Born: 1897 (Thalassery, Kerala)
Biography:
Janaki Ammal, born Edavalath Kakkat Janaki Ammal on November 4, 1897, was a renowned Indian botanist known for her significant contributions to plant breeding, cytogenetics, and phytogeography. Through her extensive research and studies, she made remarkable discoveries in sugarcane and the eggplant (brinjal), as well as conducted important work on the cytogenetics of various plant species. Janaki also had a keen interest in ethnobotany, exploring the medicinal and economic value of plants in the rainforests of Kerala, India.
Janaki Ammal was born in Thalassery, Kerala, as the daughter of Diwan Bahadur Edavalath Kakkat Krishnan, the Dy. Collector of Malabar district. Her mother, Devi Kuruvayi, hailed from a notable lineage, being the daughter of John Child Hannyngton, a colonial administrator and Resident at Travancore, and Kunhi Kurumbi Kuruvai. Interestingly, Janaki’s mother’s half-brother was Frank Hannyngton, an Indian civil servant and entomologist.
Janaki received her early education at Sacred Heart Convent in Thalassery before pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Queen Mary’s College, Madras. She later obtained an honors degree in botany from Presidency College in Madras (now Chennai) and then ventured to the University of Michigan in 1924. There, she earned a master’s degree in botany through the prestigious Barbour Scholarship in 1926.
Returning to India, Janaki worked as a professor at the Women’s Christian College in Madras for a brief period before being awarded an Oriental Barbour Fellowship and returning to the University of Michigan to complete her PhD in 1931. Her doctoral thesis focused on Chromosome Studies in Nicandra Physaloides, showcasing her brilliance in cytogenetics. In recognition of her exceptional achievements, the University of Michigan also bestowed upon her an honorary LLD in 1956.
Janaki then assumed the role of Professor of Botany at the Maharaja’s College of Science in Trivandrum (present-day University College, Trivandrum). From 1932 to 1934, she served as an Assistant Professor before joining the prestigious John Innes Institute in Merton, London. Collaborating with C.D. Darlington, she made significant contributions to the field of plant genetics. To document their findings, Janaki and Darlington co-authored the seminal Chromosome Atlas of Cultivated Plants in 1945.
Following her tenure at the John Innes Institute, Janaki worked at the Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore, where she collaborated with C.A. Barber. Her work focused on developing hybrids, including several intergeneric crosses, including the variety SG 63-32. In 1939, she attended the 7th International Congress of Genetics in Edinburgh, but due to World War II, she was unable to return to India and spent the next six years working as an assistant cytologist at the John Innes Centre with C.D. Darlington.
In 1945, Janaki was invited to work as a cytologist at the Royal Horticultural Society in Wisley. During this period, she dedicated herself to studying the cytology of Magnolias and conducted groundbreaking experiments on their hybridization. Her work significantly contributed to our understanding of plant genetics and the cultivation of new varieties.
In recognition of her immense contributions to the field of botany, Janaki Ammal was awarded the Padma Shri by the Prime Minister of India in 1977. Her immense dedication and passion for botany continue to inspire future generations of women scientists.
Awards:
– Padma Shri (1977)