Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan is an
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
n
agriculture scientistAgricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. -Agriculture and agricultural science:The two terms are often confused...
, born August 7, 1925, in
KumbakonamKumbakonam Kumbakonam Kumbakonam ( (kumpakōṇam), also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India, is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 273 kilometres from Chennai...
, Tamilnadu. He was the second of four sons of a cook. His ancestral home is the island village of Monkompu, Alleppey District,
KeralaKerala , is a state located in southwestern India. The state was created in 1956 on linguistc basis, bringing together those places where Malayalam formed the principal language...
.
He is known as the "
Father of the Green Revolution in IndiaThe introduction of high-yielding varieties of seeds after 1965 and the increased use of fertilizers and irrigation are known collectively as the Green Revolution, which provided the increase in production needed to make India self-sufficient in food grains, thus improving agriculture in India...
" , for his leadership and success in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of
wheatWheat is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Fertile Crescent region of the Near East. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
in India. He is the founder and Chairman of the
MS Swaminathan Research FoundationThe M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation is a non-profit NGO trust based in Chennai, India. It develops and promotes strategies for economic growth that directly target increased employment of poor women in rural areas. Their methods maximize the use of science and technology for equitable and...
.
His stated vision is to rid the world of hunger and poverty. Dr. Swaminathan is an advocate of moving India to
sustainable developmentImage:Sustainable development.svg|right|300px|thumb|Scheme of sustainable development: at the confluence of three constituent parts.poly 138 194 148 219 164 240 182 257 219 277 263 291 261 311 264 331 272 351 283 366 300 383 316 394 287 408 261 417 224 424 182 426 154 423 119 415 87 403...
, especially using environmentally
sustainable agricultureSustainable agriculture integrates three main goals: environmental stewardship, farm profitability, and prosperous farming communities. These goals have been defined by a variety of disciplines and may be looked at from the vantage point of the farmer or the consumer.-Description:Sustainable...
, sustainable
food securityFood security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. According to the World Resources Institute, global per capita food production has been increasing substantially for the past...
and the preservation of
biodiversityBiodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire Earth. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems...
, which he calls an "evergreen revolution"
Education and Personal Life
M. S. Swaminathan was born on August 7, 1925. His father died when Swaminathan was 11. His early schooling was at the Native High School and later at the Little Flower Catholic High School in
KumbakonamKumbakonam Kumbakonam Kumbakonam ( (kumpakōṇam), also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India, is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 273 kilometres from Chennai...
. He went to college at
Maharajas CollegeThe Maharaja's College, Ernakulam mainland, is one of the best and biggest centers of learning and higher education in the state of Kerala. Though located in the heart of Cochin city, it is spread over a campus of on the banks of Vembanad Lake...
in
ErnakulamErnakulam refers to the eastern part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. Ernakulam is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to Ernakulam District...
and earned a Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc.) in
zoologyZoology, also spelled zoölogy, is the branch of biology that focuses on the structure, function, behavior, and evolution of animals. The zoologist's pronunciation of "zoology" is , though a common spelling pronunciation is .-Systems of classification:...
.
Swaminathan was strongly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s belief in
ahimsaAhimsa is a Sanskrit term meaning to do no harm . It is an important tenet of the religions that originated in ancient India . Ahimsa is a rule of conduct that bars the killing or injuring of living beings...
or non-violence to achieve Purna swaraj (total freedom) and
swadeshiThe Swadeshi movement, part of the Indian independence movement, was a successful economic strategy to remove the British Empire from power and improve economic conditions in India through following principles of swadeshi...
, (self-reliance) on both a personal and national level. During this time of wartime food shortages he chose a career in agriculture and enrolled in
Coimbatore Agricultural CollegeThe Tamil Nadu Agricultural University came into being on June 1 1971. However, it had its genesis from establishment of an agricultural school at Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in 1868 and was later relocated at Coimbatore-History:...
where he graduated as
valedictorianValedictorian is an academic title typically conferred in North America upon the highest ranked student among those being graduated from an educational institution. The term is an anglicized derivation of the Latin vale dicere , historically rooted in the valedictorian's traditional role as the...
with another B.Sc, this time in
Agricultural ScienceAgricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. -Agriculture and agricultural science:The two terms are often confused...
. In 1947, the year of Indian independence he moved to the
Indian Agricultural Research InstituteThe Indian Agricultural Research Institute is the institute for advanced education in agriculture in India. It was established in 1905 as the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute. The campus was originally located in Pusa, samastipur, Bihar and was shifted after the Bihar earthquake of 1934 to...
(IARI) in
New DelhiNew Delhi is the capital of India. It is situated within the metropolis of Delhi and serves as the seat of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi....
as a post-graduate student in
geneticsGenetics, , a discipline of biology, is the science of heredity and variation in living organisms. The fact that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding...
and
plant breedingPlant breeding is the art and science of changing the genetics of plants for the benefit of humankind. Plant breeding can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to more complex molecular techniques...
and obtained a post-graduate degree with high distinction in
CytogeneticsCytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G-Banded chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ...
in 1949.
