The Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, was instituted in January 1954. The award is conferred upon individuals in recognition of exceptional service/achievements in any field of human endeavour.

From 1954 until May 2022, the Union government has honoured 48 distinguished persons with the Bharat Ratna. Among them, politicians were the dominant recipients with 25 awardees. The remaining recipients included social reformers, musicians, engineers, industrialists, scholars, physicists, sportsperson, etc. However, no agricultural scientist or related expert has received this coveted award so far!

Since independence, India has made tremendous progress in integrated agricultural sector which includes food crops, horticultural crops, plantation crops, oil seed crops, poultry and animal husbandry, fish and other aqua cultures, sericulture and apiculture as also in plant protection, fertilisers, harvesting, food processing, etc. Some of the major path-breaking revolutions in these areas include:

(i) Green Revolution (foodgrains: wheat, rice and other crops) – from 1965;

(ii) Silver Revolution (poultry and eggs) – from 1969;

(iii) Silver Fiber Revolution (cotton crop) – from 1970;

(iv) White Revolution (milk/dairy) – from 1970;

(v) Blue Revolution (fish/aquaculture) – from 1985;

(vi) Golden Revolution (horticulture — fruits, vegetable, flowers; and apiculture - honey production, etc.) — from 1991.

There are also others like Yellow Revolution (oilseeds), Grey Revolution (fertilisers), and Red Revolution (meat production).

Despite these achievements, no agricultural scientist or expert has been honoured with the Bharat Ratna. Prof MS Swaminathan, who is now 97, has been hailed as the ‘Father of Green Revolution in India’ while the late Verghese Kurian was the undisputed ‘Father of White Revolution.’ They were recommended several times in the last 3-4 decades for the Bharat Ratna, but not considered!

At the time of Independence, our foodgrain production was inadequate and we depended heavily upon imports. Food distribution was also rationed. So, even for the rich, foodgrains and other essential food items were not available. Fortunately, owing to agricultural revolutions, starting from the Green Revolution, our production doubled around the 1970s and we never looked back.

India turned from an importer to an exporter of foodgrains. Scientists and farmers backed by positive government policies have been largely responsible for it.

These revolutions, as in any other fields including politics, have been a result of team work and if the team leader is recognised, other members should feel proud. However, no scientist or expert in the agricultural sector has been bestowed upon ‘Bharat Ratna’ in the last 68 years of its inception. Not only the Bharat Ratna, even the other Padma Awards have been given only to a few scientists.

There are some self-proclaimed environmentalists who criticise and condemn various revolutions including the Green Revolution and also certain modern technologies including hybrid crops, biotechnology, etc. Scientists should not be deterred by them. They must continue their research to find solutions to emerging challenges including global warming, new pests and diseases, and feeding the burgeoning population.

The governments, both at the Centre and States, would do well to recognise and acknowledge the contributions made by agricultural scientists, both in the public and private sector. It would serve as an impetus for further research and progress. It is difficult to understand why the ‘Bharat Ratna’ has eluded agricultural scientists. But better late than never!

The writer, an agriculture entomologist with six decades of experience, is an independent Consultant in Biocontrol, Agri-biotechnology and Integrated Pest Management

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