M S Swaminathan Research Foundation - MSSRF

24/03/2026

Meet the 2026 cohort of the Mina Swaminathan Media Fellows!

Subhashree Parida | Odia Fellow

Subhashree Parida is a Bhubaneswar-based independent journalist and communication consultant. Her work focuses on stories of resilience and women empowerment, sustainable agriculture, and community development.

Richard Joseph | Malayalam Fellow

Richard Joseph is a Sr. reporter with Deepika Daily. His work focuses on environmental issues, women empowerment, public health and differently abled individuals. He has received several awards, including Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism National Award, The Statesman National Award for Rural Reporting, Press Institute of India-SCARF media award, US AID -Reach National Media Award, and Kerala Media Academy Fellowship.

Mukund Pingale | Marathi Fellow

Mukund Pingale is an Agricultural Journalist at Agrowon (Sakal Media Group). His work focuses on grassroots reporting on sustainable farming, horticulture, agricultural technology, agri-startups, women in agriculture, and agricultural policy.

Sana Ejaz | Hindi Fellow

Sana Ejaz is the Principal Correspondent at Dainik Bhaskar, where she focuses on uncovering systemic corruption, institutional failures, and underreported human rights issues. She is a Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) Fellow and an Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Fellow.

Kanmani Thangarasu | Tamil Fellow

Kanmani Thangarasu is a Multimedia Journalist and Assistant Editor at Doordarshan, Chennai. Her work focuses on social, development, and technology issues.

22/03/2026

On this , where water flows, equality must grow.

Through Geographic Information System–based planning, we have supported water security and climate adaptation across more than 1,200 Gram Panchayats in Tamil Nadu, helping plan and manage water resources better. At the same time, the Gender Responsive Climate Change Adaptation Planning Tool is being used at the local level to understand how women and men face different water challenges. It brings their voices into planning and supports simple, community-led solutions. Because water is not just about survival—it is about dignity, equality, and opportunity for every community.

MSSRF also celebrated with communities in Semiliguda block, Koraput, Odisha!

21/03/2026

Celebrating international Day of Forests with our Wetlands Photography Showcase at IMSc, Chennai!

Experts talk about photography for nature conservation, and announceme the MSSRF's Wetlands Photo Contest winners

Visit IMSc for an exciting showcase of the selected photographs!

21/03/2026

It's the International Day of Forests! Join MSSRF for a celebration at IMSc, Taramani, Chennai today.

5PM onwards today, we will:
🌿Announce the winners of the MSSRF Wetlands Photo Contest
🌿Witness a showcase of selected photographs
🌿Hear from Rathika Ramasamny, Nature Photographer, and Uday Isaac Gnanadason, Chennai Photo Biennale, on photography for nature conservation

Entry is free! No registration required.

20/03/2026

On March 16-17, MSSRF hosted "Reframing the Narrative: A National Media Workshop on Gender and Agri-Food Systems" in Chennai.

Anchored in the International Year of the Woman Farmer , this event united journalists from national and regional media houses with MSSRF scientists, field experts, FPO leaders, government representatives, women farmers, and fishers. Participants gained firsthand insights into women's lived realities in agriculture, empowering stories that highlight their resilience and agency in transforming food systems.

Key speakers include:
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF
Dr. Nitya Rao, Professor of Gender and Development, University of East Anglia, UK
Dr. Madhura Swaminathan, Professor, Economic Analysis Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore
Aparna Karthikeyan, Independent Journalist and Author
Sejal Dand, Director, ANANDI Technical Support Unit; Founder Member, Mahila Kisaan Adhikar Manch (MAKAAM)
N. Manimekalai, Director, Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS)
Dr. Uma Mahadevan Dasgupta, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, Govt. of Karnataka
Dr. Israel Oliver King ED, Ethno-Botanist and Director, Biodiversity, MSSRF

Explore more about speakers, participants, and session recordings: https://www.mssrf.org/events/reframing-the-narrative-media-workshop

19/03/2026

IMSc in collaboration with M S Swaminathan Research Foundation - MSSRF announces "Photography for Nature Conservation": talks and photo exhibition celebrating the ecological, cultural, and social value of wetlands on , 21 March at 5pm. All are welcome.

