Modi to inaugurate science conference to mark M.S. Swaminathan’s birth centenary on August 7

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a three-day science conference organised by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) on August 7, 2025 to mark the birth centenary of M.S. Swaminathan. The event will take place at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in New Delhi.

At a media briefing here on Thursday, Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of the MSSRF, said the Prime Minister would release a reprint of In Search of Biohappiness, a book authored by the late M.S. Swaminathan in 2011. 

In addition to the book, he will unveil a special commemorative volume published by The Hindu, featuring articles written by MSS’s colleagues and family, besides a stamp and commemorative ₹100 coin. 

‘Sustainable use of biodiversity’

“The concept of biohappiness, a term coined by Professor Swaminathan, focuses on how sustainable use of biodiversity can improve food security, incomes, and quality of life while also restoring lost biodiversity. This concept and its vision will be discussed at the upcoming conference, which will include 30 international speakers, 120 national experts, and 300 farmers,” said Dr. Soumya.

She added that the goal is to integrate traditional agricultural knowledge with modern science, a belief long championed by Professor Swaminathan, who argued that technology and ecological wisdom should go hand-in-hand.

The conference will also feature the M.S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace, a global recognition for scientists contributing to these fields. The first award, supported by the MSSRF and The World Academy of Sciences, will be presented by the Prime Minister on August 7 and has a prize amount of USD 25,000. There will also be private sector participation.

The MSSRF and the Social Alpha are also launching the Agritech Grand Challenge, which will provide a grant of ₹1 crore to support early-stage ideas, pilot projects, and successful innovations that need scaling. The programme will help young entrepreneurs develop their ideas with guidance and opportunities to test them in real-world settings, Dr. Soumya said.