He received a UNESCO Fellowship to continue his IARI research on potato genetics at the
Wageningen Agricultural UniversityWageningen University and Research Centre is a research and higher education concern which consists of Wageningen University, the Van Hall-Larenstein School of Higher Professional Education, and the former agricultural research institutes from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture...
, Institute of Genetics in the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
. Here he succeeded in standardizing procedures for transferring genes from a wide range of wild species of
Solanum to the cultivated potato,
Solanum tuberosum. In 1950, he moved to study at the Plant Breeding Institute of the
University of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge , located in the City of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world and the fourth oldest in Europe...
School of Agriculture. He earned a Ph.D in 1952, for his thesis, "
Species Differentiation, and the Nature of PolyploidyPolyploidy occurs in cells and organisms when there are more than two paired sets of chromosomes.Most organisms are normally diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes — one set inherited from each parent. Polyploidy may occur due to abnormal cell division. It is most commonly found in...
in certain species of the genus Solanum
– section Tuberarium". His work presented a new concept of the species relationships within the tuber-bearing
Solanum.
Swaminathan then accepted a post-doctoral research associateship at the
University of WisconsinThe University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, Department of Genetics to help set up a USDA Potato Research Station. Despite his strong personal and professional satisfaction with the research work in Wisconsin, he declined the offer of a full time faculty position, returning to India in early 1954.
M. S. Swaminathan is married to Mina Swaminathan who he met in 1951 while they were both studying at Cambridge. They have three daughters: Soumya Swaminathan, Madhura Swaminathan and Nitya Rao. Dr. Swaminathan lives in
ChennaiChennai , formerly known as , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the fifth most populous city in India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai city had a population of 4.34 million in the 2001...
, Tamil Nadu with his wife, and has five grandchildren - Anandi,Shreya,Kalyani,Akshay and Madhav.
Professional achievements
Dr. Swaminathan has worked worldwide in collaboration with colleagues and students on a wide range of problems in basic and applied
plant breedingPlant breeding is the art and science of changing the genetics of plants for the benefit of humankind. Plant breeding can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to more complex molecular techniques...
, agricultural research and development and the
conservationHabitat conservation is a land management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore, habitat areas for wild plants and animals, especially conservation reliant species, and prevent their extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range...
of
natural resourcesNatural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...
.
His professional career began in 1949:
- 1949-55 - Research on potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Potatoes are the world's fourth largest food...
(Solanum tuberosum), wheatCommon wheat, Triticum aestivum, is a cultivated wheat species.- Nomenclature and taxonomy of the variety and its cultivars :-Evolution:...
(Triticum aestivum), riceRice is the seed of a monocot plant Oryza sativa, of the grass family . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East, South, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies...
(Oryza sativa), and juteJute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, family Tiliaceae....
genetics.
- 1955–72 - Field research on Mexican dwarf wheat varieties. Teach Cytogenetics
Cytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G-Banded chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ...
, Radiation Genetics, and Mutation Breeding and build up the wheat and rice germplasmA germplasm is a collection of genetic resources for an organism. For plants, the germplasm may be stored as a seed collection or, for trees, in a nursery.-See also:*Germ plasm, the germ cell determining zone...
collections at Indian Agricultural Research Institute IARI.
- 1970–80 - Director-General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research ICAR
Icar is a free science fiction role-playing game designed and published by Rob Lang. Icar was first created in 1990 by Robert Lang by viewing others playing RPGs at the Finchley Games Club. Although most of the content is created by Robert Lang, the game is supported by a close knit team of play...
,
Established the National Bureau of Plant, Animal, and Fish Genetic Resources of India.,
Established the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (changed in 2006 to Bioversity International)).
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, Transformed the Pre-investment Forest Survey Programme into the Forest Survey of India..
- 1981–85 - Independent Chairman, FAO Council, Rome, played a significant role in establishing the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources.
Developed the concept of Farmers' Rights and the text of the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources (IUPGR).
President of the International Congress of Genetics. (1983).
- 1982–88 - Director General, IRRI, organized the International Rice Germplasm Centre IRGC.
- 1984-90 - President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources IUCN, develop the Convention on Biological Diversity CBD
CBD is a common abbreviation for a central business district. It may also refer to:* Brazilian Sport Confederation, from 1919 to 1979 predecessor of CBF, the national governing body for football in Brazil...
.
- 1986-99 - Chairman of the editorial advisory board, World Resources Institute
The World Resources Institute is an environmental think tank founded in 1982 based in Washington, D.C. in the United States.WRI is an independent, non-partisan and nonprofit organization with a staff of more than 100 scientists, economists, policy experts, business analysts, statistical analysts,...
, Washington, D. C., conceived and produced the first "World Resources Report".
- 1988-91 - Chairman of the International Steering Committee of the Keystone International Dialogue on Plant Genetic Resources, regarding the availability, use, exchange and protection of plant germplasm.
