The International Food Policy Research Institute deeply mourns the passing of Professor Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, the world-renowned agricultural scientist, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Mentor, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation. M.S. Swaminathan passed away in Chennai, India, on September 28, 2023, at the age of 98.
Prof. M.S. Swaminathan’s contributions to agriculture, genetics, plant breeding, and food policy have left an indelible mark on the world, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.
Prof. Swaminathan’s groundbreaking work played a pivotal role in transforming India’s agricultural landscape and enabling millions of families to move out of hunger and food insecurity in more sustainable and equitable food systems.
While Prof. Swaminathan is most famous for India’s Green Revolution, it is critical to highlight that the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), established in 1988 with proceeds from the first World Food Prize that he received in 1987, has been working tirelessly to accelerate the use of modern science and technology for agricultural and rural development to improve lives and livelihoods around the developing world. MSSRF, under the visionary leadership of Prof. Swaminathan, championed biodiversity, neglected crops (such as millets), environment, nutrition, gender, and marginalized groups (such as Tribals). We applaud the approach of the Foundation, which, as explained on its website, “follows a pro-poor, pro-women and pro-nature approach and applies appropriate science and technology options to address practical problems faced by rural populations in agriculture, food, and nutrition. These efforts have been undertaken in a participatory manner and in partnership with other knowledge-based institutions, public and private sector organizations, and local communities.”
IFPRI is proud to have been one of those knowledge-based institutions. In fact, Prof. Swaminathan, at that time Vice Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee of CGIAR, was one of the first people who, in his own words, “strongly welcomed” and was part of “giving the shape to the concept of IFPRI.” In his memorable remarks for the 40th anniversary of IFPRI, he said that he was happy to see that “as a result of IFPRI’s work, the attention has now changed from food security to nutrition security.”
Prof. Swaminathan’s contributions to nutrition in India are incredibly noteworthy. In 2008, disturbed by the findings of the NFHS-3 survey on undernutrition in India, he and MSSRF convened dozens of nutrition stakeholders at the Foundation, bringing together what later became the Coalition for Nutrition and Food Security in India. He provided mentorship and support to the Coalition, which in turn, over a year, articulated a Leadership Agenda for Action for nutrition, brought in politicians from around India, and created a ‘big tent’ for focusing on nutrition across sectors, with a special lens on the most vulnerable. As remembered by Purnima Menon, IFPRI/CGIAR Senior Director on Food and Nutrition Policy, “IFPRI partnered extensively with the Coalition through our work on the POSHAN project, and Professor was always right there to support the nutrition agenda and bring his voice and leadership to it. What a force he was on this issue too, with a gentleness that belied his resolve to bring people together to solve big challenges!”
Nutrition was just one of the many topics Prof. Swaminathan worked on with IFPRI colleagues. Others included such critical issues as gender studies, biofortification, youth empowerment in agriculture, and climate resilient agriculture, to mention a few.
We look forward to continued collaboration with MSSRF to support its important mission and honor and expand Prof. Swaminathan’s phenomenal legacy.
Prof. Swaminathan was for many years and will continue to be a source of inspiration for researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, and many other people – in India and worldwide. His dedication to his work and his country, his wisdom and generosity as mentor to his many students and followers, and his openness to constant learning and change are the qualities that we will always remember.
We are incredibly honored that Prof. Swaminathan was a great friend and supporter of IFPRI. In his memory, we are sharing this video recorded in 2018 for the global event “Accelerating the End of Hunger and Malnutrition” organized by IFPRI and FAO in Bangkok, Thailand.
Our heartfelt condolences to Prof. Swaminathan’s extended family, friends, colleagues, and students who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside this remarkable man. IFPRI is committed to sustaining Prof. Swaminathan’s legacy and supporting agriculture and food systems transformation for the most vulnerable among us.
A fuller copy of this tribute letter was sent to the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, signed by Johan Swinnen, IFPRI Director General and Managing Director, Systems Transformation Science Group, CGIAR .