‘My family is elated with this honour’: Saumya Swaminathan after receiving Bharat Ratna for father MS Swaminathan

NEW DELHI: Saumya Swaminathan, daughter of late agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan said that her family is elateqad with the Bharat Ratna honour for her father.

She received the Bharat Ratna for her father from President Droupadi Murmu in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday.

“My family is elated with this honour. My father spent his life in agriculture science, research, and the welfare of farmers,” Saumya Swaminathan told ANI.

“My father started working for the country in 1954 when there was often a scarcity of food, and rice and wheat were imported. In the next 15 years, wheat and rice production in India reached new heights, after which we never looked back and never had to import foodgrains,” she said.

She said that her father spent his life promoting agriculture, research, and science, taking science and technology to the rural masses and ensuring the needs, particularly of women farmers, were considered and met.

“Till the last day, he would dream of a hunger-free world. He always used to say that the day he would go to bed happy would be the day in which no one, anywhere in the world, would go to bed hungry. Today we were happy that we could celebrate the occasion with our family, friends, some of the agriculture scientists he worked with, and some farmers who had come with us to the Rashtrapati Bahwan,” she said.

The central government announced five names for the Bharat Ratna this year, which also included BJP leader LK Advani.

Former PM Charan Singh’s award was received by his grandson, Jayant Singh, and PV Narasimha Rao’s award was received by his son, PV Prabhakar Rao.

#WATCH | Gurugram: On Bharat Ratna Dr MS Swaminathan, his daughter Dr Saumya Swaminathan says, "… My family is elated with this honour. My father spent his life in agriculture science, research, and the welfare of farmers. My father started working for the country in 1954 when… pic.twitter.com/pEyqEJyjp1

— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2024

Born on June 28, 1921, in Karimnagar, Telangana, being an agriculturist and an advocate, Narasimha Rao joined politics and held some important portfolios. He was the Minister of Law and Information, 1962-64; Law and Endowments, 1964-67; Health and Medicine, 1967 and Education, 1968-71, Government of Andhra Pradesh. He was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1971-73 and General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee from 1975-76.

Trained as a plant geneticist, Swaminathan’s significant contributions to India’s agricultural sector have earned him a reputation as the scientific leader of India’s green revolution movement. His work has been instrumental in the agricultural renaissance of India.

Advani, born in Karachi, in present-day Pakistan, on November 8, 1927, has served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, he was, first, the Home Minister and, later, the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004).

Karpoori Thakur was born in 1924 in one of the most backward sections of society, the Nai Samaj. He was a remarkable leader whose political journey was marked by his unwavering commitment to the marginalised sections of society.

He served as the Chief Minister of Bihar and was a key figure in the struggle against social discrimination and inequality. His commitment to affirmative action gave representation and opportunities to the poor, oppressed, exploited and deprived sections of the country. (ANI)