Agricultural scientist Dr MS Swaminathan, known as the father of India's Green Revolution, passed away in Chennai on Thursday. He breathed his last at his residence. He was 98 years old. Swaminathan brought a social revolution through his policies to rescue India from famine-like circumstances in the 1960s.

He founded the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation and played a vital role in developing high-yield variety seeds of wheat, which led to the green revolution in India. World-renowned for his work on the policy front, Swaminathan has received numerous international awards and honours, including Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986, the first World Food Prize in 1987, Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 1991, and the Planet and Humanity Medal of International Geographical Union in 2000. He was conferred with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief at the demise of Dr M S Swaminathan. In her message, President Murmu said, he was a visionary who worked endlessly to achieve food security and was rightly called the Father of Green Revolution. The President said he leaves behind a rich legacy of Indian agriculture science which may serve as a guiding light to steer the world towards a safer and hunger-free future for humanity.

In his message, Prime Minister Modi said that Dr MS Swaminathan's groundbreaking work in agriculture transformed the lives of millions at a very critical period in India's history, and ensured food security for the nation.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has expressed sadness at the passing of Dr. MS Swaminathan, calling him the visionary person behind the green revolution in the country. In a social media post, Mr Thakur said his efforts ensured that India became a self-sufficient country in terms of food production.