NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday condoled the demise of eminent agricultural scientist and 'Father of the Green Revolution' in India Dr MS Swaminathan, saying the nation will not only miss a great scientist but a national icon, who was also instrumental in shaping a scientific temper among our people.

In a post on X, Kharge said, “Our deepest condolences on the passing away of Dr MS Swaminathan — the key architect of India’s Green Revolution. A legendary scientist and a Padma Vibhushan recipient, his unmatched contribution to the field of agricultural science and his transformative intervention in making India self-sufficient in food grains shall always be cherished.”

He said that United Nations Environment Programme has called him the 'Father of Economic Ecology’, a richly-deserved pseudonym.

“A great Institution builder, an able administrator and above all a humanitarian, his leadership as Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines earned him the World Food Prize in 1987, recognized as the Nobel or the highest honour in the field of agriculture,” the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said.

“India will not only miss a great scientist but a national icon, who was also instrumental in shaping a scientific temper among our people,” Kharge added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, too, condoled the passing away of Dr Swaminathan and said that his steadfast commitment to revolutionising India's agriculture turned the country into a food surplus one.

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “Dr MS Swaminathan's steadfast commitment to revolutionising India's agriculture turned us into a food surplus country. His legacy as the Father of the Green Revolution will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences go out to his loved ones during this time of loss.”

Dr Swaminathan breathed his last on Thursday at 11.15 a.m. at the age of 98 in Chennai. Born on August 7, 1925 in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district, he was an agronomist, agricultural scientist, plant geneticist, administrator, and humanitarian who played a crucial role in developing high-yielding varieties of paddy that helped ensure India’s low-income farmers produce more yield.