Indians represent over 10% of U.S. visa applicants The U.S. mission in India on Thursday said it has processed one million non-immigrant visa applications this year 65% kottayam l friday l September 29, 2023 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l city EDITION Indians visited the US green revolution I llust rat ion : Sou rav R oy M S Swaminathan 7 August 1925 - 28 September 2023 If agriculture goes wrong nothing else will go right. That’s why @AgriGoI should make farmers’ wellbeing centre of all programmes & policies - M S Swaminathan in a 2017 tweet (now X) n the realm of agriculture, search reached those toiling in our the passing of a visionary fields. It was a testament to his dedfigure is a poignant moment ication to the welfare of India’s for our nation. On Thursday farming community. Throughout , we bid farewell to a true lu- his career, he achieved what some minary Dr M S Swaminath- might consider almost impossible. , Dr Swaminathan’s influence and an, a man whose name became synonymous with progress, leadership extended beyond Ininnovation, and the pursuit of food dia’s borders. As Director General security. The legacy of this re- of the International Rice Research markable individual, who devoted Institute in the Philippines from 1982 to 1988, he guided the institute his entire life to the betterment of India’s agricultural landscape, will to significant strides in rice reresonate through generations. His search, benefiting the rice-growing funeral will be held in Chennai on regions worldwide. His unwaverSaturday with police honours. He ing passion for India’s progress was both contagious and was 98. inspiring. He possessed the His contributions to rare ability to transform make the country self-sufscientific knowledge into ficient in food grains, by practical solutions, bringintroducing and breeding ing hope and sustenance to dwarf wheat varieties, had those who toiled in our led to enhance production fields. from 50 million tonnes in The awards and acco1950 to now 330 million R S Paroda lades he received bear wittonnes. From a net importThe writer is former er, India has become a ma- director general, ICAR, and ness to his exceptional conSecretary, Department of tributions. The nation jor food exporter. In addition to his ground Agricultural Research and honoured him with the breaking work, he played a Education, Govt of India. Padma Bhushan and PadHe is Padma Bhushan pivotal role in shaping the awardee and a student of ma Vibhushan. Dr Swamifuture of agricultural re- Prof M S Swaminathan nathan was not merely a scientist; he was a statessearch and development in man who tirelessly advoIndia. Dr Swaminathan was instrumental in the creation cated for the welfare of our farmof the All India Agricultural Re- ing community. As chairman of search Service, which facilitated the Farmers Commission, he reccollaborative research among sci- ommended paying farmers MSP, entists from all corners of the na- i.e. the cost of cultivation (C2) tion. This networking of scientific +50% of C2. In closing, it is with a heavy minds laid the foundation for innovative solutions in agriculture, heart that I reflect the wish of enfostering a sense of unity among tire agricultural scientific commuresearchers dedicated to improv- nity on the missed opportunity by India’s decision-makers to have ing our agricultural landscape. His commitment to bridging the awarded him our highest civilian gap between scientific discoveries award, the Bharat Ratna. and practical implementation led In Dr Swaminathan, India has to the inception of the lab-to-land lost a great son of the soil. His programme. This visionary initia- achievements will continue inspirtive sought to transfer agricultural ing the young generation to strive technologies directly to farmers, for yet better future for Indian agP6, 9 ensuring that the benefits of re- riculture. press Intake Balapur laddu auctioned off for record K27L | P7 Navy wins Inter-Services Athletics Meet after 72 yrs | P7 loan APPs under scanner Immersed in devotion The idol of Lord Ganesha being taken in a ferry for immersion in backwaters as part of the Ganeshotsav celebrations organised by Shri Cochin Ganesh Mandal in Kochi on Thursday | T P Sooraj Police’s cyber probe wing has initiated steps to ban 18 more apps found to be circumventing the law and engaging in intimidatory tactics | P7 reinforcing religious harmony Yendayar has a real Kerala story to tell! A B H I L A S H C H A N D R A N @ Kottayam Even the early morning downpour could not dampen their spirits. Led by president P S Rajendran, devaswom committee members of Sree Chelliyammal Kovil, in Yendayar, waited near the temple to greet their friends — and reinforce religious harmony . No sooner had the rally from Badriyya Juma masjid, led by chief imam Taha Misbahi, approached than pleasantries and hugs were exchanged. Community leaders were honoured and sweet distributed. As they celebrated yet another Eid Milad Un-Nabi (Nabidinam) together, the state was witnessing a ‘real’ Kerala story . Yendayar, a small hamlet perched on the Western Ghats, at the eastern tip of Kottayam district, shows the way forward for peaceful coexistence. For more than a decade, the religious festivals of the two communities have been celebrated together. Masjid authorities accord a reception to the ‘ghoshayathra’ (procession) being taken out during the annual temple festival during the Malayalam month of Makaram. They offer milk, dates, juice and Sree Chelliyammal temple devaswom authorities according reception to the ‘Nabidinam’ rally taken out under the aegis of Badriyya Juma masjid, in Yendayar on Thursday sweets to devotees as they make their way to near the masjid. “We don’t wish to differentiate people in the name of caste or religion. The villagers are united and collectively share in all celebrations,” Rajendran said. There is no place for hatred or animosity here. “Yendayar is a place of communal harmony. Every year, as part of Nabidinam, the masjid committee arranges community lunch (samooha sadya) in which all of us - taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers, lottery vendors, headload workers, politicians and traders in the town - irrespective of their caste or religion participate,” said Ashraf, masjid committee secretary On Thursday, . imam Abdul Azeez Sakhafi, masjid committee president Abdul Latheef and secretary Ashraf joined Misbahi in leading the Nabidinam rally . Amid attempts to upset communal harmony in various parts of the country, Yendayar stands as an example — a scenario where devotees of different faiths co-exist peacefully . Having experienced calamities, including landslides and floods, they have learnt to grow up together. Tragedies have failed to dampen their spirits. It is as if their resilience has inspired divine intervention, impressed with their neverending spirit and bonhomie. ■ U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti handed over the one-millionth visa to a couple who will be visiting the U.S. to attend their son’s graduation Was a statesman who worked for welfare of farmers govt missed chance of conferring the Bharat Ratna funeral on Saturday with police honours SOWED Indian I 1.2 mn CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ more visas are processed in India surpassing pre-pandemic levels Last year over Representation of Indians among H&L applicants 20% E X P RESS REA D ‘CPM leader made trips to Dubai with prime accused’ Kochi: The report filed by Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the Karuvannur Bank scam, in PMLA Special Court on Thursday stated that CPM leader P R Aravindakshan travelled to Dubai with prime accused Satheeshkumar P on multiple occasions. P6 Suresh Gopi to accept film institute chairman post Kochi: Actor turned politician Suresh Gopi has decided to accept his appointment as chairman of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata. P7 Dragon boat oarsmen row hearts out hoping for last-gasp Asiad nod S O V I V I D YA D H A R A N @T’Puram It’s been over a month since the Nehru Trophy but , boat-racing frenzy is still alive and kicking on the backwaters of Alappuzha. India’s oarsmen, who have won international laurels in dragon boat racing, are rowing their hearts out in practice sessions, unmindful of the occasional downpours. But like the overcast skies, their chances of participating in the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games look grim. However, the paddlers are not ready to give up hope. Despite numerous representations by the Dragon Boat India & Traditional Sports Federation (DBI&TSF) Dragon boat rowers practising in Alappuzha on Thursday | express over the past few months, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has not given its official confirmation of the Indian team’s participation in the continental sporting extravaganza. Dragon boat events get going from October 4. Expecting a last-minute nod from IOA, the men’s and women’s teams are busy in their practice camps in Kerala and Assam respectively . The 28-member men’s team participating in the camp has 11 Malayalis, most of whom had taken baby steps in paddling on the backwaters of Alappuzha. Three personnel from Kerala Police and an Armyman are also in the squad. The women’s team has nine Keralites. On confirmation of participation, two 14-member teams (12 members + 2 reserve) in both men’s and women’s categories will be ● More on P6 shortlisted.