Key Points

Swaminathan was held on Saturday at the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Taramani, Chennai. The event brought together leading scientists, policymakers, and political leaders to honour the man widely hailed as the 'Father of India's Green Revolution'.

Welcoming the gathering, Foundation chairperson Dr Soumya Swaminathan recalled her father's vision for hunger-free and sustainable farming.

Tamil Nadu Ministers K.N. Nehru, M.R.K. Panneerselvam, Raja Kannappan, and T.M.O. Anbarasan attended, along with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who delivered a deeply personal tribute.

In his address, Stalin said very few people in history have shaped the lives of millions as profoundly as Prof. Swaminathan. "India will never forget the name M.S. Swaminathan -- the man who led a revolution that filled empty stomachs when the nation was struggling with hunger," he said.

Calling him a scientist with rare humility, Stalin recalled how Swaminathan could speak to farmers in remote villages with the same warmth and respect he showed global leaders. The CM noted that while the world admired Swaminathan as the father of the Green Revolution, "to us, he was the guardian of food security, a voice for the voiceless, and an embodiment of simplicity."

He praised Swaminathan's foresight in warning about the environmental cost of excessive chemical fertilisers and his call for nutrition-rich, sustainable crops long before climate change became a mainstream global concern.

The Chief Minister announced several measures to honour the scientist's legacy. Tamil Nadu has instituted a 'Dr M.S. Swaminathan Research Fund' with an initial allocation of Rs 1 crore to support innovations in agriculture. The Poovir Wetland Green Park has been renamed after Swaminathan, and the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Ichangottai in Thanjavur will now bear his name. An annual award in his honour will also be given to students of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

Stalin said the state's Dravidian Model government would strive to reduce carbon emissions by 2050 -- two decades ahead of India's national goal -- and continue investing in farmers' welfare and sustainable food security. "The life and service of Prof. Swaminathan will guide us forever," he concluded.

- IANS