Janaki Ammal

Trailblazing Indian botanist who revolutionized plant genetics and environmental conservation

Dr. Edavalath Kakkat Janaki Ammal (1897-1984) made groundbreaking contributions to botanical science and ecological preservation. As the first Indian woman to:

• Earn a PhD in botany (1931, University of Michigan)
• Receive the Padma Shri award (1977)
• Lead the Botanical Survey of India (1952)

Her chromosomal studies of:
• Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) created high-yield hybrids
• Magnolia kobus revealed evolutionary patterns
• Medicinal plants preserved indigenous knowledge

Ammal's environmental advocacy:
• Stopped Silent Valley deforestation in 1970s Kerala
• Established national gene banks for plants
• Influenced India's biodiversity protection laws

Honors include:
• Chromosome Atlas of Cultivated Plants (1945) remains definitive text
• Ammal Peak in Kerala's Western Ghats
• Google Doodle tribute (2019)