- 1988-96 - President, World Wide Fund for Nature–India WWF
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in the United States and Canada...
, Organized the Indira Gandhi Conservation Monitoring Centre.. Organize the Community Biodiversity Conservation Programme..
- 1988-99 - Chairman/Trustee, Commonwealth Secretariat Expert Group
The Commonwealth Secretariat is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is responsible for facilitating cooperation between members; organising meetings, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings ; assisting and advising on policy...
, organized the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, for the sustainable and equitable management of tropical rainforests in GuyanaGuyana officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean.Guyana was discovered in 1498 by the Europeans,Guyana's past is punctuated by battles fought and won,...
. The President of Guyana wrote in 1994 “there would have been no Iwokrama without Swaminathan.”
- 1990-93 - Founder/President, International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME)
- 1988-98 - Chaired various committees of the Government of India to prepare draft legislations relating to biodiversity (Biodiversity Act) and breeders’ and farmers’ rights (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act).
- 1994 - Chairman of the Commission on Genetic Diversity of the World Humanity Action Trust.. Established a Technical Resource Centre at MSSRF for the implementation of equity provisions of CBD and FAO’s Farmers’ Rights.
- 1994 onwards - Chairman of the Genetic Resources Policy Committee (GRPC) of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research was originally created at the initiative of the Rockefeller Foundation, which had sponsored international meetings of agronomists at its Bellagio Conference Center in Lake Como, Italy, from 1968 onwards.In 1970, foundation officials...
(CGIAR), development of policies for the management of the ex situ collections of International Agricultural Research Centers.
- 1999 - Introduced the concept of trusteeship management of Biosphere reserves. Implemented the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust, with financial support from the Global Environment Facility
The Global Environment Facility is a global partnership among 178 countries, international institutions, non-governmental organizations , and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives...
(GEF).
- 2001 - Chairman of the Regional Steering Committee for the India – Bangladesh joint Project on Biodiversity Management in the Sundarbans World Heritage Site
The Sundarbans National Park is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve located in the Sundarbans delta in Indian state of West Bengal. This region is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves of the Bengal tiger...
, funded by the UN Foundation and UNDP.
- 2002 - President of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is an international organization that brings together scholars and public figures to work toward reducing the danger of armed conflict and to seek solutions to global security threats...
which work towards reducing the danger of armed conflict and to seek solutions to global security threats.
- 2002 - 2005 - Co-chairman with Dr. Pedro Sanchez
Pedro Sanchez is the Director of the Tropical Agriculture and the Rural Environment Program, Senior Research Scholar, and Director of the Millennium Villages Project at the Earth Institute at Columbia University...
of the UN Millennium Task Force on Hunger,, a comprehensive global action plan for fighting poverty, disease and environmental degradation in developing countries.
- Over 68 students have done their Ph.D thesis work under his guidance:
On the occasion of Dr.
Norman BorlaugNorman Ernest Borlaug was an American agronomist, humanitarian, and Nobel laureate who has been deemed the father of the Green Revolution. Borlaug was one of only six people to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal...
's receipt of the
Nobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:...
in 1970, he said of Dr. Swaminathan: "The green revolution has been a team effort and much of the credit for its spectacular development must go to Indian officials, Organizations, Scientists and farmers. However, to you, Dr. Swaminathan, a great deal of the credit must go for first recognizing the potential value of the Mexican dwarfs. Had this not occurred, it is quite possible that there would not have been a green revolution in Asia".
On the occasion of the presentation of the First
World Food PrizeThe World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.-The Prize:...
to Dr. Swaminathan in October 1987, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar - Secretary General of the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
, wrote: "
Dr. Swaminathan is a living legend. His contributions to Agricultural Science have made an indelible mark on food production in India and elsewhere in the developing world. By any standards, he will go into the annals of history as a world scientist of rare distinction".
Swaminathan has been described by the
United Nations Environment ProgrammeThe UN Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and encourages sustainable development through sound environmental practices...
as "
the Father of Economic EcologyImage:Sustainable development.svg|right|The three pillars of sustainability. Clickable.|275px|thumbpoly 138 194 148 219 164 240 182 257 219 277 263 291 261 311 264 331 272 351 283 366 300 383 316 394 287 408 261 417 224 424 182 426 154 423 119 415 87 403 58 385 40 368 24 347 17 328 13 309...
".
He was one of three from India included in TIME Magazine's 1999 list of the "
20 most influential Asian people of the 20th century", the other two being Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore..
Following the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquakeThe 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
, he advised India to plant new
mangroveMangroves are trees and shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S. The saline conditions tolerated by various species range from brackish water, through pure seawater , to water of over twice the salinity of ocean seawater,...
groves along the shoreline to minimize damage from future
tsunamiA is a series of water waves that is caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, such as an ocean. The original Japanese term literally translates as "harbor wave." Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded...
s.
