Prof. M.S. Swaminathan

Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, the world famous Agricultural Scientist has made so many contributions to food security through his research and innovations that it will be difficult to enumerate them all. He has been the architect of Green Revolution in India. As Dean and Director of the premier Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, he made several innovations in Agricultural Education as Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, he initiated several coordinated research projects as well as the 'lab to land' program which brought the agricultural scientists and practicing farmers together. As Chairman of Board of Governors of International Water Management Institute, Colombo, he brought in new perspectives in water management research. Many countries from all over the World have honoured him with awards in recognition of his meritorious service in the fields of agriculture, water resources and environment. He was conferred with several recognitions like Borlaug award and the national honour of Padma Bhushan' by the Govt. of India. In the year 2000, he was honoured with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize. He is serving as member of various science forums in US, Soviet Union, China and United Kingdom and as Chairman of several national policy and science forums.

Prof. A. Mohanakrishnan

Prof. A. Mohanakrishnan, is an eminent engineer of Public Works Department (PWD), who has acquired fame and popularity among the farmers, scholars and the public alike. Starting his career as an Assistant Engineer, he rose to the position of Chief Engineer in PWD and was revered by his colleagues in the department. He is prominent among those who advocated farmers' participation in water management works executed by the PWD. He was instrumental in establishing Irrigation Management and Training institute to train PWD engineers and farmers. He also worked as a Professor in Anna University. As a professor, he conducted many research studies and designed courses in the fields of Irrigation management and Dam construction. He acted as a link between Hydrology Research Institutions, Water Management Training Centres and the PWD. In this role, he worked towards operationalising new ideas and principles in PWD. He is associated with the Cauvery Water Tribunal since its inception and is presently its Chairman. He also acts as adviser to the Water Resources Organisation.

Prof. A. Vaidyanathan

Prof. A. Vaidyanathan, is a graduate in economics from Madras Loyola College. He had his higher education in Pittsburgh and Cornell Universities in the United States. He held high positions in the famous Economic Research Institutes, and in the Union Planning Commission in India. He also held similar positions in the World Bank and Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. For some time, he worked as the head of Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram and Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), Chennai. Besides, he has done many research studies on tanks and made many valuable recommendations to the government of Tamil Nadu. He is prominent among those researching on water resources. His research relating to tanks in Tamilnadu and promoting farmers institutions and facilitating their management of tanks is important. He has been the President of the Indian Society of Agricultural Economics for many years.

Dr. R. K. Sivanappan

Dr. R. K. Sivanappan, who has worked as Founder-Director, Water Technology Centre and Dean, Agricultural Engineering College, TNAU, Coimbatore, is one of the leading water technologists. He undertook research in the most efficient irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation. It is no exaggeration to say that he was instrumental in popularising drip and sprinkler irrigation among the farmers of Tamilnadu. He has been advocating the implementation of various schemes such as ground water development, social forestry and small water harvesting structures development in the country. He had his higher study in Agricultural engineering and water resources development in NT, Kharagpur. He has been working as advisor to the State Planning Commission and the Water Resources Organisation of Tamilnadu and is trying to initiate farmer-centred water resources development programs. He has served as a consultant to International Organisations such as SIDA, FAO and Japan Economic Assistance to implement schemes that would benefit farmers immensely. Linkoping University of Sweden has awarded him honorary doctorate degree in recognition of his services to education, research and field work.

Dr. S. Panchanathan

Dr. S. Panchanathan, has been the pioneer in making the Tamilnadu Ground Water Development Scheme a grand success. He secured engineering degrees from Guindy Engineering College and Madras University. He had his higher education in Columbia University, United States. He has the special distinction of becoming the first Professor in the Department of Soil Mechanics in Guindy Engineering College. He was the director of biggest ever ground water development scheme funded by UNDP in Tamilnadu. In the past 35 years, he executed many pioneering well irrigation development programs through PWD. He introduced the use of remote sensing data in ground water investigations in Tamilnadu, benefiting thousands of farmers. He worked as a professor of Anna University for 15 years. He has also been a consultant for the World Bank and UN Development programs.

Dr. S. Sakthivadivel

Dr. S. Sakthivadivel, is one of the outstanding engineers involved in Tank Development Research. After completing his B.E. and M.Sc in Irrigation Engineering at the Madras University, he obtained his Ph.D degree in Water Resources Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, United States. That he was absorbed in the same University of California soon after he submitted his doctoral thesis, was an indication of his eminence as an Irrigation Engineer. He worked there for over two years. Then, impelled by the urge to serve his motherland, he returned home and worked as Assistant Professor of Hydraulic Engineering at the College of Engineering, Guindy. Very soon he was elevated as Professor of Hydraulic Engineering in the same College. His tenure as Director of Centre for Water Resources for ten years in Chennai was a remarkable one. Dr. Sakthivadivel, a widely-travelled scientist has several achievements to his credit. Presently, he works as a Senior Irrigation Specialist at the renowned International Water Management Institute, Colombo, undertaking research studies in land and water use productivity in agriculture on river basin context. The success of the earlier research he has carried out for the development of tanks in Tamilnadu in collaboration with Prof. C.R.Shanmugham and later, on tank cascades in Sri Lanka, speaks high of his eminence as an irrigation engineer concerned with conservation of small scale water resources.

Pulavar. Lakshmikanthan

Under updation...

Mr. M.P. Vasimalai

Mr. M.P. Vasimalai, Executive Director, DHAN Foundation is a post graduate in Agriculture and a management graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He has over three decades of experience in development work and one of the key people in setting up Professionally Aided Development Action (PRADAN). He was instrumental in setting up DHAN Foundation in 1997. He has specialised in community organisation, designing development interventions in the fields of natural resource management, livelihood promotion and institutional development. He has traveled extensively within and outside India and has participated/ presented papers on these themes. He is also holding various positions in national and international forums, working groups, task forces and missions of Central and State governments on these themes. He was instrumental in promoting various network organisations. His areas of interest are institution building, leadership development and promoting various development themes for poverty reduction.

Prof. C.R. Shanmugham

Prof. C.R. Shanmugham, is one of the eminent engineers who have worked for the development of Agricultural Engineering in Tamilnadu. He had his higher education in Agricultural Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. The Professor had worked for over 30 years in the Department of Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering and in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. His books on "Soil erosion, its prevention and control", "Soil Conservation Engineering", "Water Measurement" and monograph on "Farm implements and machinery research in India" are popular among engineers. He also worked as Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He was instrumental for initiating an Action Research Program on irrigation tanks at the Centre for Water Resources, Anna University, Chennai. Following the success of his action research in tank development, which he had undertaken in collaboration with Prof. Sakthivadivel, special projects for the development of tanks have been formulated and implemented in Tamil Nadu. He has been a consultant on irrigation water management to a number of national and international organisations, has been serving as a resource person for Tankfed Agriculture Development Program of DHAN Foundation for the past eight years. He has been a guardian of tank irrigation systems in Tamil Nadu.