Chennai, November 2, 2025: The grand Chennai launch of “The Man Who Fed India”, a biography on Bharat Ratna and the Father of the Green Revolution, Prof. M. S. Swaminathan, authored by Priyambada Jayakumar and published by HarperCollins India, was held at Taj Wellington Mews this evening.
The event was presided over by Dr. Kamal Haasan, Member of Parliament and Founder-President, Makkal Needhi Maiam, who graced the occasion as Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker. In his address, Dr. Haasan paid tribute to Prof. Swaminathan’s monumental contributions to food and nutritional security in India, highlighting his life’s work as “He belonged to a generation that saw liberty not as leisure, but as labour, the sacred duty of rebuilding a broken nation. Food for him was destiny – the destiny of a free and self-reliant India.”
The evening also featured a fireside chat between The Hon. Dr. Thiru Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, and Ms. Priyambada Jayakumar, the author. The engaging conversation offered the audience insights into the making of the biography, Prof. Swaminathan’s enduring legacy, and the inspiration behind the book.
Speaking about the M S Swaminathan, author Priyambada Jayakumar said, “His life was a cauldron of stories – of resilience, of hope, and of an unshakable faith in the goodness of people. He believed in giving others a moment to shine and rise beyond their own widest dreams.”
The event concluded with a book signing session and high tea, attended by eminent personalities, members of the media, and admirers of Prof. Swaminathan’s life and work.
A compelling tribute in his centennial year, “The Man Who Fed India” chronicles the extraordinary journey of Prof. M. S. Swaminathan – from his early years in Kumbakonam and collaboration with Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug, to his pioneering role in India’s Green Revolution. The biography captures his remarkable career as a scientist, conservationist, technocrat, Gandhian, and institution builder, portraying the humanity and grace that defined his life’s mission.
Prof. Swaminathan’s story, told with deep empathy and attention to detail, serves as a timeless reminder of his belief that “food is life, food is hope, food is dignity.”
This powerful work stands as a celebration of one of India’s greatest sons , a man who transformed the nation from a “begging bowl” to a “breadbasket” and secured for millions the most essential freedom of all: freedom from hunger.
Book Details:
Title: The Man Who Fed India
Author: Priyambada Jayakumar
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Foreword by: Shashi Tharoor