Dr. Swaminathan was the featured speaker at The 2006 Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium: in Des Moines,
IowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of...
on, October 19, 2006. He was sponsored by Humanities Iowa, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dr. Swaminathan presented The "
Third Annual Governor's Lecture" and spoke on "
THE GREEN REVOLUTION REDUX: Can we replicate the single greatest period of food production in all human history?" Read full text:,
See:
PowerpointMicrosoft PowerPoint is a presentation program developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, and runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS X computer operating systems....
Presentation,
Hear: about the cultural and social foundations of the Green Revolution in India and the role of historic leaders in India, such as
Mahatma GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the pre-eminent political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
, in inspiring the Green Revolution there by calling for the alleviation of widespread hunger. He also talked about the links between Gandhi and the great Iowa scientist
George Washington CarverGeorge Washington Carver , was an American scientist, botanist, educator and inventor whose studies and teaching revolutionized agriculture in the Southern United States...
.,
Swaminathan is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London the U. S.
National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine."The group holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code....
, the
Russian Academy of SciencesThe Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals.Headquartered in Moscow, the Academy is...
, the
Chinese Academy of SciencesThe Chinese Academy of Sciences , formerly known as Academia Sinica , is the national academy for the natural sciences of the People's Republic of China. It is an institution of the State Council of China...
, and the Italian Academy of Sciences.
Controversy
A scientific paper in which Swaminathan and his team claimed to have produced a mutant breed of wheat by gamma irradiation of a Mexican variety (Sonora 64) resulting in
Sharbati Sonora, claimed to have a very high lysine content led to a major controversy. The case in discussed as a classic exampled of scientific misdemeanor and was claimed to be an error made by the laboratory assistant. The episode was also compounded by the suicide of an agricultural scientist. Recent workers have also studied it as part of a systemic problem in Indian agriculture research.
Publications
Dr Swaminathan is a prolific scientific researcher and writer. He published 46 single author papers between 1950 and 1980. Out of 118 two author papers, he was first author of 80. Out of 63 three author papers he was first author of 15. Out of 21 four author papers he was first author of 9. In total he had 254 papers to his credit, 155 of which he was the single author or first author. His scientific papers are in the fields of
crop improvementAgronomy is the science and technology of using plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber. Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a combination of sciences like biology, chemistry, ecology, earth...
(95),
cytogeneticsCytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G-Banded chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ...
and
geneticsGenetics, , a discipline of biology, is the science of heredity and variation in living organisms. The fact that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding...
(87) and
phylogeneticsIn biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among various groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
(72). His most frequent publishers were: Indian Journal of Genetics (46), Current Science (36), Nature (12) and Radiation Botany (12). Some of the papers are listed below.
In addition he has written a few books around the general theme of his life's work, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture for alleviation of hunger.
Dr. Swaminathan's books include
- "An Evergreen Revolution", 2006 .
- "I Predict: A Century of Hope Towards an Era of Harmony with Nature and Freedom from Hunger", (1999)
- "Gender Dimensions in Biodiversity Management", (ed.) (1998)
- "Implementing the Benefit Sharing Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity: Challenges and opportunities" (1997)
- "Agrobiodiversity and Farmers' Rights", 1996
- "Sustainable Agriculture: Towards Food Security"
- "Farmers’ Rights and Plant Genetic Resources: A dialogue." (ed.) (1995)
- "Wheat Revolution: a Dialogue" (ed) (1993)
Research reports
He has published laboratory research results in several
scientific journalIn academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research. There are thousands of scientific journals in publication, and many more have been published at various points in the past...
s and increasingly writes for a wider audience in
environmental journalsEnvironmental journalism is the collection, verification, production, distribution and exhibition of information regarding current events, trends, issues and people that are associated with the non-human world with which humans necessarily interact...
. Some of his publications are available online in abstract or full text. and.
- First author: Swaminathan MS.
- "CHOPRA VL, BHASKARAN, Cytological aberrations observed in barley embryos cultured in irradiated potato mash.", Radiat Res. 1962 Feb;16:182-8.
- "Murty BR., Aspects of Asynapsis in Plants. I. Random and Non Random Chromosome Associations.", Genetics. 1959 Nov;44(6):1271-80.
- "NINAN T, MAGOON ML. Effects of virus infection on microsporogenesis and seed fertility in Capsicum.", Genetica. 1959;30:63-9.
- "MURTY BR., Effect of x-radiation on pollen tube growth and seed setting in crosses between Nicotiana tabacum and N. rustica.", Z Vererbungsl., 1959;90:393-9.
- "GANESAN AT., Kinetics of mitosis in yeasts.", Nature. 1958 August 30;182(4635):610-1.
- "Nature of Polyploidy in Some 48-Chromosome Species of the Genus Solanum, Section, Tuberarium.", Genetics. 1954 Jan;39(1):59-76.
- Second author
- GANESAN AT, SWAMINATHAN MS., "Staining the nucleus in yeasts.", Stain Technol. 1958 May;33(3):115-21.
- NATARAJAN AT, SWAMINATHAN MS., "Chromosome spreading induced by vegetable oils.", Stain Technol. 1957 Jan;32(1):43-5.
