M. S. Swaminathan - Honours, Awards and International Recognition

Honours, Awards and International Recognition

Dr. Swaminathan has received several outstanding awards and prizes. These prizes include large sums of money, which has helped sustain and expand his work.

• H.K. Firodia award for excellence in Science & Technology
• Four Freedoms Award for demonstrating achievement of the principles of Freedom of speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from want and Freedom from fear, 2000
• Planet and Humanity Medal of the International Geographical Union awarded "in recognition of his unique success in outstanding scientific research and its application, leading to Asia’s Green Revolution. His endeavors to combat hunger and food shortages by promoting new seed varieties and applying these with ecologically sound principles and sustainable agriculture are all part of his profound humanitarian ethos, which reminds scientists and politicians worldwide of their responsibilities for stewardship of nature and humanity on our common Planet Earth." 2000
• UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize Laureate for outstanding contributions to the
  protection and management of the environment. Co - winner with Paul and Anne Ehrlich 1994, $200,000 prize.
• The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement "in recognition of life-long contributions to increasing

biological productivity on an ecologically sustainable basis, and to promoting the conservation of biological diversity"1991

• Honda Prize, for achieving outstanding results in the field of ecotechnology, 1991
• Padma Vibhushan 1989
• World Food Prize for advancing human development through increased quantity, guality or accessibility of food, 1987
• Golden Heart Presidential Award of the Philippines, conferred by President Corazon Aquino "in recognition of his contribution in resolving a wide range of problems in basic and applied genetics and agricultural research and development in the Philippines, for his accomplishments in the area of agricultural science and research highly beneficial to Filipino farmers, and for having expanded considerably the International Rice Research Institute’s capacity for upstream research to bring the fruits of recent advances in science and technology to Asian rice farmers."1987
• Albert Einstein World Science Award by the World Cultural Council for research which has brought true benefit and well being to mankind. 1986
• Borlaug Award, given by Coromandel Fertilizers in profound appreciation of his catalytic role in providing deep insights and inspiring fellow scientists to set goals ... for evolving a strategy for agriculture rooted in science, but tempered by a concern for ecology and human values 1979
• Padma Bhushan 1972
• Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership 1971
• Padma Shri 1967
• Foreign Fellow of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences

He holds more than 50 honorary Doctorate degrees from universities around the world.

National Awards
He has been honored with several awards in India for his work to benefit the country.

• Karmaveer Puraskaar Noble Laureates, March,2007 by iCONGO- Confederation of NGOs.
• Dupont-Solae Award for his contribution to the field of food and nutrition security 2004
• Life Time Achievement Award from BioSpectrum 2003
• Indira Gandhi Gold Plaque by the Asiatic Society for his significant contribution towards human progress. 2002
• Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development "for his outstanding contribution in the domain of plant genetics and ensuring food security to hundreds of millions of citizens in the developing world." This prestigious award honors those outstanding global citizens who have made a significant contribution to humanity’s material and cultural progress. 2000
• The Indian National Science Academy awarded him Millennium Scientist Award 2001, Asutosh Mookerjee Memorial Award for 1999–2000, Shatabdi Puraskar award in the field of Agricultural Sciences 1999, Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award 1992, B.P. Pal Memorial Award of the 1998, Meghnad Saha Medal 1981, Silver Jubilee Commemoration Medal for contributions to genetics and agricultural research 1971.
• Lokmanya Tilak Award by the Tilak Smarak Trust, in recognition of his contribution to the green revolution in India and for his outstanding scientific and environmental works. 2001
• Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development in recognition of creative efforts toward promoting international peace, development and a new international economic order; ensuring that scientific discoveries are used for the larger good of humanity, and enlarging the scope of freedom. 2000
• Millennium Alumnus Award by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University 2000
• Prof P N Mehra Memorial Award 1999
• Legend in his Lifetime Award by the World Wilderness Trust- India 1999
• Dr. B.P. Pal Medal for unique contributions to agricultural research and development of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India 1997
• V. Gangadharan Award for outstanding contributions to National Development 1997
• Dr. B.P. Pal Medal for unique contributions to agricultural research and development of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India 1997
• V. Gangadharan Award for outstanding contributions to National Development 1997
• Lal Bahadur Shastri Deshgaurav Samman 1992
• Dr. J.C. Bose Medal, Bose Institute 1989
• Krishi Ratna Award for "devotion to the cause of agroscience, and for being the benefactor of the farming

community," instituted by the Bharat Krishak Samaj (Indian Farmer's Society)/World Agriculture Fair Memorial Trust Society, and presented by President Giani Zail Singh of India 1986

• Rathindranath Tagore Prize of Visva Bharati University 1981
• R.D. Misra Medal of the Indian Environmental Society 1981
• Barclay Medal of the Asiatic Society for contributions to genetics 1978
• Moudgil Prize of the Bureau of Indian Standards for contributions to standardisation 1978
• Birbal Sahni Medal of the Indian Botanical Society for contributions to Applied Botany 1965.
• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for contributions to Biological Sciences 1961

International Awards
He has been honored with recognition from several international organizations for spreading the benefits of his work to other countries.

• UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Gold Medal for his outstanding work in extending the benefits of biotechnology to marginalized and poverty-stricken populations in developing countries and in securing a sound basis for sustainable agricultural, environmental and rural development 1999
• Henry Shaw Medal awarded by the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Botanical Garden in consideration of important service to humanity through emphasis on sustainability in agriculture - USA 1998
• Ordre du Merite Agricole, Govt of France to honour services of the highest quality rendered to the cause of agriculture 1997
• Highest award for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, Govt of China for outstanding contributions to the lofty cause of environmental protection and development, and for his signal accomplishments in the field of international cooperation 1997
• Global Environmental Leadership Award "for encouraging village-level responses to environmental issues" by the Climate Institute 1995
• World Academy of Art and Science 1994
• Asian Regional Award by the Asian Productivity Organization APO 1994
• Charles Darwin International Science and Environment Medal 1993
• Commandeur of the Order of the Golden Ark of the Netherlands 1990
• The VOLVO Environment Prize for his outstanding research and devoted work in turning Indian food production from a deficit to a much increased supply. 1990.
• Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) international award for significant contributions to promoting the knowledge, skill, and technological empowerment of women in agriculture and for his pioneering role in mainstreaming gender considerations in agriculture and rural development 1985.
• Bicentenary Medal of the University of Georgia, U.S.A. 1985
• Bennett Commonwealth Prize of the Royal Society of Arts for significant contributions to Household Nutrition Security 1984
• Mendel Memorial Medal of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences for contributions to Plant Genetics 1965