Introduction

In the 1960s, India was reeling under the threat of famine, dependent on food aid like PL-480 imports from the U.S. It was during this crisis that M.S. Swaminathan, in collaboration with Norman Borlaug and with strong political support from leaders like Lal Bahadur Shastri and C. Subramaniam, spearheaded the Green Revolution. By introducing high-yielding dwarf wheat varieties, India moved from “ship-to-mouth” dependence to food self-sufficiency.

His story is not just about agricultural science, it is about leadership, political will, and atmanirbharta in its truest sense. Today, as India aspires for Viksit Bharat and faces the challenge of climate change, his legacy offers critical lessons.

M.S. Swaminathan in the news today:

Centenary Year: 2025 marks 100 years since the birth of Swaminathan, celebrated with the release of a biography M.S. Swaminathan: The Man Who Fed India.
Historical Significance: His leadership in the 1960s achieved food self-sufficiency, India’s most successful experiment in aatmanirbharta.
Relevance Today: India now faces a new agricultural crisis due to climate change, water stress, and soil degradation, making Swaminathan’s lessons critical for the future.
Striking Contrast: In the 1960s, India relied on foreign food aid; today, India is a food grain exporter, largely due to the foundation Swaminathan built.

Collaboration and scientific exchange in shaping the Green Revolution

Cross-fertilisation of ideas: Swaminathan’s initial experiments with radiation-induced mutations failed. A Japanese scientist’s input on dwarf wheat and Norman Borlaug’s Mexican varieties changed the course.
Networking with global scientists: Swaminathan leveraged his contacts to bring Borlaug’s seeds to India, overcoming bureaucratic hurdles.
Lesson: Science thrives on openness, collaboration, and reduced bureaucracy, not isolation.

The role of political leadership in Swaminathan’s success

Direct dialogue with scientists: C. Subramaniam (Agriculture Minister) listened directly to Swaminathan, bypassing bureaucratic resistance.
Evidence-based decisions: Lal Bahadur Shastri personally visited fields to see the new wheat varieties before approving large-scale imports.
Leadership support: Indira Gandhi carried forward the momentum after Shastri’s death, ensuring continuity.
Lesson: Strong political will + scientific advice = transformative policy outcomes.

Challenges and criticisms of the Green Revolution

Opposition from multiple fronts: Finance Ministry resisted spending ₹5 crore in forex; Planning Commission doubted the seeds; Left parties opposed U.S. connections (Rockefeller Foundation funding).
Environmental fallout: Excessive water use, soil degradation, and fertilizer dependence became long-term challenges.
Swaminathan’s foresight: He himself warned against unsustainable practices and advocated for “evergreen revolution”, productivity with sustainability.

Lessons from Swaminathan’s legacy for Viksit Bharat

Science-Policy Linkages: Scientists must be given autonomy, direct access to policymakers and freedom from bureaucratic bottlenecks.
R&D Investment: India spends 0.43% of agricultural GDP on R&D, half of China’s share; none of India’s agricultural institutes are in the world’s top 200, while China has eight in the top 10.
Sustainability: A climate-resilient agriculture strategy is urgent to prevent food insecurity in the era of global warming.
Atmanirbharta parallel: Just as Swaminathan made India self-sufficient in food, similar investments are needed in the digital economy, AI and green technologies.

Conclusion

M.S. Swaminathan’s work reminds us that nation-building rests on the fusion of science and statesmanship. His Green Revolution made India food-secure, but his vision of an “evergreen revolution”, where productivity meets sustainability, remains unfulfilled. To truly honour him, India must invest in agricultural research, empower scientists, and align policy with long-term sustainability. The man who fed India has left us with not just a legacy but also a roadmap for the future.

Value Addition

Key Achievements

Food Self-Sufficiency: India moved from being a food-deficit, aid-dependent country (“ship-to-mouth”) to self-sufficiency in food grains by the 1970s.
Wheat Production Boom: From 12 million tonnes (1965), 23 million tonnes (1971), over 100 million tonnes (2020s).
Avoided Famines: Helped avert large-scale famine during population boom (India’s population doubled between 1950–1980).
Global Recognition: M.S. Swaminathan + Norman Borlaug collaboration hailed as a model of science-policy partnership.

Criticisms & Limitations

Regional Imbalance: Benefits concentrated in Punjab, Haryana, Western UP; other states lagged behind.
Mono-cropping: Focus on wheat and rice discouraged diversification → vulnerability in nutrition and soil health
Environmental Degradation:

- Over-extraction of groundwater → water table crisis in Punjab & Haryana.
- Excessive fertilizer/pesticide use → soil toxicity & health hazards.
Inequality: Large farmers gained more due to access to credit, irrigation, inputs → widening rural inequality.
Neglect of Coarse Grains & Pulses: Led to declining production of millets, crucial for nutrition and climate resilience.

Reports & Data

NITI Aayog (2021): 89% of India’s groundwater used for irrigation → unsustainable.
FAO Report (2019): Green Revolution improved calorie sufficiency but failed in ensuring nutrition security.
ICAR Data: Only 0.43% of agricultural GDP is spent on R&D in India vs ~0.86% in China.

Concepts Introduced

Evergreen Revolution (Swaminathan): Increasing productivity in perpetuity without ecological harm → focus on sustainability.
Second Green Revolution: Emphasis on pulses, oilseeds, and eastern states under the National Food Security Mission (2007).
Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Shift towards water-use efficiency, precision farming, and millets revival (2023: International Year of Millets).

Comparative Perspective

China vs India: China diversified faster into horticulture, aquaculture, and biotech crops; India stayed wheat-rice centric.
Mexico: Norman Borlaug’s work initially focused there, but India scaled it into a nationwide revolution.
Africa: “Green Revolution for Africa” attempts underway, but limited success due to weak infrastructure.

Mapping Microthemes for GS Papers

GS Paper I: Post-independence consolidation, Nehruvian vision, famine & food security history.
GS Paper II: Science-policy interface, role of political leadership, bureaucratic hurdles in governance.
GS Paper III: Food security, Green Revolution, R&D in agriculture, climate change impact, sustainable agriculture.
GS Paper IV: Leadership ethics, scientific integrity, foresight (Swaminathan warning about sustainability).

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2019] How was India benefited from the contributions of Sir M.Visvesvaraya and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively?

Linkage: Dr. M.S. Swaminathan’s pioneering role in the Green Revolution transformed India from a food-deficit nation into a self-sufficient one, ensuring food security and laying the foundation for agricultural atmanirbharta.

Practice Mains Question

“The Green Revolution transformed India from a food-deficit nation to a self-sufficient one. Critically evaluate its successes and limitations in light of M.S. Swaminathan’s vision of an evergreen revolution.”

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