- HOWARD HW, SWAMINATHAN MS., "The cytology of haploid plants of Solanum demissum.", Genetica. 1953;26(5-6):381-91.
- PRAKKEN R, SWAMINATHAN MS., "Cytological behaviour of some inter-specific hybrids in the genus Solanum, sect. Tuberarium.", Genetica. 1952;26(1):77-101.
- Third author
- CHOPRA VL, KAPOOR ML, SWAMINATHAN MS., "EFFECTS OF PRE- & POST-TREATMENTS WITH S-2-AMINOETHYLISOTHIOURONIUM BROMIDE HYDROBROMIDE ON THE FREQUENCY OF CHROMOSOME ABERRATIONS & CHLOROPHYLL MUTATIONS INDUCED BY X-RAYS IN BARLEY.", Indian J Exp Biol. 1965 Apr;3:123-5.
- NIRULA S, BHASKARAN S, SWAMINATHAN MS., "Effect of linear differentiation of chromosomes on the proportionality between chromosome length and DNA content.", Exp Cell Res. 1961 Jun;24:160-2.
- Fourth author
- Latha R, Rubia L, Bennett J, Swaminathan MS., "Allele mining for stress tolerance genes in Oryza species and related germplasm.", Mol Biotechnol. 2004 Jun;27(2):101-8.
- PAI RA, UPADHYA MD, BHASKARAN S, SWAMINATHAN MS., "Chromosome diminution and evolution of polyploid species in Triticum. Chromosoma.", 1961;12:398-409.
- Siddiq EA, Kaul AK, Puri RP, Singh VP, Swaminathan MS., "Mutagen-induced variability in protein characters in Oryza sativa.", Mutat Res. 1970 Jul;10(1):81-4.
Environmental articles
- First author: Swaminathan MS.
- "Nutrition in the third millennium: countries in transition.", Forum Nutr. 2003;56:18-24.
- "Bio-diversity: an effective safety net against environmental pollution.", Environ Pollut. 2003;126(3):287-91.
- "CGIAR statement on UN treaty.", Nat Biotechnol. 2002 Jun;20(6):547.
- "Ecology and equity: key determinants of sustainable water security.", Water Sci Technol. 2001;43(4):35-44.
- "An evergreen revolution.",Biologist (London). 2000 Apr;47(2):85-9.
- "Science in response to basic human needs.", Science. 2000 January 21;287(5452):425.
- "The ecology of hope.", People Planet. 1999;8(4):6-9.
- "Convocation address.", IIPS News. 1998 Jul;39(2 3):2-8.
- ""Farmers' Rights and Plant Genetic Resources."", 1998.
- "Forward: Regional Workshop on the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coral Reefs",, 1997
- "Perspectives for crop protection in sustainable agriculture.", Ciba Found Symp. 1993;177:257-67; discussion 267-72.
- "DNA in medicine. Agricultural production.", Lancet. 1984 December 8;2(8415):1329-32.
- "Nutrition and agricultural development: new frontiers.", Food Nutr (Roma). 1984;10(1):33-41.
- "The age of algeny, genetic destruction of yield barriers and agricultural transformation.", (1968).
- Second author
- Kesavan PC, Swaminathan MS., "Managing extreme natural disasters in coastal areas.", Philos Transact A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2006 August 15;364(1845):2191-216.
- Sanchez PA, Swaminathan MS., "Hunger in Africa: the link between unhealthy people and unhealthy soils.", Lancet. 2005 January 29-February 4;365(9457):442-4. 5: Sanchez PA, Swaminathan MS., Public health. Cutting world hunger in half.", Science. 2005 January 21;307(5708):357-9.
- Third author
- Raven P, Fauquet C, Swaminathan MS, Borlaug N, Samper C., "Where next for genome sequencing?", Science. 2006 January 27;311(5760):468.
Awards and recognition
Dr. Swaminathan has received several outstanding awards and prizes. These prizes include large sums of money, which has helped sustain and expand his work.
- Four Freedoms Award
The Four Freedoms Award is an annual award presented to those men and women who have "demonstrated" an achievement to the principles lined out in the Four freedoms speech president Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave to the US Congress on 6 January 1941...
for demonstrating achievement of the principles of Freedom of speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from want and Freedom from fear, 2000
- Planet and Humanity Medal of the International Geographical Union
The International Geographical Union is an international geographical society. The first International Geographical Congress was held in Antwerp in 1871. Subsequent meetings led to the establishment of the permanent organization in Brussels, Belgium, in 1922. The Union has 34 Commissions and four...
awarded "in recognition of his
unique success in outstanding scientific research and its application, leading to Asia’s Green Revolution. His endeavors to combat hunger and food shortages by promoting new seed varieties and applying these with ecologically sound principles and sustainable agriculture are all part of his profound humanitarian ethos, which reminds scientists and politicians worldwide of their responsibilities for stewardship of nature and
humanity on our common Planet Earth." 2000
- UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize Laureate for outstanding contributions to the
protection and management of the environment. Co - winner with Paul and Anne EhrlichPaul Ralph Ehrlich is an American entomologist specializing in Lepidoptera . He became a household name after publication of his 1968 book The Population Bomb, in which he wrongly predicted that mass starvation would occur during the 1970s and 1980s which could not be prevented even by immediate...
