Janaki Ammal Edavalath Kakkat

A pioneering Indian botanist who revolutionized plant genetics and advocated for environmental conservation

Dr. Janaki Ammal Edavalath Kakkat (1897-1984) stands as one of South Asia's most groundbreaking scientists, yet her contributions remain underrecognized globally. As India's first female plant cytogenetics researcher, she pioneered studies in sugarcane hybridization and chromosomal biology that transformed agricultural practices.

Her chromosome analysis of Saccharum officinarum led to drought-resistant sugarcane hybrids, saving India's sugar industry during ecological crises. She co-authored the seminal Chromosome Atlas of Cultivated Plants (1945), still referenced in botanical studies today.

Beyond labs, Janaki fought against deforestation through her work at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center, influencing India's first biodiversity conservation policies. Her 1955 return from Britain to a newly independent India symbolized scientific nationalism, establishing the Botanical Survey of India while challenging both colonial-era exploitation and gender barriers in STEM fields.