The Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) 2026 paid tribute to legendary agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan through a thought-provoking session titled ‘M.S. Swaminathan: The Man Who Fed India’ at the Alipore Museum in Kolkata on January 11. The session was centered around the recently published biography of the same name, written by Swaminathan’s niece, Priyambada Jayakumar.
Priyambada Jayakumar, his niece, was in conversation with author, poet, and editor Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan.
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The discussion reflected on the extraordinary life and legacy of M.S. Swaminathan, widely regarded as the Father of India’s Green Revolution. His pioneering work with high-yielding crop varieties and farmer-centric scientific practices played a crucial role in transforming India’s food security after Independence. The session traced how his interventions helped the country move from food scarcity to self-sufficiency within a few decades.
Drawing from her book, Priyambada spoke about Swaminathan’s personal convictions, institutional struggles behind his scientific journey.
During the session, she observed, “While Gandhi gave us freedom from colonialism, M.S. Swaminathan gave us freedom from hunger.” She also highlighted how the ‘Evergreen Revolution’, announced as a partnership between India and the US by then-President Barack Obama in 2010, was inspired by Swaminathan’s later ideas. The initiative aimed to address sustainability concerns while building on the gains of the Green Revolution.
Biography session at Alipore Museum
A defining, significant episode from the biography stood out during the discussion. For seven weeks, Swaminathan went door to door in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, carrying hybrid seeds and urging farmers to try them. One farmer finally agreed, moved not by assurances but by Swaminathan’s unpaid Sunday visits with his family. “That one leap of faith actually changed India's fortunes,” Priyambada noted, explaining how it led to widespread adoption and overflowing grain reserves by the late 1960s.
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Moderating the session, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan brought a writer’s perspective, discussing questions of legacy and objectivity in biographical writing.
The audience interaction touched upon the global relevance of Swaminathan’s work, his friendship with Verghese Kurien, and the enduring lessons his life offers future generations.
