Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 28 (IANS): Condoling the death of eminent agricultural scientist and father of India's "Green Revolution", M S Swaminathan, who passed away at Chennai on Thursday morning, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that he was a mentor and an impetus to all those who came after him in the area of agriculture.

"Kerala has always been proud of Swaminathan as he was a towering personality in his field, and all who came after him in his area saw him as their guiding force to go forward,” said Vijayan.

"Empowering the economy through good agricultural practice was his motto and through it, he touched human lives in a big way," added Vijayan.

The parents of Swaminathan hailed from Mankombu in Alappuzha and in his name M stands for that, and the Rs 2,139 crores Kuttanadu package announced by the Centre in 2008 was formulated by Swaminathan to revive the area in and around Alappuzha district.

"It’s not just in our country that he has made an impression, instead all over the world where he has lent his expertise especially to eradicate poverty through good agricultural practice," added Vijayan.