Mumbai: NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CM Eknath Shinde pay tribute to MS Swaminathan

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On Thursday, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar hailed eminent scientist MS Swaminathan as the "father of the Green Revolution".

Swaminathan (98) died due to age-related illness. The celebrated agriculture icon, was being treated for age-related illness for quite some time. He passed away at 11.15 am in Chennai.

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Paying tribute to Swaminathan on X, NCP chief Pawar, a former Union agriculture minister, said, "Dr Swaminathan is the father of green revolution. It was the top point of his career. The great work of some popular personalities gets associated with them forever. It happened with Swaminathan."

"Apart from that, his landmark contribution in other fields also elevated Swaminathan's popularity and career growth. He was indeed a versatile personality. My tributes to him," the NCP leader said.

Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais stated "Dr Swaminathan transformed the face of Indian agriculture and was instrumental in making India 'Atma Nirbhar' in the production of food grains. In his demise, India lost a one-man Agricultural University."

Maharashtra CM Shinde said Swaminathan took care of the farmers in India through his works. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, "Dr Swaminathan has a lion's share in making our country self-reliant in food grain production. He helped poor and small farmers by giving them hybrid seeds that increased agriculture production. His demise is a major loss for the country".

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis posted on X said, "His suggestions helped policy makers frame many schemes and initiatives on many occasions. My humble tributes to him and deepest condolences to his family and admirers."

Meanwhile, the death of renowned agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan is a profound loss to the scientific community but his legacy endures and will continue to guide the world towards sustainable food security and agricultural innovation, scientists say.

"All of us have benefited immensely, directly or indirectly, from his vast contributions over the years. Without the Green Revolution in India, which he spearheaded, we would not have achieved food security," agriculturist Ranjitha Puskar, country representative for India and research at the Manila-headquartered International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), told PTI.

(wtih inputs from PTI)