CM KCR expresses shock over Swaminathan’s demise

He said Swaminathan, as an agronomist, devoted his life to the cause of food security in accordance with the needs of the country's population.

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday expressed shock and profound grief over the death of MS Swaminathan, father of India’s Green Revolution.

The farm sector has lost its leading light. The transformation of India from its conventional agricultural methods to a new phase of innovative and modern practices owed to the pioneering efforts of the world-renowned agronomist, who was a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay award, he said.

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Swaminathan was instrumental for the emergence of India as a nation with self sufficiency in food sector. The livelihoods of a majority in India were based on agriculture. Thanks to the amazing success achieved with his experimentation, India had thrived in the production of rice, wheat and other food grains thus paving the way for the Green Revolution.

He said Swaminathan, as an agronomist, devoted his life to the cause of food security in accordance with the needs of the country’s population. He had won a place for himself in the hearts of Indians. Recalling his association with him, Chief Minister said that Swaminathan had heaped praise on the State for all its major initiatives intended to revive the agriculture sector.

His interaction with Swaminathan on his first meeting in the Secretariat after formation of Telangana was still fresh in his mind, he said, adding that the suggestions made by Swaminathan for the transformation of Telangana’s agriculture sector were invaluable. He had appreciated the State’s initiative to give free power to agriculture and to develop irrigation. He said the recommendations made by Swaminathan for the welfare of the farmer and sustainable development of the integrated agriculture sector had influenced him.

The State government could fullfil the wishes of Swaminathan who often used to stress that that the soils of Telangana were fertile enough to develop the State as the seed bowl for the whole country. Swaminathan, impressed by the State’s growth story, was also keen on visiting the State.

As the Chief Minister and as a person hailing from a farmer family, Chandrashekhar Rao said he took pride in being appreciated by Swaminathan. It was difficult to fill the void left by Swaminathan, he said.