1994, $200,000 prize.
- The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement "in recognition of life-long contributions to increasing
biological productivity on an ecologically sustainable basis, and to promoting the conservation of biological diversity”1991
- Honda Prize, for achieving outstanding results in the field of ecotechnology
Ecotechnology is an applied science that seeks to fulfill human needs while causing minimal ecological disrupution, by harnessing and subtly manipulating natural forces to leverage their beneficial effects...
, 1991
- Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is India's second highest civilian honour. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and before the Padma Bhushan...
1989
- World Food Prize
The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.-The Prize:...
for advancing human development through increased quantity, guality or accessibility of food, 1987
- Golden Heart Presidential Award of the Philippines
The Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
, conferred by President Corazon AquinoMaria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office. Aquino was also the first elected female head of state in Asia...
"in
recognition of his contribution in resolving a wide range of problems in basic and applied genetics and agricultural research and development in the Philippines, for his accomplishments in the area of agricultural science and research highly beneficial to Filipino farmers, and for having expanded considerably the International Rice Research Institute’s capacity for upstream research to bring the fruits of recent advances in science and technology to Asian rice farmers."1987
- Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a theoretical physicist. His many contributions to physics include the special and general theories of relativity, the founding of relativistic cosmology, the first post-Newtonian expansion, explaining the perihelion advance of Mercury, prediction of the deflection of...
World Science Award by the World Cultural Council for research which has brought true benefit and well being to mankind.. 1986
- Borlaug Award, given by Coromandel Fertilizers in profound appreciation of his catalytic role in providing deep insights and inspiring fellow scientists to set goals ... for evolving a strategy for agriculture rooted in science, but tempered by a concern for ecology and human values 1979
- Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan award is an Indian civilian decoration established 2 January 1954 by the President of India. It stands third in the hierarchy of civilian awards, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri...
1972
- Ramon Magsaysay Award
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an award designed to perpetuate his example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel Prize...
for Community Leadership 1971
- Padma Shri
Padma Shri is an award given by the Government of India generally to Indian citizens to recognize their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Social Service and public life...
1967
- Foreign Fellow of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences
The Bangladesh Academy of Sciences is a government financed scientific organization of the scientists of eminence in Bangladesh and represents internationally the scientific community of the country.- Origin :...
He holds 58 honorary
DoctorateA doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries represents the highest level of formal study or research in a given field. In some countries it also refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to practice in a specific profession . The best-known example...
degrees from universities around the world.
National Awards
He has been honored with several awards in India for his work to benefit the country.
- Karmaveer Puraskaar
- Citizen social responsibility :The Karmaveer Puraskaar are awards instituted by the citizens and people of India.These awards are instituted by iCONGO- Confederation of NGOs – a Public-Private-People partnership in association with other partners from industry, media, government, students, SMEs...
Noble Laureates, March,2007 by iCONGO- Confederation of NGOs.
- Dupont-Solae Award for his contribution to the field of food and nutrition security 2004
- Life Time Achievement Award from BioSpectrum 2003
- Indira Gandhi Gold Plaque by the Asiatic Society
The Asiatic Society was founded by Sir William Jones on January 15, 1784 in a meeting presided over by Sir Robert Chambers, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the Fort William in Calcutta, then capital of the British Raj, to enhance and further the cause of Oriental research. At the time of...
for his significant contribution towards human progress. 2002
- Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development
The Indira Gandhi Prize or the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize or the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is the prestigious award accorded annually by India to individuals or organizations in recognition of creative efforts toward promoting international peace, development and a...
"for his outstanding contribution in the domain of plant genetics and ensuring food security to hundreds of millions of citizens in the developing world." This prestigious award honors those outstanding global citizens who have made a significant contribution to humanity’s material and cultural progress. 2000
- The Indian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy is the apex body of Indian scientists representing all branches of science & technology. The Indian National Science Academy promotes science and its use in India. It was originally established in 1935 and was known as the National Institute of Sciences of...
awarded him Millennium Scientist Award 2001, Asutosh Mookerjee Memorial Award for 1999-2000, Shatabdi Puraskar award in the field of Agricultural Sciences 1999, Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award 1992, B.P. Pal Memorial Award of the 1998, Meghnad Saha Medal 1981, Silver Jubilee Commemoration Medal for contributions to genetics and agricultural research 1971.
- Lokmanya Tilak Award by the Tilak Smarak Trust, in recognition of his contribution to the green revolution in India and for his outstanding scientific and environmental works. 2001
- Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development
The Indira Gandhi Prize or the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize or the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is the prestigious award accorded annually by India to individuals or organizations in recognition of creative efforts toward promoting international peace, development and a...
in recognition of creative efforts toward promoting international peace, development and a new international economic order; ensuring that scientific discoveries are used for the larger good of humanity, and enlarging the scope of freedom. 2000
- Millennium Alumnus Award by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University came into being on June 1 1971. However, it had its genesis from establishment of an agricultural school at Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in 1868 and was later relocated at Coimbatore-History:...
