Prof. MS Swaminathan
| Photo Credit:
G_KRISHNASWAMY
Government will issue two commemorative coins – one on birth anniversary of Prof MS Swaminathan and second on ‘Make-in-India’. While ‘Make-in-India’ is an ambitious program to boost manufacturing in India, Swaminathan is called as ‘Father of Green Revolution.’
Though commemorative coins are considered legal tender, they are not released for general circulation. One can source them from the specified agencies. According to two separate notifications, dimensions of both the coins will be similar. Shape will be circular with outside diameter of 44 millimeters. The number of serrations will be 200. The metal composition will be a quaternary alloy with a composition of silver (50 per cent), copper (40 per cent), nickel (05 per cent) and zinc (05 per cent).
The face of both the coins will bear the lion capital of Ashoka Pillar in the centre with the legend ‘Satyamev Jayate’ inscribed below, flanked on the left periphery with the word ‘Bharat’ in Devnagri script and on the right periphery with the word ‘India’ in English.
It shall also bear the Rupee symbol ‘₹’’ and denominational value of ‘100’ and ‘75’ in the international numerals below the lion capital. On the reverse face of the first coin, the image of Prof. M.S. Swaminathan at the centre. The year ‘1925’ in international numerals will be inscribed on the left side of the image, and the year ‘2025’ shall be inscribed on the right side. The inscription Birth Centenary of Prof. M.S. Swaminathan will be written in Devanagari script on the upper periphery and in English on the lower periphery of the coin.
Prof Swaminathan, popularly known as the Father of India’s Green Revolution, is credited with saving millions of people from starvation through his landmark work on enhancing productivity and production of wheat and rice crops during the 1960s-70s. He also provided a concept of transforming the ‘Green Revolution’ into an ‘Evergreen Revolution,’ which might allow agriculture to withstand the consequences of climate change and sustainably feed the world’s population. He founded the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in 1988. He worked there till his last breath to develop and promote strategies for economic growth that directly targeted increased employment of poor farmers, especially women in rural areas.
Make-in-India
On the reverse face of the second coin, the face will feature an image of a ‘Lion’ in relief at the centre, surrounded by eight-coloured icons representing science, technology, agriculture and computer technology. The inscription “10 YEARS OF MAKE IN INDIA’ will be written in Devanagari script along the upper periphery of the coin, while the inscription in English shall be depicted on the lower periphery of the coin. The year ‘2025’ in international numerals shall be written below the image of the Lion.
The Make in India initiative was launched by Prime Minister in September 2014 as part of a wider set of nation-building initiatives. According to the government, it was a powerful, galvanising call to action to India’s citizens and business leaders, and an invitation to potential partners and investors around the world. Further, it represents a complete change of the government’s mindset – a shift from issuing authority to business partner, in keeping with Prime Minister’s tenet of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’, said the government.
Published on July 12, 2025