Eminent Indian Botanists: Past and Present Biographies and Contributions

The book includes the biographies and contributions of 75 eminent Indian Botanists and explains the foundations of Botany in India and its development from 16th century into modern times. The biographies mentioned herein include those plant explorers of the East India Company like Garcia d‘ Orta, Hendrik A. Van Rheede and H. F. C. Cleghorn who laid the foundations to Tropical Medical Botany. This also includes the biographies of the scientists of British India like E. Blatter, E. J. Butler, George Bentham, J. Dalton Hooker, N. Wallich, R. H. Beddome, Robert Wight, W. Dudgeon and W. Roxburgh who were responsible for the establishment of many botanic gardens, herbaria and research institutes in India and also worked for the development of Botany in the sub-continent. The biographies of eminent Indian-born American Botanists such as Govindjee and I. K. Vasil are also included. The book includes the biographies of deceased Indian Plant Scientists like B. G. L. Swamy, Birbal Sahni, B. M. Johri, E. K. Janaki Ammal, H. Santapau, J. C. Bose, J. Venkateswarlu, P. Maheshwari, M. J. Thirumalachar, M. O. P. Iyengar, Shri Ranjan, Sipra Guha Mukherjee, T. N. Khoshoo, T. V. Desikachary and Y. S. Murthy whose contributions are in different sub-disciplines of Botany and each one is famous in his own discipline. The biographies of Botanists of international eminence like M. S. Swaminathan and K. S. Manilal also find a place in the book. On the whole, the book is one place wherein one can find almost all important contributions made in Botany from time to time, and it is a must for every university college library, research laboratory and an institution where botany is being taught. The book is an invaluable reference.