Padma Shri awardee, ex-ICAR chief Ayyappan found dead in Cauvery river near Mysuru

People found his body floating in the river on Saturday and it was retrieved.

Published on: May 11, 2025, 11:51:45 IST

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Former Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Padma Shri awardee, Subbanna Ayyappan, has been found dead in the Cauvery river near Srirangapatna, Police said.

People found his body floating in the river on Saturday and it was retrieved, they added.

Ayyappan (70) was an agriculture and fisheries (aquaculture) scientist, and was the first non-crop scientist to head the ICAR.

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According to police, his two-wheeler was found on the river bank and it is suspected that he might have jumped into the river.

However, only investigation can determine the cause of his death, police said.

Ayyappan was a resident of Vishweshwara Nagar Industrial Area of Mysuru, and his family filed a complaint with the Vidyaranyapuram Police Station in Mysuru, stating that he had gone missing on May 7.

He used to do meditation often at the Saibaba ashram located on the banks of the Cauvery River in Srirangapatna, police said.

Ayyappan, who is credited for playing a role in India's 'Blue Revolution', is survived by his wife and two daughters.

More details awaited.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anagha Deshpande
Anagha Deshpande is Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. She is currently part of the news team. Before moving into this role, she worked with the Bengaluru desk, where she extensively covered civic issues, Karnataka politics, infrastructure, and urban governance. Over the past seven years, Anagha has worked across multiple facets of digital journalism, including reporting, editing, and video production. She briefly stepped away from journalism, only to realize that the newsroom is where she has the most fun. Her interests lie in tracking national and state politics, particularly South Indian politics, as well as social issues and public policy. She has previously worked with Deccan Herald, Mid-day, The Federal, and ThePrint, and has lived and worked in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai. When she isn't chasing stories, Anagha enjoys long aimless walks, reading, hiking, discovering new teas, and, by her own admission, overthinking almost everything.Read More

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