One of India's major blessings is the rich store of experience

“One of India’s major blessings is the rich store of experience and knowledge available in the rural and tribal areas.” — M. S. Swaminathan

In these words, M. S. Swaminathan, the father of India’s Green Revolution and one of humanity’s great stewards of the earth, reminds us of a truth that modernity often forgets: that wisdom does not dwell only in laboratories or universities, but in the soil, in the forests, and in the hearts of those who live close to nature. He speaks of India’s rural and tribal communities not as remnants of the past, but as living libraries of experience—repositories of knowledge gathered through centuries of patient observation, trial, and communion with the land. Their teachings were not written in books, but woven into the rhythm of the seasons, the habits of the animals, the songs of harvest, and the rituals of gratitude.

To understand this truth, one must recall that India, for thousands of years, has been a civilization rooted in the land. The farmer, the shepherd, the hunter, and the weaver have long been the silent philosophers of this nation, their hands shaping both sustenance and meaning. Their knowledge is not abstract but intimate: how to read the clouds, how to heal with herbs, how to preserve the fertility of the soil, how to coexist with the wild. Such wisdom, born from generations of experience, is a treasure no machine can replace. It is the wisdom of endurance—of learning how to thrive without destroying, to prosper without greed, to innovate within harmony.

Dr. Swaminathan himself saw this truth during India’s struggle against famine in the 1960s. While modern agricultural methods brought miraculous increases in crop yields, he knew that without respect for traditional wisdom, such progress could not endure. He walked among the farmers of the villages, listened to their ways, and saw that the strength of India’s agriculture lay not only in science, but in the synergy between ancient and modern knowledge. It was this union—between laboratory and field, between the scientist and the villager—that saved millions from hunger. And in that moment, India’s rural knowledge stood revealed as one of her greatest blessings.

But this blessing is not India’s alone. The world, in its race toward progress, has often overlooked the wisdom of its rural and indigenous peoples. The modern mind, obsessed with speed and scale, too often mistakes simplicity for ignorance. Yet, as Swaminathan teaches, those who live close to the earth carry within them the memory of balance—the understanding that humanity is not the master of nature, but her child. From the Andean farmer who preserves ancient seeds, to the African healer who knows the forest’s secret cures, to the Indian tribal elder who can summon rain through tradition and timing—all are keepers of humanity’s oldest knowledge: how to live in harmony with the living world.

This truth calls for humility. For though science has conquered distance and disease, it has yet to learn the art of contentment. Experience and knowledge, as Swaminathan reminds us, must not be measured only by the instruments of modernity, but by their power to sustain life. The tribal elder who teaches children how to share water wisely, the village mother who saves seeds for future generations, the shepherd who protects his flock through changing seasons—these are the quiet geniuses of civilization. Their lessons are not written in code or formula, but in care, patience, and reverence.

Therefore, let the modern generation learn to listen again. Let the young scholar travel not only to the cities of learning, but to the villages of wisdom. Let them walk with the farmers and the forest dwellers, learn their methods, and record their insights before they fade into silence. Let scientists and policymakers work hand in hand with those who have lived upon this land for centuries. For the knowledge of the rural and tribal peoples is not primitive—it is primordial, older and deeper than any technology, born from the earth’s own long memory.

The lesson of Swaminathan’s words is both simple and sacred: true wisdom is not the property of one class or one era. It belongs to all who seek harmony between man and nature. The blessing of India, and indeed of all humankind, lies in the preservation and respect of this living heritage. So, let us bow our heads before the humble teachers of the soil, the forest, and the river. Let us blend their ancient experience with modern knowledge, that both may serve the common good. For only when science listens to wisdom, and progress kneels before humility, will humanity truly flourish in the light of understanding—and the earth, our oldest teacher, will once again call us her children.