One of India’s finest plant scientists : Janaki Ammal

Today, girl-child education and women empowerment is the talk of the town. However, the cornerstone has been well set by several examples that India still takes pride in. One such uncelebrated persona is the ‘nomad flower scientist’, a.k.a Edavaleth Kakkat Janaki Ammal.

Janaki Ammal. Image Credits: The Wire

Born on November 4th, 1897, Janaki Ammal was the tenth offspring of the sub-judge of the then Madras Presidency. Known for her contributions to plant breeding and evolution, Janaki leaves her mark as an Indian Botanist and cytogeneticist. Coming from the former Tellichery, Janaki Ammal was one of the first women to receive a doctoral degree in Botany. Later, she emerged as the epitome of strength against a patriarchial and ultra-conservative society to give wings to her academic dreams.

Ammal began her education at Queen Marys College in Madras, where she earned a Bachelors degree in 1921. Following this, she went to study at the University of Michigan, where she earned a Master`s degree in Botany in 1925, and a Ph.D. in cytogenetics in 1931. However, she was also associated with teaching at the Women’s Christian College and Maharaja’s College of Science and was conferred with the prestigious Barbour scholarship from the University of Michigan.

Eventually, after completing her education Janaki Ammal returned to India and joined the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi as a cytogeneticist. There, she focused on developing new crop variants through hybridization, that is, a process in which two different plant varieties are crossed to create a more desirable variant. Further, she made some significant contributions to the field of plant breeding and developed new crop varieties like rice, sugarcane, and pearl millet.

In addition to her contributions to plant breeding, Janaki Ammal also conducted research on plant cytogenetics that deals with the study of the structure and function of plant chromosomes. Besides, she also added academic chapters on understanding the role of chromosomes in the evolution of plants, and her research further paved the avenue for future studies in this field.

Owing to caste issues and a single-woman status, Janaki was not allowed to work under Nobel laureate, Dr. C.V Raman. Instead, she flew to London and worked at the John Innes Horticultural Institute as an assistant cytologist from 1940-1945. Braving through several hardships, Janaki Ammal was next invited to work at the Royal Horticulture Society where she co-authored ‘The Chromosome Atlas of Cultivated Plants’ with biologist CD Darlington. Further, it is here where you can still witness Magnolia flowers planted by Janaki herself, and is even the birthplace of Magnolia Kobus Janaki Ammal, a flower named after her. Later, in 1951 she was invited to join the Botanical Survey of India where she served as the Officer on Special Duty and even visited Wayanad, Ladakh, and other areas for her affinity as an ardent environment activist.

Now, one of Ammal`s most notable achievements was her work on the development of a new sugarcane variety called the Co 6. It was developed through the hybridization of two different sugarcane varieties and is believed to be better disease and pest resistant. The success of Co 6 in improving the sugarcane yield in India led Ammal to receive one of the highest civilian honors, that is, the Padma Shri in 1977. Additionally, her active participation in the protests held against the building of a hydro-power dam across the river Kunthipuzha in Kerala’s Silent Valley, and her love for the environment got her an invite to the landmark international symposium on environmental history.

With a simple living and constant contributions to the scientific world, Janaki continued to work even after retirement. Later, she invested her last days in the genetic research of a bunch of cats and kittens. Eventually, she breathed her last while working in her lab at Maduravoyal in 1984. Thereafter, she was commemorated with a herbarium in Jammu Tawai, and a National Award of Taxonomy named after her.

Janaki Ammal`s contribution to plant breeding and cytogenetics has been instrumental in the improvement of crops and the understanding of the evolutionary process of plants. Her work has had a direct impact on the lives of farmers and has helped to improve the yield and quality of crops, which in turn has helped to improve the livelihoods of people in India and around. Her contributions to science and her pioneering spirit are an inspiration to many, and her legacy continues to live on through ongoing research today.

Therefore, Janaki Ammal will always be celebrated as the essence of diversity and perseverance in science.