Unparalleled brilliance & unbelievable simplicity

It was in 2007. That was the year I was elected to the united Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council as an independent with great hopes and expectations on the role of the upper house.

Barring few, the house was more or less similar to the state Assembly with defeated leaders and those who could not be accommodated by political parties dominating the council membership. On the second day of the house, I had the privilege of speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address.

In my maiden speech, among other things, I spoke on the perennial drought and pathetic migration in Mahbubnagar, the district I represent. After, I concluded my speech, a septuagenarian member walked up to me during the brief interval and had a word of praise for my presentation. Nothing can be more satisfying than this appreciation.

The reason is simple. He was none other than the distinguished scientist and the father of wheat revolution in India, Dr MV Rao popularly known in his scientific parlance as Mr Wheat. I cherish the memories of working with him for six long years.

For a young legislator like me, it was certainly an honour to have received the admiration of MV Rao several times. However, I replied to him with all humility that “what people like me speak is only by deriving knowledge from the works of people like you.” The magnanimous Rao remained modest. This shows how simple the man is despite unparallel achievement.

His generosity in appreciating a novice speaks volumes of his personality. MV Rao was the finest combination of unparallel academic brilliance and unbelievable humility and simplicity in personal life. Many a time MV Rao used to narrate his personal life experiences during our interaction. That is perhaps one way I could utilise the lean time in the council in a more fruitful manner.

The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi once personally invited Rao to lead the wheat revolution in India. The father of Green Revolution Norman Borlaug had a special praise for MV Rao. In his personal correspondence with yet another legendary scientist MS Swaminathan, the Noble prize winning scientist noted the great contribution of MV Rao.

MV Rao, despite having an illustrious career at Indian Council for Agricultural research (ICAR), accepted the personal invitation of the then Chief Minister N Janardhana Reddy to head the AP Agricultural University. Unlike many Vice-Chancellors, Rao did not get bogged down in bureaucratic activity but continued to spend his time in research activity.

His untiring contribution to the world of agricultural research is evident from the fact that he continued his research even after his retirement. An intellectual, a scholar never retires. MV Rao‘s nomination to the Legislative Council after it was revived in 2007 has enhanced the prestige of the upper house.

In fact, upper houses are meant for providing platform to scholars and professionals of outstanding repute to assist the legislative work. Unfortunately, the rulers have of late reduced the house to political rehabilitation centres.

I always used to feel ashamed to see that this great scientist was hardly given time to share his wisdom in the council whereas the empty rhetoric of seasoned politicians always used to reverberate in the august house.

Perhaps , the greatest tribute one can pay to MV Rao would be ensuring that the upper house of bicameral legislature is adorned by men and women of brilliance, creativity, intellect, expertise who otherwise cannot get elected to legislature in a polity driven by money.

The revival of the pre-eminence of public research and public knowledge in the agricultural sciences in particular and the science in general would be a real homage to this finest scientist and a great human being.