Tamil Nadu: Eminent Agri scientist MS Swaminathan cremated with police honours in Chennai

The acclaimed scientist, who played a pivotal role in India's Green Revolution, passed away on Thursday at the age of 98.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that Prof Swaminathan will be cremated with state honours as a mark of respect for his giant contributions that made India self-sufficient in feeding its huge population

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi visited the MSSRF campus where his body was kept for public homage and paid his last respects.

The Governor laid a wreath and paid tributes to Prof Swaminathan at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation.

He also met the family members of Prof Swaminathan and offered his condolences.

Hailed as the "Father of Economic Ecology" by the United Nations Environment Programme, Swaminathan's trailblazing contributions in the 1960s and 1970s brought about a revolution in Indian agriculture.

This transformation averted widespread famine and led India to attain self-sufficiency in food production.

Swaminathan's pioneering initiatives included the development and introduction of high-yield varieties of wheat and rice, leading to a substantial increase in food grain production throughout India.

AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami also visited the MSSRF campus and paid homage to the
departed soul.

CPI General Secretary D. Raja, Kerala Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty, Member of Parliament Mavelikara Kodikunnil Suresh, PMK Leader G.K.Mani,
CPI(M) State Secretary G. Balakrishnan also paid their last respects to Prof Swaminathan.

A large number of people from various walks of life also paid their last respects to Prof Swaminathan at the MSSRF premises yesterday and today.

Earlier, his body was taken in a special vehicle, accompanied by the staff of MSSRF and others, to Besant Nagar crematorium where the funeral was held with police honours in the presence of his daughters, family members and others.

Before the cremation, a police team from the Armed Reserve Unit of Greater Chennai City Police observed a minute's silence and offered a gun salute with the bugle, sounding in the last post as a mark of respect to the renowned scientist.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdish Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi,
Tamil Nadu MK Stalin, Leaders of various political parties, Governors and Chief Ministers of various states and the scientific community condoled the death of Prof Swaminathan and recalled his contributions to the development of the Agricultural sector in the country.

(With UNI inputs)