Prabhu Pingali, the founding director of the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI), was presented with the Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for Leadership in Agriculture on March 13 in New Delhi. The award, which recognizes agricultural scientists for their lifetime contributions to global agriculture, is presented by the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS).

In recognizing Pingali, the TAAS noted the influence that his research contributions in the field of agricultural development economics have had on food and agricultural policies at the global and national levels. They also commended his pioneering research on the environmental and human health impacts of the Green Revolution in Asia, as well as TCI’s research on the linkages between agriculture, nutrition and health.

In addition to his role as director of TCI, Pingali is a professor at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, with an appointment in the Department of Global Development in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. Prior to joining Cornell, he served as deputy director of the agricultural development division at the Gates Foundation. Pingali also held leadership positions at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). He served as chair of the board of directors of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) from 2020–2025.

Pingali was the president of the International Association of Agricultural Economists from 2003–2006. He was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences as a foreign fellow in May 2007. He was elected fellow of the American Agricultural Economics Association in 2006 and of the International Association of Agricultural Economists in 2009.

The TAAS supports agricultural research to enhance productivity, sustainability and food and nutritional security in India. It created the Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award in 20024 to recognize the lifetime achievements of leading agricultural scientists, with a focus on India. M.S. Swaminathan was an Indian geneticist and plant breeder, widely regarded as the architect of India’s Green Revolution for his role in developing and introducing high-yield varieties and rice and wheat.

Featured image: TCI Director Prabhu Pingali received the Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award on March 13 in New Delhi. (Photo courtesy of TAAS)