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Govindachetty Rangaswami (10 May 1925 – 7 September 2005), commonly referred to as G. Rangaswami, was an Indian agricultural scientist and administrator known for his contributions to agricultural microbiology, plant pathology, and sericulture. He served as the Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University from 1971 to 1978 and played a pivotal role in advancing agricultural education and research in India.

Early life and education

Rangaswami was born on 10 May 1925 in Kuttapatty village, Madras Presidency. He graduated from the Agricultural College, Coimbatore, in 1946 with distinction in Agricultural Botany and Plant Pathology. His academic excellence earned him two medals for first rank in his class. He continued his academic journey at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, where he undertook an Associateship from 1951 to 1953. During this period, he researched plant pathogens and soil microbiology under the mentorship of Dr. R. S. Vasudeva. In 1956, he earned a Ph.D. from Rutgers State University, New Jersey, under the mentorship of Nobel Laureate Selman A. Waksman.

Career

After returning to India in 1956, Rangaswami joined the Mycology Section of the Agricultural College, Coimbatore, where he continued his research in soil microbiology.

In 1958, he joined Annamalai University, Chidambaram, as the Head of the Department of Agriculture. There, he founded the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, the first in India to offer postgraduate and doctoral programs in the field. His research focused on plant pathogen survival in soil and microbial environments in the spermosphere, phyllosphere, and rhizosphere.

In 1965, Rangaswami became the Dean of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. From 1971 to 1978, he served as the first Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. During his tenure, he expanded academic initiatives and integrated plant pathology and microbiology into broader agricultural studies.

From 1978 to 1979, Rangaswami served as Director of the National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad. He later served as Advisor to the Agriculture of the Planning Commission (1980), and Commonwealth Technical Advisor (Agriculture) in the United Kingdom (1981).

Rangaswami also contributed significantly to the sericulture industry, authoring foundational books in collaboration with the Central Sericulture Research and Training Institute, Mysore. He served as Chairman of the All India Sericulture Research Coordination Committee of the Central Silk Board for two terms (1973–1980).

Publications

Rangaswami was a leading authority on plant pathology and soil microbiology. He published over 400 scientific papers and 11 books during his career. His notable works include Bacterial Plant Diseases in India (1962), Pythiaceous Fungi (1962), and Diseases of Crop Plants in India (1972), which became essential texts in plant pathology.

His research on microbial environments and the survival of plant pathogens in soil laid the foundation for the identification of several major plant pathogens in India. His textbooks, particularly Agricultural Microbiology (2004), became foundational references for students and researchers in this field.

Recognitions

He was named International Man of the Year by the USA Academy in 1995. He was elected a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences in 1960 and a Fellow of the National Academy of Sericultural Sciences, India, for 2003–2004. He also received honorary doctorates from institutions such as the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore; Tamil Nadu Agricultural University; and Pondicherry University. Additionally, he served as President of the Indian Phytopathological Society and the Association of Microbiologists of India.

Legacy

Rangaswami died on 7 September 2005, in a car crash.

References

1. ^ Famous India: Nation's Who's who. Famous India Publications. 1978. p. 179.
2. ^ Participant Journal. United States Agency for International Development Mission to India. 1966. p. 10.
3. ^ "Indian Phytopathological Society". www.ipsdis.org. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
4. Advances in Agriculture: Extra-mural Lectures Delivered at the U.P. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kanpur, During 1970-. U.P. Institute of Agricultural Sciences. 1971. p. 29.
5. "Former Vice-Chancellors – Tamil Nadu Agricultural University". Retrieved 2025-01-21.
6. "Former Directors | ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management". Retrieved 2025-01-21.
7. ^ "G. Rangaswami (1925-2005)" (PDF). Retrieved 2025-01-21.
8. ^ Indian Silk. Central Silk Board. 2005. p. 51.
9. ^ "Indian Academy of Sciences". fellows.ias.ac.in. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
10. Rural India. R. G. Gupta. 1978. p. 130.

• 1925 births
• 2005 deaths
• Fellows of the Indian Academy of Sciences
• Indian agriculturalists
• Rutgers University alumni