Eminent agriculture scientist and Father of Green Revolution in India M.S. Swaminathan, who passed away in Chennai on Thursday, had worked with Karnataka government in various capacities. He was a frequent visitor to Bengaluru where he took part in agriculture-related engagements and delivered lectures.
Dr. Swaminathan, the then Chairman of National Commission on Farmers had visited Karnataka on three different occasions before the State’s second Agriculture Policy 2006 was finalised by the Janata Dal (Secular)- BJP alliance led by H.D. Kumaraswamy. He had held extensive discussions and gave valuable ideas and suggestions specific to Karnataka and had detailed discussions with former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.
“The mainstay of the 2006 Agriculture Policy, which is the most comprehensive document and continues to be in vogue had major inputs coming from the Dr. Swaminathan-headed National Commission on Farmers,” said Janata Dal (Secular) leader and the then Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashempur. Recalling the formulation of the report, he said experts and officials had detailed discussions with the scientist before the report was finalised.
The Agriculture Policy document states that Dr. Swaminathan appreciated the proactive approach of the State government and the fact that Karnataka was the first State not only to constitute the committees but also to make a detailed presentation before the National Commission of Farmers.
In 2015, the Siddaramaiah–led Congress government appointed him to chair a Vision Group for the agriculture sector for Karnataka. “During our tenure he was instrumental in guiding us in dryland farming or the rain-fed agriculture, and encouraged us to start using bio tech and funding bio tech to develop advanced varieties of seeds. He was also guiding the work when we set up the Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission (KAPC),” remembered Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who was Agriculture Minister in the erstwhile Congress government. He said: “Despite his advanced age, he was always available for consultation, willing to share his time and knowledge. He was appreciative of Karnataka’s work on millets and Krishi Bhagya (farm pond.) It was a great learning experience working with him.”
In July 2018, he had also visited the then Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy at Vidhana Soudha. “Dr. Swaminathan maintained a close relationship with State. He used to frequently visit Bengaluru both for personal reasons as well as academic and official purposes. He maintained a close relationship with governments,” said former chairman of KAPC Prakash Kammaradi, who worked closely with the eminent scientist. “We recommended implementing the Dr. Swaminathan report on Minimum Support Price through legal recourse,” he said.
The Universities of Agriculture Sciences (UAS)-Bengaluru and Dharwad on separate occasions conferred on him the honorary doctorates, recognising his contribution to the growth of agriculture in India. “When the UAS-B celebrated its golden jubilee, we found it was apt to invite him to deliver the convocation address considering his depth of knowledge and contribution to field of agriculture,” recalled former UAS-B Vice Chancellor K. Narayana Gowda during whose tenure the agriculture scientist was invited to deliver the convocation address.
At another function organised by the UAS-B Alumni Association, Dr. Gowda remembered: “He not only appreciated the association’s work, but also felt that having received the honorary doctorate, he was also one of the alumni.” Dr. Swaminathan had regularly provided suggestions to the growth of UAS-B while he also came to attend functions multiple times, he added.
His connection to Bengaluru was also through his daughter Madhura Swaminathan, a faculty member at Economic Analysis Unit in Indian Statistical Institute here.
