MYSURU, May 11 – Padma Shri recipient and former Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. Subbanna Ayyappan, was found dead in the Cauvery River near Srirangapatna on Saturday, police confirmed.
Local residents spotted a body floating in the river and alerted authorities, who later identified it as that of Ayyappan, 70, a renowned agricultural and aquaculture scientist. “The body was recovered from the river near the Saibaba ashram,” police officials said. Ayyappan was known to frequent the ashram for meditation.
The former ICAR head, widely credited with contributing to India’s ‘Blue Revolution’ in fisheries and aquaculture, was the first non-crop scientist to lead the apex agricultural research institution.
Police said his two-wheeler was found abandoned near the riverbank, raising suspicions that he may have jumped into the river. “At this stage, we suspect suicide, but only a thorough investigation will confirm the actual cause of death,” an officer stated.
Ayyappan was a resident of Vishweshwara Nagar Industrial Area in Mysuru. His family had reported him missing on May 7 at the Vidyaranyapuram Police Station. The complaint noted that he had not returned home and had visited the Srirangapatna area where he often meditated.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Police have initiated an inquest and are awaiting postmortem results to ascertain the cause of death.
