PM Modi Launches Global M.S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace, Honours Nigerian Scientist

In a historic tribute to the legacy of Professor M.S. Swaminathan, the Father of India’s Green Revolution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a global award in his name — the M.S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace — aimed at recognizing pathbreaking contributions to food security and sustainable agriculture across the developing world.

The announcement was made during the ongoing M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in Delhi, where PM Modi also released a centenary memorial stamp to commemorate Swaminathan’s life and contributions.

Honouring Global Champions of Food Security

The first recipient of the newly instituted award is Dr. Arenare, a Nigerian scientist honoured for his transformative work in reducing hunger in Nigeria. The award symbolizes Swaminathan’s lifelong mission to combat hunger through science and innovation, not just in India but globally.

“Dr. M.S. Swaminathan is admired globally for his visionary work in agriculture,” Prime Minister Modi said. “He went beyond biodiversity and introduced the revolutionary idea of bio-happiness, focusing on human well-being rooted in ecological harmony.”

A Lasting Legacy in Science and Peace

Swaminathan, who passed away on September 23, 2023, at the age of 98, was posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2024. His contributions laid the foundation for India’s self-reliance in food production, with monumental strides made during the Green Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s.

Call for Climate-Resilient Agriculture

Urge scientists to tackle the growing impacts of climate change on agriculture. The need to develop climate-resilient seeds, water-efficient technologies, and sustainable farming practices to future-proof food systems.

The award is expected to become a prestigious international recognition, celebrating those who further the cause of “food and peace” — a term Swaminathan himself used to frame the role of agriculture in eliminating global hunger.