Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, an agriculture scientist and the father of India s green revolution, has passed away at the age of 98. Swaminathan played a crucial role in developing a hybrid wheat seed that significantly increased yields for Indian farmers. He was recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the twenty most influential Asians of the 20th century.
The prodigy Ms. Swaminathan was born on August 7, 1925, in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. He pursued Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in agriculture from the University of Madras and went to the United Kingdom to earn a Ph.D. in Plant Genetics and Cytogenetics from the University of Cambridge.
Called the father of India’s Green Revolution, he served on agencies and boards around the world and developed a system of ecologically safe food production.
As I was working on agriculture, my family wanted me to take over the management of our plantations. But my aim was to master the art of developing new varieties, that is genetics and breeding. As the proverb has it, we reap what we sow. Consequently, sowing the right things is very important, M S Swaminathan had once said.
Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, the architect of India s Green Revolution, played a crucial role in transforming the country s food production. In the 1960s, India faced severe food shortages and relied on the US PL-480 program for supplies. Swaminathan s efforts were instrumental in doubling wheat yields and ensuring India s self-sufficiency in food.