the High Yielding Varieties (HYV) but also competently administered and collaborated with the government machinery to create greater awareness and adoption among the farming community.
- As a result of the introduction of these new high-yield varieties of wheat, India’s wheat production skyrocketed from 12 million tonnes to 23 million tonnes in four crop seasons, reducing its reliance on grain imports.
Need Of Green Revolution
- India was facing a severe food crisis in the 1960s due to rapid population growth, low agricultural productivity, frequent droughts, and dependence on food imports.
- India was vulnerable to external pressures and political interference from the food exporting countries, especially the United States, which used food aid as a tool of diplomacy and leverage.
- India wanted to achieve self-reliance and food security for its people, and reduce poverty and malnutrition.
- India wanted to modernize its agriculture and make it more efficient, profitable, and competitive in the global market.
Key Features Of Green Revolution in India
- The main features of the green revolution movement in India include
- The HYV seeds,
- Use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
- Application of modern farm machines,
- Extensive irrigation facilities,
- Multiple cropping,
- Improved credit facilities,
- Support price policy,
- Improved R&D and extension infrastructure
MS Swaminathan’s Continued Contributions
- Swaminathan advocated for the welfare of farmers, emphasizing fair prices for agricultural produce and sustainable farming practices.
- As chair of the National Commission of Farmers, the ‘Swaminathan Report’ probed the causes of farm distress.
- One of its recommendations, that Minimum Support Prices (MSP) should at least be 50% more than average production costs, continues to be a primary demand of farm unions across India
- He will be remembered forever for his role in the global recognition of the ‘Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere (Go MMB)’ and Kerala’s Kuttanad known for ‘traditional cultivation of paddy below sea-level’ as a globally important agricultural heritage site.
- He also contributed to the conservation and enhancement of the biodiversity and ecology of these regions.
- He also established the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in 1988 to promote sustainable agriculture and rural development.
- MSSRF focuses specifically on tribal and rural communities with a pro-poor, pro-women and pro-nature approach.
MS Swaminathan’s Legacy
- Through his life, he has received multiple international accolades like – the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971, the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986, UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize in 1994, UNESCO Gandhi Gold Medal in 1999, Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development in 1999, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award in 2000 to name a few.
- In India, he has received national awards like the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award, and the Indira Gandhi Prize all three civilian awards- Padma Shri in 1967, Padma Bhushan in 1972, and Padma Vibhushan in 1989.
- He has been conferred upon over 80 honorary doctorates from universities across the world and multiple civilian awards from nations like Philippines, France, Cambodia, China.
- He is also a fellow in several scientific academies in Russia, Sweden, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, China, Bangladesh
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