Agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan, known as the father of India's Green Revolution, passed away in Chennai today. He was 98. He breathed his last at his residence. 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. He was the director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) between 1972 and 1980 and the director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) between 1982 and 1988.

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 Planet and Humanity Medal of International Geographical Union in 2000. He was also conferred with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.