2000
- Prof P N Mehra Memorial Award 1999
- Legend in his Lifetime Award by the World Wilderness Trust- India 1999
- Dr. B.P. Pal Medal for unique contributions to agricultural research and development of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India 1997
- V. Gangadharan Award for outstanding contributions to National Development 1997
- Dr. B.P. Pal Medal for unique contributions to agricultural research and development of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India 1997
- V. Gangadharan Award for outstanding contributions to National Development 1997
- Lal Bahadur Shastri Deshgaurav Samman 1992
- Dr. J.C. Bose Medal, Bose Institute 1989
- Krishi Ratna Award for “devotion to the cause of agroscience, and for being the benefactor of the farming
community,” instituted by the Bharat Krishak Samaj (Indian Farmer's Society)/World Agriculture Fair Memorial Trust Society, and presented by President Giani Zail Singh of India 1986
- Rathindranath Tagore Prize of Visva Bharati University 1981
- R.D. Misra Medal of the Indian Environmental Society 1981
- Barclay Medal of the Asiatic Society
The Asiatic Society was founded by Sir William Jones on January 15, 1784 in a meeting presided over by Sir Robert Chambers, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the Fort William in Calcutta, then capital of the British Raj, to enhance and further the cause of Oriental research. At the time of...
for contributions to genetics 1978
- Moudgil Prize of the Bureau of Indian Standards
The Bureau of Indian Standards is the national standards organisation of India under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs,Food & Public Distribution,Govt of India...
for contributions to standardisation 1978
- Birbal Sahni Medal of the Indian Botanical Society for contributions to Applied Botany 1965.
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award
The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes are awarded annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in Biological, Chemical, Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary, Engineering, Mathematical, Medical and Physical Sciences...
for contributions to Biological Sciences 1961
International Awards
He has been honored with recognition from several international organizations for spreading the benefits of his work to other countries.
- UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...
Mahatma Gandhi Gold Medal for his outstanding work in extending the benefits of biotechnology to marginalized and poverty-stricken populations in developing countries and in securing a sound basis for sustainable agricultural, environmental and rural development 1999
- Henry Shaw Medal awarded by the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Botanical Garden
The Missouri Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located in St. Louis, Missouri. It is also known informally as Shaw's Garden for founder Henry Shaw, a botanist and philanthropist....
in consideration of important service to humanity through emphasis on sustainability in agriculture - USA 1998
- Ordre du Merite Agricole, Govt of France
France , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
to honour services of the highest quality rendered to the cause of agriculture 1997
- Highest award for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, Govt of China
China is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
for outstanding contributions to the lofty cause of environmental protection and development, and for his signal accomplishments in the field of international cooperation 1997
- Global Environmental Leadership Award “for encouraging village-level responses to environmental issues” by the Climate Institute
The Cooperative Institute for Climate Science fosters research collaborations between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration /Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and the Princeton University.The CICS research themes are:* Earth System...
1995
- World Academy of Art and Science 1994
- Asian Regional Award by the Asian Productivity Organization APO
Apo or APO may refer to:* Apo, a god of mountains in Inca mythology* Abdullah Öcalan, nicknamed "Apo", the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party* Acting Pilot Officer, the lowest commissioned officer rank in the Royal Air Force...
1994
- Charles Darwin International Science and Environment Medal 1993
- Commandeur of the Order of the Golden Ark of the Netherlands 1990
- The VOLVO Environment Prize for his outstanding research and devoted work in turning Indian food production from a deficit to a much increased supply. 1990.
- Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) international award for significant contributions to promoting the knowledge, skill, and technological empowerment of women in agriculture and for his pioneering role in mainstreaming gender considerations in agriculture and rural development
Rural development in general is used to denote the actions and initiatives taken to improve the standard of living in non-Urban neighbourhoods, countryside, and remote villages. These communities can be exemplified with a low ratio of inhabitants to open space...
1985.
- Bicentenary Medal of the University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
, U.S.A. 1985
- Bennett Commonwealth Prize of the Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity . It was founded in 1754 and was granted a Royal Charter in 1847...
for significant contributions to Household Nutrition Security 1984
- Mendel Memorial Medal of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
The Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences was established in 1953 to be the scientific center for Czechoslovakia. It was succeeded by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in 1992.-History:...
for contributions to Plant Genetics 1965
Critics
Despite these awards and honors, the credibility of Swaminathan and his promotion of
biotechnologyBiotechnology is technology based on biology, agriculture, food science, and medicine. Modern use of the term usually refers to genetic engineering as well as cell- and tissue culture technologies...
remains open to question by some. His record retains some controversy. There are cases of scientific fraud and scandals involving the suicide of a fellow scientist at the (
ICARIcar is a free science fiction role-playing game designed and published by Rob Lang. Icar was first created in 1990 by Robert Lang by viewing others playing RPGs at the Finchley Games Club. Although most of the content is created by Robert Lang, the game is supported by a close knit team of play...
