Chidambaram Subramaniam

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In news : 111th birth anniversary of Chidambaram Subramaniam was celebrated on January 30 2021

About Chidambaram Subramaniam(1910-2000)

Chidambaram Subramaniam (commonly known as CS) was an Indian politician and independence activist.
Subramaniam was born in Senguttaipalayam, a village near Pollachi in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu.
He was awarded Bharat Ratna, Indian’s highest civilian award, in 1998, for his role in ushering Green Revolution.

Political role

He was a minister of Education, Law and Finance for Madras State from 1952 to 1962 under chief ministers Rajaji and K. Kamaraj.
He was the Leader of the House in the Madras Legislative Assembly for the entire duration.
He served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Defence in the Union Cabinet
He served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Defence in the union cabinet.
He later served as the Governor of Maharashtra.
As the Minister for Food and Agriculture, he ushered the Indian Green Revolution, an era of self-sufficiency in food production along with M. S. Swaminathan, B. Sivaraman and Norman E. Borlaug.

Role in freedom struggle and Framing the Indian Constitution

Subramaniam was an active member of the Civil disobedience movement against the British during his college days.
He was imprisoned during the Quit India Movement in 1942
He was later elected to the Constituent Assembly and had a hand in the framing of the Constitution of India.

His role in Green Revolution

Along with M. S. Swaminathan and B. Sivaraman, Subramaniam was the architect of India’s modern agricultural development policy, after the success of his programme which led to a record production of wheat in 1972 termed as the Indian Green Revolution.
As Minister for Food and Agriculture, he introduced high-yielding varieties of seeds and more intensive application of fertilizers which paved the way for increased output of cereals and attainment of self-sufficiency in food-grains in the country.
Subramaniam appointed M. S. Swaminathan, who played a major role in green revolution and Verghese Kurien as the chairman of National Dairy Development Board when he ushered the Indian White Revolution

His 4E concept and National Agro Foundation (NAF)

He realised that the economic freedom of every citizen of India was heavily reliant on the 4Es: Education, Environment, Economy and Empowerment of our farmers.
The National Agro Foundation (NAF) was his gift to the nation on his 90th birthday. NAF, in its journey of 21 years, has lived up to his ideals. It institutionalised his will through farmer-centric programmes.

More about CS

In addition to the above, CS championed the cause of planned public investments in science. This year, 2021, is significant for another reason — it is the golden jubilee year of the founding of India’s Ministry of Science and Technology. CS had an abiding trust in science and believed that technology alone could offer solutions to the problems faced by society. He called for the practice of science celebrated not only by other scientists but also by citizens and humanity.

His works and Publications