New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday expressed grief on the demise of eminent farm scientist M S Swaminathan and said his contribution to making India self-sufficient in foodgrains production can never be forgotten.

M S Swaminathan, renowned agricultural scientist and a lifelong crusader against hunger who bet on sustainable farming passed away here on Thursday.

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He was 98 and is survived by three daughters, including Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the former chief scientist of the World Health Organisation.

Tomar said Swaminathan's extraordinary contribution to the development of the agriculture sector will always be remembered and will continue to inspire people.

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Swaminathan has gained prestige not only in India but also in the whole world because of his contribution in the progress of agriculture sector, the minister said.

"His demise is an irreparable loss for the agricultural sector of the entire country and the world," he said.

The minister said that farmers have benefitted a lot from innovations made by Swaminathan in the field of agriculture. India can never forget the contribution of Swaminathan in achieving self-sufficiency in food grains.

The minister said the government is providing Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers on the basis of recommendations made by the Swaminathan committee.

Farming has got a new dimension due to the devotion and dedication of Swaminathan, he said.

Condoling his death, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson of Biocon Ltd, said, "Dr MS Swaminathan was a living legend whose legacy will remain for posterity. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest architects of India's green revolution.

Uppal Shah, Co-founder and CEO of AgriMandi.live Research said, “It is a sad day for India. The person who is responsible for our food, nutrition and sustenance is no more. The citizens of India are grateful to him. We salute him.”

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)