New Delhi,
The Dr YSR and Dr KVP Foundation will confer the prestigious Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy Award – 2026, on the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in recognition of its pioneering and enduring contribution to Indian agriculture, food security, sustainable development and rural livelihoods on Wednesday.
The award function,.which is scheduled to be held in the national capital on September 2 and carries a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, will be presented to ‘MS Swaminathan Research Foundation’.
The 2026 award to MSSRF recognises an institution that carries forward the legacy of the late Dr MS Swaminathan, a Bharat Ratna recipient –India’s highest civilian award — whose scientific leadership played a historic role in India’s Green Revolution and the country’s journey from food scarcity to food self-reliance.
Former Rajya Sabha member and director of the Dr YSR & KVP Foundation, Dr KVP Ramachandra Rao said that this award was instituted in the fond memory of Reddy who strove throughout his life for making farming remunerative, and enhancing the living standards of farmers.
Rao said that Reddy’s schemes such as free-power to small and marginal farmers, agricultural loans to small farmers at 3 per cent rate of interest, revival of minor irrigation tanks, direct procurement of paddy at fields with prompt payments, distribution of seeds and fertilizers at subsidised price, that made him one of the most popular Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
He also said that the renowned scientist Dr MS Swaminathan spent his entire life on making farming remunerative to farmer, and converting every inch of even dry land into fertile one in tune with the lofty ideals of Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Dr Swaminathan played a pivotal role in developing high yielding varieties of rice and wheat. His vision and contribution through various research programmes for conservation of nature and food security brought him many an award such as Ramon Magasaysay Award, Albert Einstein World Science Award, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award and so on. Incidentally, the rice bowl of South India i.e the undivided Andhra Pradesh State was also the beneficiary with the results of his Green Revolution mission.
Meanwhile, Reddy made every opportunity he got as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to prove that he was pro-farmer and pro-poor. Reddy, who made a mark in administration with his pro-farmer policies had died in an air crash on September 02, 2009.
His government’s initiatives helped raise the agricultural growth rate in undivided Andhra Pradesh from 2% to 4%, with the state emerging as a model in agricultural development.
The Dr KVP and Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy Foundation has undertaken to honour the “Godfathers” of Indian agriculture through the annual award, with the aim of inspiring others to follow the path of Dr M.S. Swaminathan and Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
The presentation of the award to the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation thus brings together the legacies of two figures whose work sought to strengthen agriculture, improve farmers’ livelihoods and advance food security.
The award ceremony will be graced by a host of members of parliament cutting across party lines. Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge too will grace the occasion,.besides Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Congress RS member Jairam Ramesh and others.
