Context
On September 28, 2023, Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (1925–2023) passed away. He was a prominent figure in the beginning of India's Green Revolution, an important movement that significantly improved the country's food security problems.
 
Major achievements of M.S. Swaminathan 
1. Reducing Food Insecurity: The Green Revolution in India, which significantly expanded food production and ensured food security, assisted the nation in escaping the "Hunger Trap."
2. Advances in Crop Research: Fertiliser response genes were transferred from Japonica to Indica varieties, increasing crop production and boosting agricultural output.
In conjunction with Norman Borlaug, high-yielding dwarf wheat cultivars suited for Indian conditions were produced.
pioneered the use of cutting-edge crop mutation technology to create high-yielding Basmati rice cultivars.
3. Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture: Raising awareness of the value of breeding, genetics, and sustainable agriculture for enhancing crop varieties.
established programmes like "lab to land," which encourage the use of agricultural research in real-world settings.
4. Leading the National Commission on Farmers and advocating for Fair Minimum Support Prices for Crops: Led the National Commission on Farmers and supported the agricultural community.
5. Diversified Agricultural Initiatives: Emphasised biofortification, precise farming, increased funding for agriculture, and the active participation of women in agriculture.

Scientific Terminology Linked to Dr. M. S. Swaminathan's Research and the Green Revolution:  
1. The Green Revolution, which took place in the middle of the 1960s, saw rapid agricultural growth and the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant crop varieties. Dr. Swaminathan had a significant role in the development of this movement, particularly in Punjab.
2. High-Yielding Crops: High-Yielding kinds of Crops (HYVs) are crops that yield significantly more per hectare than standard kinds. These varieties usually exhibit better levels of resistance to drought and disease. Two examples include Kalyan Sona wheat and IR8 rice.
3. Productivity Focus: Yield Gap: The discrepancy between a crop's maximum potential yield and its actual realised yield for a particular region.
4. Genetics: Cytogenetics, a subfield of genetics that studies the connection between chromosomes and inherited characteristics, particularly the characterization of traits like disease resistance and drought tolerance in plants.
One of the most extensively grown wheat cultivars is hexaploid wheat, also known as Triticum aestivum in science. It has six sets of chromosomes. The cytogenetics of wheat was investigated by Dr. Swaminathan.

Conclusion  
With his passing, an unprecedented era of ground-breaking innovation in agricultural research, education, and extension came to an end. He is recognised by many as a person deserving of the utmost respect and love, especially by those who have greatly benefited from his major contributions to agriculture and food security.

LTX Mains Question
Q. By playing a crucial role in the success of the Green Revolution, which considerably decreased food shortages and improved agricultural productivity, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan made a tremendous contribution to modern India. Discuss.