CHENNAI: The mortal remains of agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan was cremated at Besant Nagar crematorium with full state honours marked by gun salute on Saturday. Swaminathan passed away at his residence in Chennai on Thursday. He was 98.
The body was kept at MS Swaminathan Research Foundation till Saturday morning for public to pay respects. Several eminent personalities, including President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi, had expressed condolences over his demise. Governor RN Ravi and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami paid their respects to Swaminathan on Saturday.
The body was later taken in a special vehicle to the Besant Nagar electric crematorium. Following the gun salute by police, the body was cremated in presence of his family members.An inconsolable Lakshmi, who said she was Swaminathan’s caretaker for the last five years, told TNIE, “We had formed a close bond over these years and I’m heartbroken. Today, I find comfort with his daughters.”
Several academicians have also urged the central government to announce ‘Bharat Ratna,’ the country’s highest civilian honour, for the man who led India to self-sufficiency in food production in the late 1960s.