TN: Adieu to Dr M S Swaminathan
VB Ganesan
EMINENT agricultural scientist and a pioneer of Green Revolution in the country, Dr MS Swaminathan passed away at the age of 98 on September 28, in Chennai. In the 1960s, when the country was dependent on imported foodgrains, Dr Swaminathan worked closely with two agricultural ministers namely C Subramaniam and Jagajivan Ram to usher in the Green Revolution. This programme brought in a quantum jump in productivity and production of wheat and rice.
He was a great person who changed the lives of many people with his pro-poor, pro-women and pro-nature approach to agriculture.
Eminent journalist, N Ram said that he could not think of any Indian who was more decorated internationally in modern times than Dr Swaminathan. Public personalities from various walks of life conveyed their grief over his death. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin paid homage and recalled his long association with MSSRF, a centre of excellence in agricultural research for nearly four decades.
His mortal remains were kept at MSSRF for public homage. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, G Ramakrishnan, , state secretary K Balakrishnan, Central Committee members, U Vasuki, P Shanmugam and other state and district level leaders paid their homage to the departed scientist. On behalf of the government of Kerala, minister for agriculture P Prasad, minister for electricity K Krishnan Kutty, Kodikunnil Suresh, MP and Prof. VK Ramachandran, vice-chairman, Kerala State Planning Board also paid their homage. CPI general secretary D Raja also paid home on behalf of CPI along with state leaders. Former vice-president Venkaiah Naidu, Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and leaders from various political parties of Tamil Nadu also paid their homage.
On September 30, in the afternoon, his mortal remains were taken in a solemn procession from MSSRF to Besant Nagar crematorium where a good number of scientists, educators and admirers joined the procession. As a mark of respect for his phenomenal contribution to the society in various fields, the Tamil Nadu government decided to accord police honours to him. Accordingly, a team of Armed Reserve unit of Greater Chennai Police received his mortal remains at the crematorium in a ceremonial manner and after observance of two minutes silence, they gave a gun salute. Later he was cremated in the presence of his three daughters.
