Ramdeo Mishra(1908-1998)

Prof. Ramdeo Mishra is revered as father of Ecology in India. After obtaining Ph.d in ecology (1937) under Prof. W. H. Pearsail, FRS from Leeds Iniversity in UK, he returned to establish ecology teaching and research at the Department of Botany of the Banaras Hindu University. Under his leadership, this Department gained international recognition for research of ecology of tropical ecosystems (forests, grasslands, ponds, lakes, etc.). His ressarches laid the foundation for understanding of tropical communities and their succession, environmental responses of plant populations, and produtivity and nutrient cycling in tropical forests and grassland ecosystems. Prof. Mishra formulated the first postgraduate course in ecology in India. Oer 50 scholars obtained Ph.D degree under his supervision and moved to other Universities and research institutes to innitiate ecology teaching/research across the country. He was honoured with the Fellowships of Indian National Science Academy and Worls Academy of Arts and Science, and the prestigious Sanjay Gandhi Award in Environment and Ecology. Due to his efforts, the government of India established the National Committee for Environmental planning and Coordination (1972) which, in later years paved the way for the establishment of ministry of environment and Forests (1984). The International Society for Tropical ecology (headquaters at BHU) founded by Prof. Mishra is 1956 has played a significan role in addressing ecological inssues in tropics