Padma Shri awardee and agricultural scientist Subbanna Ayyappan found dead in Cauvery River

MANDYA: Famous agricultural and fisheries scientist and Padma Shri awardee Dr Subbanna Ayyappan was found dead in a river. His body was found in the Cauvery River near Sai Ashram in Srirangapatna taluk of Mandya. He had been missing since May 7. He was living with his wife in an apartment in Visvesvaraya Nagar in Mysuru. He is survived by his two daughters and sons-in-law.

His family had filed a missing person complaint at the Vidyaranyapuram police station. The body was found in the river near Sai Ashram during an investigation by the police. Police officials reached the spot and confirmed the body. His scooter was also found on the banks of the river.

Initial investigation suggests that it was a suicide. The body is three days old. The cause of death will be known only after the postmortem. The body has been shifted to the K R Hospital mortuary. Subbanna Ayyappa used to regularly go to Ramakrishna Ashram and Sai Ashram for meditation, said his relative and lawyer Srinidhi.

Born on December 10, 1955 in Yalandur in Chamarajanagar, Dr Subbanna Ayyappa had a distinguished academic and professional career. He did his bachelor's and master's degrees in Fisheries Science from Mangalore. Later, he completed his PhD from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. Serving in various capacities across India, he played a key role in taking forward the Blue Revolution to increase fish farming production in the country.

In 2022, the central government honored him with the Padma Shri. He passed away unexpectedly while serving as the chairperson of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).