Mysuru: Eminent agriculture scientist and Padma Shri awardee Dr Subbanna Ayyappan was found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Dr Ayyappan, former director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), was identified by family members after a body was spotted in Cauvery river near Srirangapatna Sai Ashram, in Karnataka’s Mandya district on Saturday evening.
The ex-director of Bhubaneswar’s Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Dr Ayyappan is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Dr Ayyappan, who lived with his wife at Mysuru’s Visvesvaraya Nagar, had been reported missing on May 7.
A massive search operation was launched by the authorities in and around Mysuru. More than 72 hours later, authorities were alerted after his body was seen floating in the Cauvery, in Srirangapatna, which is around 25 kilometres from Mysuru.
His scooter was also abandoned on the riverbank, further deepening the mystery surrounding his death.
Srirangapatna Police registered a case and is currently investigating the circumstances leading to his death.
Architect of ‘Blue Revolution’
Dr Ayyappan was acknowledged as the principal architect of India’s ‘Blue Revolution’, which transformed India’s fisheries sector.
Also known as the Neel Kranti Mission, the initiative focused on developing and managing the sector so as to increase fish production and productivity in both coastal and inland regions. The aim was to modernise fisheries, ensure food and nutritional security, generate rural employment, and promote inclusive development.
Dr Ayyappan’s career in aquaculture and sustainable agriculture saw him serving in several leadership roles. Besides being director of CIFA in Bhubaneswar, he also headed the Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE) in Mumbai. He was the founding chief executive of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) in Hyderabad and later served as Secretary in the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Government of India.
He also chaired the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and served as Vice-Chancellor of Central Agricultural University (CAU) in Imphal.
The government honoured him with the Padma Shri award in 2022 for his far-reaching contributions.
