PM Narendra Modi Inaugurated Bharat Ratna Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in New Delhi

In August 2025, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bharat Ratna Prof. Dr. Mankombu Sambasivan (M.S.) Swaminathan Centenary International Conference held at Pusa in New Delhi, Delhi, from August 07 to August 09, 2025.

• The inaugural ceremony was chaired by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW).
• The 3-day conference was organised to commemorate the birth centenary (100th) of M.S. Swaminathan, popularly known as “Father of India’s Green Revolution”.

About Bharat Ratna Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference:

Theme: The theme of the conference was ‘Evergreen Revolution- Path to Bio-Happiness’.

Organisers: The conference was organised in collaboration with the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), MoA&FW, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS).

Key Dignitaries: Dr. Ramesh Chand, Member of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog); Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of MSSRF and former Chief Scientist of World Health Organisation (WHO); agricultural experts, scientists, farmers, and other distinguished personalities were present at the event.

Release of Commemorative Coin: PM Modi released an Rs. 100 commemorative coin and centenary memorial stamp in the honour of Dr. Swaminathan’s exceptional contributions to agriculture and food security.

• This coin marked the 17th release of commemorative coin in year 2025.

Agricultural Milestones and Initiatives:

Increase in Wheat Production: While addressing the event, Union Minister Chouhan highlighted that wheat production surged from 5 million tonnes (1966) to 17 million tonnes (1967) due to Swaminathan’s high-yield varieties.

Government Initiatives: The Government of India (GoI) had launched several initiatives like: ‘Lab to Land’ initiative, the ‘Krishi Chaupal’, and the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ to bridge science and farming.

• Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan: 2,170 teams of scientists were formed and they visited more than 64,000 villages and engaged directly with over 1 crore (10 million) farmers.

About Global M.S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace:

Launched by: PM Modi during the conference, jointly instituted by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and MSSRF

Aim: To recognize/ honours scientists from developing countries who have made significant contributions in food security, climate justice, and peace-building through their research and policy innovation.

1st Recipient: Nigerian Scientist Prof. Ademola A. Adenle became the 1st recipient to receive this award. He was honoured by the PM Narendra Modi during the inaugural day of the conference.

Monetary Prize: The inaugural recipient Prof. Adenle received a monetary prize of USD 25000 and a medal.

About M.S. Swaminathan Award:

Father of India’s Green Revolution: He played a key role in making India self-reliant in agriculture and modernising farming practices.

Development: High-yielding wheat and rice varieties with Norman Borlaug, revolutionising agriculture in India during the the 1960s and 1970s.

Major Awards and Honours:

• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award – 1961
• Ramon Magsaysay Award – 1971
• Albert Einstein World Science Award – 1986

GoI’s civilian awards: Padma Shri (1967), Padma Bhushan (1972), Padma Vibhushan(1989)

Bharat Ratna Recognition: Posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 2024 for his exceptional contributions to agriculture and food security.

About Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW):
Union Minister- Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Constituency- Madhya Pradesh, MP)
Minister of State (MoS) – Ram Nath Thakur (Rajya Sabha- Bihar); Bhagirath Choudhary (Constituency- Ajmer, Rajasthan)