Harper Collins is proud to present
A comprehensive exploration of the life and legacy of the architect of India’s Green Revolution, marking his centennial year.
M. S. Swaminathan: The Man Who Fed India offers a detailed look into the life and monumental work of M.S. Swaminathan, the father of the Green Revolution. The biography starts from his childhood in Kumbakonam and his early inspirations that set him on the path to becoming an agricultural scientist, to his studies and ”early career in a newly independent India that was still trying to become truly independent. It then delves into the breakthrough with Norman Borlaug that saved India and made her self-sustainable, following which Swaminathan delivered a vast majority of the developing world from the ravages of famine, whether it was in South East Asia, or Africa.
An exhaustive look at a life and a celebrated career, this book is a fitting tribute to the man who saved and served people till the very end.
Author Priyambada Jayakumar says, “Writing about M.S. Swaminathan in his centennial year was the honour and privilege of a lifetime and equally the most daunting task I have ever undertaken. His incredible life has also been a veritable cauldron of stories – stories of resilience, stories of hope, stories about inclusivity and stories of turning adversity into opportunity. These stories should be told for a newer and more impatient audience – for children of this generation who have never known famine, hunger or deprivation like the previous generations did. The story of M.S. Swaminathan is also the story of India; humane, resilient, challenging yet ever inspiring.”
Tina Narang, Executive Publisher – HarperCollins Children’s Books India adds, “This is a story that needs to be told. The story of India’s freedom from food scarcity, and from hunger. Millions over millions have benefited from the untiring work of one man – M.S. Swaminathan. We owe him the deepest debt of gratitude and there couldn’t have been a fitter tribute than this heartfelt biography by Priyambada Jayakumar, which brilliantly captures the spirit and the persona of the man behind the Green Revolution. It’s a book with a heart. We are honoured to be publishing this remarkable book at HarperCollins.”
Echoing this sentiment, Udayan Mitra, Executive Publisher – HarperCollins says “On 7 August 2025, the nation celebrates the birth centenary of M.S. Swaminathan, a visionary and inspirational figure in the history of modern India. We at HarperCollins are immensely pleased to bring to readers Priyambada Jayakumar’s new biography of Dr Swaminathan on the occasion.”
Amrita Mukerji, Managing Editor – HarperCollins India also shares, “M.S. Swaminathan is an iconic figure in Indian contemporary history whom everyone should know about. This book takes the reader on an exciting journey through his life, from his early days as a curious young boy to how he pioneered the Green Revolution to his later years when he headed various international organizations. Narrated in vivid detail by the author, M.S. Swaminathan’s story will leave the reader in awe.”
ADVANCE PRAISE
“Priyambada Jayakumar’s The Man Who Fed India is not merely a biography, but a luminous journey highlighting the remarkable life of a visionary. A visionary whose scientific rigor, Gandhian humility, and unwavering commitment to food security transformed the destiny of our country.” — Naveen Patnaik, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, Orissa
“This beautifully written book offers the reader a rounded insight into the life and work of M. S. Swaminathan, the father of India’s Green revolution in the 1960s. It brings out the idealism that characterised the young Indians who grew up during the freedom struggle.” — Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Indian economist, former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission
“History often remembers those who win wars, but rarely those who win harvests. … Dr. M.S. Swaminathan: the scholarly, unassuming revolutionary who, in his own gentle way, turned the page on the sceptre of hunger, insufficient agricultural produce, and inefficient farming practices. In doing so, he helped secure India’s sovereignty more surely than a thousand guns or tanks could. This is the story of that unsung hero.” — Shashi Tharoor, prominent Indian politician and author
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Priyambada Jayakumar was raised in India specifically in the City of Joy – Kolkata. Born to a Bengali mother and a Tamil father she completed her schooling from La Martiniere for Girls, Kolkata. The capital city of Delhi soon beckoned where she received her BA (Hons) degree in History from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. A Tripos in Social and Political Sciences followed thereafter from the University of Cambridge. Subsequently, she attended Harvard University for a further period of study. She has lived variously between Delhi, London and Boston. She is married with three children and currently lives in Singapore.
