Dr. M S Swaminathan, 1999

The Godfather of the Green revolution

“The Volvo Environment Prize for 1999 is awarded to Dr. M.S. Swaminathan because of his achievements as a plant breeder and administrator which led to dramatic increases in crop yields, his international leadership in agriculture and resource conservation, his deep concern for the poor and disadvantaged, and his continuing research and leadership to ensure that they get the opportunities needed to develop in ways that enhance the natural environment on which they depend.”

M. S. Swamanathan is  known as the “Father of the Green Revolution in India” , for his leadership and success in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of wheat in India. He is the founder and Chairman of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.

M. S. Swaminathan is an eminent scientist well recognized globally. He has significantly contributed to insight on how to combine agricultural productivity with justified concern for the environment and biodiversity. His research efforts have resulted in measurable contributions to human welfare. By merging modern and traditional sciences in his current endeavors, he is proving that natural resource management is possible and can yield practical results both in the farm and the non-farm sectors, in particular for disadvantaged groups.

Professor Swaminathan’s contributions to the agricultural renaissance of India have led to his being widely referred to as the scientific leader of the green revolution movement. His advocacy of sustainable agriculture leading to an ever-green revolution makes him an acknowledged world leader in the field of sustainable food security.

Professor M S Swaminathan has been acclaimed by TIME magazine as one of the twenty most influential Asians of the 20th century.

M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) http://www.mssrf.org/about_us/index.htm