MS Swaminathan to receive first World Agri Prize on Oct 26

Chennai

The global Jury of the First World Agriculture Prize has selected Prof MS Swaminathan, Chief architect of India’s Green Revolution for the award.

The award, containing USD 100,000 would be presented by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi at a special session, “Swaminathan Global Dialogue on Climate Change and Food Security” on October 26, organised by the Indian Council of food and Agriculture (ICFA).

A release from ICFA here on Tuesday said, “Prof Swaminathan, the most influential agriculturist and environmentalist of our times, who spearheaded the green revolution movement in India has been instrumental in leading India towards food security.”

“Recognised worldwide for his basic and applied research in genetics, cytogenetics, radiation and chemical mutagenesis, food and biodiversity conservation, Prof Swaminathan has been hailed by the United Nations Environment Program as “The Father of Economic Ecology” owing to his commitment towards the ever green revolution movement in agriculture,” it said. Swaminathan has been acclaimed by the TIME magazine as one of the 20 most influential Asians of the 20th century and one of the only three from India--the other two being Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.

Javier Perez de Cuellar, UN Secretary General, hailed him as, “a living legend who will go into the annals of history as a world scientist of rare distinction”, the release said. The Jury of the World Agriculture Prize consisted of 11 names, including four from India. The World Agriculture Prize has been instituted by ICFA with the vision to recognise the individuals, who have served the humanity throughagriculture.