OBITUARY

MS Swaminathan Legendary Agri-Scientist Who Catalysed The Current Grain Surplus For 1.44 Billion People, Dies At 98

The legendary scientist, born in 1925, that transformed an India that was dependent on wheat shipments as food aid from America, into a food surplus nation, has just passed away in his home in Chennai at the age of 98.  

Lauded on his demise by the President, Prime Minister, Home Minister and Agriculture Minister amongst many eminent and ordinary Bharatiyas, Dr. Mankombu  Sambasivan Swaminathan is succeeded by three highly educated and accomplished daughters.

Assisted by the influential American agronomist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Norman Ernest Borlaug, the exceptional vision of Dr. MS Swaminathan transformed India’s staple food yields.

From near famine conditions in 1960s Bharat, Dr Swaminathan catalysed the Nehru Government effort towards the ample production of the ‘Green Revolution’ that matured fully during the regime of Indira Gandhi as prime minister.

It all began with a 100 kg bag of seeds of the Mexican Dwarf Wheat sent to Dr Swaminathan by Dr Borlaug. From this small beginning, the wheat yields in India grew more than ten-fold. This was occasioned, after Dr Swaminathan’s conviction in the matter, and his extensive studies in India and several countries abroad.

MS Swaminathan turned down opportunities to work in America, in order to return to his home country to make what turned out to be his singular contribution.

Swaminathan’s early and yeoman efforts towards the introduction of high yielding and disease resistant varieties of wheat, rice, potatoes, and other crops ended the period of chronic food shortfalls in Bharat once and for all. It is said Ms Swaminathan chose his profession as a agricultural scientist after noting the ravages of the Bengal famine in the 1940s. 

MS Swaminathan recognised the potential of the Mexican dwarf wheat varieties early in the day, causing Nehru to write to the Rockefeller Foundation that was financing Dr. Borlaug’s research in Mexico. Swaminathan invited Borlaug to tour India and see conditions for himself, which Borlaug did in 1964. Thereafter, the 1970 Nobel laureate sent Swaminathan a bag containing 100 kg of the Mexican dwarf seed created by Borlaug at the International Centre for Wheat and Maize improvement in Mexico. Dr Swaminathan’s intent was to breed these with varieties from Japan.

By 1956, Mexico had already become self-sufficient in wheat using Borlaug’s dwarf varieties, and Swaminathan was convinced Bharat could do likewise.

On receipt of the new varieties of wheat, Swaminathan started them on a number of experimental plots in different places in Bharat and noted their high yields and disease resistance. Along with his team of scientists, he then organised large numbers of farmers to plant the new varieties in several parts of the country but most notably in Punjab. In 1965, the Indian Agriculture Minister C Subramaniam aided the process by ordering 250 tonnes of the seed.

Swaminathan also introduced new varieties of potato including a frost resistant variety he had developed while working in Wisconsin, USA.

In addition, Swaminathan developed rice varieties with better carbon fixation which allowed for improved photosynthesis and water usage.

Dr MS Swaminathan completed his batchelor’s degree in agricultural science followed by a postgraduate degree in cytogenetics. He served as the Director General of The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. He also served as the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture in 1979. In 1988 Swaminathan was appointed President of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Dr MS Swaminathan won a profusion of national and international awards including the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971, The World Food Prize in 1987 and the Padma Vibushan in 1989. Swaminathan was awarded scores of honorary doctorates throughout his active life.

He was a pivotal figure for decades in India’s march to not just self-sufficiency in food, but creation of enormous surpluses for strategic reserves and exports. This even as the population has more than quadrupled since independence along with a doubling of life expectancy.

(653 words)

September 29^th, 2023

For: Firstpost/News18.com

Gautam Mukherjee