16/03/2026

Remembering Mina Swaminathan Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF reflected on the enduring legacy of her mother, Mina Swaminathan. She played an influential role in the evolution of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), helping advance early childhood care and support women’s lives across India. Her work continues to shape policy, practice, and possibilities for generations of women across India.

In his inaugural address Arun Ram, Resident Editor, The The Times Of India talked of the role of institutions and media in shaping gender-sensitive narratives, with reflections on the importance of centering women’s experiences in journalism.

This set the context for the panel discussion, “Framing Gender: Storytelling Across Platforms,” with Hanne M. de Bruin, Saurabh Gupta, Aparna Karthikeyan, and Gayatri. The panel spoke of inclusion of women’s voices in the traditional art form - Kattaikkuttu, gender disparities in newsrooms, gaps in reporting on agrarian distress, the need to move beyond limiting portrayals of women, and the empowering role of community radio. Highlighting that gender-aware storytelling is central to responsible and inclusive communication.

Watch the panel discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/live/DAxu35LZFXk

16/03/2026

Timing updated to 2 PM today!
Join us for this session today at 2:00 PM on YouTube live: https://www.youtube.com/live/UrwuKl9a_pE

with Dr. Soumya Swaminathan!

On 16 March at 3:30 PM, Dr. Swaminathan will discuss MSSRF’s work on climate change, heat stress, and women’s labour. Participants are invited to submit questions during this interactive session.

Join via YouTube Live: https://youtube.com/live/UrwuKl9a_pE?feature=share

This session forms part of Reframing the Narrative: A Media Workshop on Gender and Agri-food Systems.

13/03/2026

with Dr. Soumya Swaminathan!

On 16 March at 3:30 PM, Dr. Swaminathan will discuss MSSRF’s work on climate change, heat stress, and women’s labour. Participants are invited to submit questions during this interactive session.

Join via YouTube Live: https://youtube.com/live/UrwuKl9a_pE?feature=share

This session forms part of Reframing the Narrative: A Media Workshop on Gender and Agri-food Systems.

12/03/2026

Marking : Pathways to Gender Justice

MSSRF hosted a webinar on Pathways to Achieve Gender Justice as part of our series. UN Women's Gender Policy Specialist, Ms. Maria Jones, unpacked global policy frameworks like CEDAW, the Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030), and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) in the context of women in agri-food systems. She highlighted the Reach, Benefit, Empower Framework's power to design inclusive programs that boost 's agency.

"India is among the 15 countries where women in agri-food systems face the highest climate risk," Jones noted.

Dr. Divya Veluguri, Executive Director of Deccan Development Society, shared transformative practices from their work with Dalit and indigenous women farmer sanghams in Telangana. "When we come from a place of privilege, we tell stories of poverty. But when the women tell their stories, they tell stories of dignity," she said—stressing how women's contextual knowledge and community wisdom must shape solutions.

➡️ Watch the full webinar: https://youtu.be/cZ3kIB0SDvg?si=bl44Z_z3MPU1HdC9

11/03/2026

“If we see the villages today, women are taking on the majority of the burden of agriculture, in addition to household chores and childcare,” MSSRF trustee Prof. Nitya Rao said at a seminar on the empowerment of women farmers at the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. She commended Maharashtra’s efforts to promote women in agriculture and expressed optimism about the state’s leadership role going forward.

The event was attended by Hon'ble Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Other dignitaries present included Legislative Council Chairman Prof. Ram Shinde, Assembly Speaker Adv. Rahul Narwekar, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Dr. Neelam Gorhe, MSSRF Chairperson Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, along with ministers and other legislators.

The event marked a step towards gender equality by highlighting the role and contributions of women farmers. It was also held in the context of the International Year of the Woman Farmer and International Women’s Day 2026.

Proud to support this milestone in agricultural empowerment and gender parity.

11/03/2026

Join us on 13 March for a seminar ‘When Water Becomes Reactive: Disintegration of Minerals in Microdroplets’ by Dr. Thalappil Pradeep, Institute Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.

This seminar will outline how charged water microdroplets could potentially act as a green factory, rapidly disintegrating common minerals into nanoparticles in milliseconds, effectively compressing geological time for sustainable materials discovery.

Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/VFftt8eWv9 Zoom details will be shared with participants via email.