Farmer of the world...

"Proud and radiant,he walks in long strides and so fast that all those 20,30 and 40 somethings accompanying him, had to almost run to keep up with him".My brother told me of his meeting with Dr Norman Borlaug, who, aged around 86 that time,had visited IARI, Delhi for the National Science Congress. This science congress around 9 years back, had captured fascination of me and a couple of my friends, who would travel daily,at the expense of school :D, to IARI in a hope to meet, interact or catch a glimpse of the most celebrated scientists from India and abroad. We met a few, interacted with some and missed a lot of them.One miss which I rued most and would always do was to meet Dr Borlaug.

Dr Borlaug passed away last week in Dallas, aged 95.The father of Green Revolution as he was called, he brought about the revolution in Mexico,India, Pakistan and Africa and elsewhere and is considered to be responsible for saving almost a billion lives worldwide,a huge chunk of it in India for sure.Where it was almost a certainty that hundreds of millions would die in India,Pakistan and elsewhere because of starvation and hunger,his methods turned around the wheat production everywhere dramatically. So much so, that our country ran out of places to store and transportation to carry that amount of wheat.India had become self sufficient by 1970 and almost certain hunger and famine waves in 70s and 80s never arrived.

He received Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions in 1970.He might as well have got a Nobel Prize for Economics.So what if he didn't propound complex theories in esoteric jargon,or didn't produce untranslatable mathematical models.He believed in one simple and practicable truth which would always be applicable in all the situations, anywhere- "It was impossible to build a peaceful world on empty stomachs”.

I believe the Nobel Prize was the least the world could honor him with.For all his contributions in India though, I think he got too little,too late.He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1996 which was too late a recognition from an indebted nation.He was one who persisted in spite of all pervading bureaucracy of 60s and 70s and skepticism of farmers and elitists alike.How many statesmen could do what he (alongwith Dr MS Swaminathan) did here?He deserved a Bharat Ratna for sure.I am hoping someone, someday would take notice up there.A Posthumous award would be too delayed,but an apposite honor for a Deserving Hero.

A note about Dr MS Swaminathan- He has been for India what Dr Borlaug was for the world. Wish he gets Bharat Ratna as well.