).
The first among those who came to expose many of the claims made by MS Swaminathan was
Claude Alvares
Claude Alvares is a renowned environmentalist based in Goa, India. He is the editor of the Other India Press, an alternative publication based in India. The Director of the Goa Foundation, an environmental monitoring action group, Claude Alvares got his PhD from the Technische Hogeschool,...
. In his article The Great Gene Robbery 23 March 1986 The Illustrated Weekly.
http://swamiscapers.blogspot.com/2007/04/great-gene-robbery-by-claude-alvares.html
Alvares provided enough evidences to show that most of the research that were initiated by him and International Rice Research Institute were not original.
In the recent years Shiv Vishwanathan in an EPW
http://www.epw.org.in/uploads/articles/4318.pdfarticle writes he is a sociological phenomenon.
He is paradigm, exemplar, dissenter, critic and alternative.
.....Swaminathan always assimilates the new. Earlier Claude Alvares had given a better picture as follows
Strangely, he has become more and more akin to HYV of the seeds he sells. Like them, he is capable of high-yielding varieties of phrase and word. At a Gandhi seminar, he will speak of the relevance of Gandhi. At a meeting in Madras on the necessity of combine harvesters. At another meeting on appropriate technology, he will plump for organic manures. At a talk in London, he will speak on the necessity of chemical fertilizers. He will label slum dwellers ‘ecological refugees’, and advertise his career as a quest for ‘imparting an ecological basis to productivity improvement.’ This, after presiding over, and indiscriminately furthering, one of the ecologically most devastating technologies of modern times – the HYV package of the Green revolution.
----
Current Work
- He currently holds the UNESCO -Cousteau Chair in Ecotechnology
Ecotechnology is an applied science that seeks to fulfill human needs while causing minimal ecological disrupution, by harnessing and subtly manipulating natural forces to leverage their beneficial effects...
at the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai, India.
- He is the chairman of the National Commission on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security of India (National Commission on Farmers)..
- He is currently spearheading a movement to bridge the Digital divide
The term digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology and those with very limited or no access at all. It includes the imbalances in physical access to technology as well as the imbalances in resources and skills needed to effectively...
called, "Mission 2007: Every Village a Knowledge Centre"..
- Bruce Alberts
Bruce Michael Alberts is an American biochemist. He is noted particularly for his extensive study of the protein complexes which enable chromosome replication when living cells divide. He was the president of the National Academy of Sciences from 1993 to 2005 and is a trustee of the Carnegie...
, President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences said of Dr. Swaminathan: "At 80, M.S. retains all the energy and idealism of his youth, and he continues to inspire good behavior and more idealism
from millions of his fellow human beings on this Earth. For that, we can all be thankful".
Further reading
- "Biodiversity and Poverty – Natural Resources and the Millennium Goals", M.S. Swaminathan speech and a discussion, University of Berne, Auditorium Maximum, Wednesday, 8/24/2005.Speech, Full text:
- An insightful biography, "M.S. Swaminathan - One Man’s Quest for a Hunger-Free World" was written in 2002 by Gita Gopalkrishnanhas, Education Development Center Inc., Sri Venkatesa Printing House, Chennai, pp. 132 ISBN 8172762607 Full text:.
- To learn the most about M. S. Swaminathan, the book to read is: "Scientist and Humanist: M.S. Swaminathan" by R.D. Iyer,
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai, 2002. pp. 245 Excerpt with photos
- "The Man Who Harvests Sunshine – The Modern Gandhi: M. S. Swaminathan." Andréi Erdélyi. Tertia Kiadó, H-1158, Budapest, Kubelsberg Kunóu36, 2002, 167 pp.
- "Toward a Hunger-Free World: Life and Work of M. S. Swaminathan." Anwar Dil (ed.). Intercultural Forum, Dar-ul-Afia, 13756 Via Tres Vistas, San Diego, 2004. pp. 640
- "Science and Agriculture: M. S. Swaminathan and the Movement for Self- Reliance." S. Ramanujam et al. (eds). Venus Printers and Publishers, B-62/8 Naraina Industrial Estate, Phase II, New Delhi 110 028. 2002. pp402.
- The last 4 books are reviewed in Current Science vol. 89, NO. 2, 8/25/2005 by T. N. Anathakrishnan Review of last 4 books
- To understand the influences that have shaped Dr. Swaminathan, Read these classics:
- Jawaharlal Nehru. "The Discovery of India" First published in 1946 by Signet Press, Calcutta. Reprint, Oxford University Press, 1985.
- Louis Fischer. "The Life of Mahatma Gandhi", First published in 1951 by Jonathan Cape. Reprint, Granada Publishing, 1982.
- Paul Brunton, "A Search in Secret India", First published in 1934. Reprint, B.I. Publications, Bombay, 1970. Especially Chapter IX, “The Hill of the Holy Beacon.”
External links