M S Swaminathan

Birth : 7th August, 1925 – Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu

Full name : Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan

Father : M.K.Sambasivan, surgeon and follower of Mahatma Gandhi - Motivated young Swaminathan towards service

Education : 

• Matriculation from local school in Kumbakonam
• Completed graduation in agricultural science – Madras Agricultural College
• Post graduation in Plant Breeding and Genetic s – Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi – Ph.D from Cambridge (1952)

Career and Achievements : 

• Research on agriculture at IARI – Held many portfolios in India and abroad
• Appointed Principal Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt . of India in 1979
• Developed Green Revolution technology to develop high-yield varieties of food grains using hybrid seeds, fertilizers and pesticides – Father of Green Revolution – Chairman of FAO (1981-85) – Founder, Swaminathan Research Foundation, an NGO

Awards : 

1.Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award (1961)

2.Padma Vibhushan (1989)

3.Raman Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership (1971)

4.UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Gold Medal (1999)

5. Bharat Ratna in 2024

Death : 28 Sep 2023

Answer : 

Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, popularly known as M.S. Swaminathan, is a celebrated agricultural scientist of India. He was born on 7 th August, 1925 in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. His father, M.K.Sambasivn, was a surgeon and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. He motivated young Swaminathan to dedicate his life towards service to the nation. After passing Matriculation from a local school in his home town, Swaminathan completed graduation in agricultural science. Later, he did his post-graduation in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the premier institute, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi. Swaminathan acquired Ph.D from Cambridge University in 1952. He did a lot of research on agriculture at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. He held several portfolios in India and abroad. Dr. Swaminathan was appointed the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, GOI in 1979. He was the pioneer in developing the concept of Green Revolution in agriculture. He was instrumental in bringing about some radical changes in agriculture such as development of high-yield varieties of food grains using hybrid seeds, and using fertilizers and pesticides. That’s why Dr. Swaminathan is rightly called the Father of the Green Revolution. He served as the Chairman of the FAO from 1981-85.

For his amazing contribution to agricultural sector, Dr. Swaminathan was honoured with numerous awards from all over the world. The following are some of them. 

1.The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1961

2.The Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India in 1989

3.The Raman Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1971

4.The UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Gold Medal in 1999. 

5. Bharat Ratna in 2024.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan breathed his last on 28 September 2023.