Blessed by Swamy

In 1984, during a Home Science Workshop in Udaipur, Dr M S Swaminathan delivered a key note address, leaving a lasting impression on me. On the flight back, I had the privilege of sitting next to him and engaging in a conversation that covered various academic and non-academic topics. This chance encounter had a positive impact on my educational journey, marking a permanent influence.

During the academic years 1969–70 at Southern Illinois University, I crossed paths with Dr M Shadaksharaswamy, a visiting professor in the Department of Bio-Chemistry. Seeking guidance on my Master’s Degree course, he advised me to focus on food and food-related sciences, setting me on a meaningful path. Upon returning to India, with no food science subjects in home science colleges, I introduced the subject at Smt VHD Central Institute of Home Science. Inspired by Dr Shadasksharswamy, I collaborated with him to create a textbook, utilising his rich experiential knowledge. Thanks to a UGC grant, the book “Foods: Facts and Principles” began to take shape.

The book not only presented scientific principles but also delved into the unique aspects of Indian food culture, turning the challenge into a joyful creative work. I proposed the name of Dr M S Swaminathan to write a foreword, which was readily approved by Dr N Shadashkaraswamy. Dr M S Swaminathan, then Director General of the International Rice Research Institution and President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in Manila, Philippines, agreed to write the forward. This marked the convergence of blessings from two distinguished Swamys.

Dr Swaminathan’s first foreword underscored the importance of food in the hierarchy of human needs from ancient times and highlighted the book’s unique feature—addressing chemical constituents not only in food grains but also in a wide range of horticultural and plantation crops. In the forward to the revised edition, he incorporates insights about the UN Millennium Development Goals (2000–2015), emphasising the priority given to eliminating hunger and poverty. Towards achieving sustainable food and nutrition security in the physical, economic, social, and environmental contexts, he appreciates
the detailed information given in the book on production, post-harvest technology, culinary aspects, and fortification and enrichment.

His latest foreword traced the book’s evolution over three decades. He emphasises the contemporary need for growing millets and the challenges of popularising them for their nutritional value and yield per hectare. He appreciated macro, micro, and mesonutrients, enabling the formulation of personalised diets for individual health needs (SWASTHYA). Dr Swaminathan noted how the book had evolved, shifting from a focus on physical and mental aspects to the centering of the spirit. Thus, he has traced the growth of the book and its evolution from the past to the present qualitatively.

The latest foreword for the fifth edition came from the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in 2023. The passing away of the chief architect of India’s Green Revolution has created a void hard to fill.