Noted agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan (98) passed away. He died at home in Chennai. Known as the father of the Green Revolution in India, his efforts have lifted most of the countries in Southeast Asia out of starvation.
In 1952, he obtained his PhD in genetics from the University of Cambridge and came to India to become a pioneer in the field of agriculture. Sri Swaminathan became internationally known for developing Indian eco-friendly and high-yielding seeds and disseminating them among farmers. In 1966, he adapted Mexican wheat varieties to Indian conditions and reaped a hundred harvests in the paddies of Punjab, making him the father of the Green Revolution in India. He has won the Magsaysay Award, the World Food Prize and the Franklin Roosevelt Award. He chaired the United Nations Food Congress held in Rome in 1987.
Prof. MS Swaminathan is a native of Mankomp in Alappuzha district. Graduated in Zoology from Thiruvananthapuram University College. Further studies were done at Coimbatore Agricultural College and Indian Agricultural Research Institute.
Dr. Mankomb K. Born on August 7, 1925 in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu to Sambasiva and Thangath. His ancestral home is at Pulingunn Mankomp in Kuttanad taluk of Alappuzha district. His wife is Meena Swaminathan. Nithya, Soumya and Madurai are the children. Dr. Wes Chairman of the State Hospitality Board. VK Ramachandran is the son-in-law.
