Penulis: J. N. Govil

Dr. V.K. Singh (b. 1948): Presently, Assistant Director (Botany) at Headquarter Office of the CCRUM, is responsible for execution of projects on ethnobotanical surveys, medicinal plants cultivation, development of Herbal gardens, and pharmacognostic studies of crude drugs. Dr. Singh received his Ph.D. in plant taxonomy (1971). He has been a plant explorer, ethnobotanist and conservationist and has taken a series of medicinal plants collection trips in different tribal areas, particularly in North India, for over 27 years (1971-1997). Based on his studies, he has to his credit over 85 research papers published in various scientific journals in India and abroad, 26 books dealing with medicinal plants and folk medicines of India including edited volumes. Of recent, Dr. Singh has been conferred CCRUM Award (2005) and received first prize from Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, for his outstanding research contributions in the area of Survey and Cultivation of Medicinal Plants including development of Herb Gardens. Earlier, Dr. Singh was adjudjed for “Award for Medical Research (1972)” from erstwhile Central Council for Research in Indian Medicine and Homeopathy (CCRIMH) for his contribution to the botanical identity of controversial Ayurvedic drugs. Nominated as Referee for various scientific journals on medicinal plants, and also on the panel of experts committee on WHO studies on indigenous drugs in India. Recently, Dr. Singh was nominated by department of AYUSH, Govt. of India to participate and present his paper in an international symposium on medicinal and nutraceutical plantsheld at Georgia, USA, during March 2007. Between 2001-2002, Dr. V.K. Singh served in the National Medicinal Plants Board, Government of India, New Delhi and was actively associated in the policy formulations and guidelines for promotion & development of medicinal plants sector in the country. He contributed in a book on agro techniques of medicinal plants entitled “Cultivation Practices of Some Commercially Important Medicinal Plants”. During 2002-2007, Dr. Singh headed a Project “Awareness, Training and Cultivation of Medicinal Plants in Western U.P.” Dr. V.K. Singh happens to be the pioneer in giving the concept of medicinal plants cultivation and marketing among the farmers of Western U.P.districts in India. Dr. J.N. Govil (b. 1945): Obtained his Masters and Doctorate degrees from Agra University, Agra, India. In his career span of 41 years research experience at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Dr. Govil has been involved in the breeding of cross-pollinated, often cross-pollinated, and self-pollinated crops. His research is mainly focussed on breeding for better quality, disease resistance, and for higher productivity in Pennisetum, Sorghum, maize, chickpea, and pigeonpea. Dr. Govil has been well exposed to the international scientific community through various training programmes. He took his training in “Plant exploration and collection techinques” through IBPGR in 1982. He was also awarded the prestigious FAO/IBPGR Fellowship in “Genetic resources, evaluation, and data preparation and management” at the University of Birmingham, UK. In 1983, he made visits to gene banks located in Europe. He also participated in various international seminars and conferences, including “Food and Legume Improvement for Asian Farming Systems” in Thailand in 1986. Dr. Govil is credited with more than eighty research papers in various journals of national and international repute in various aspects of genetics, crop breeding, and topics on general agriculture. He has written and edited a number of books on medicinal Plants (2 Vols each of two Titles) and other books with international authors. A new series “Recent Progress in Medicinal Plants” has been published by Studium Press, LLC, USA in 25 volumes under Dr. Govil”s Chief Editorship. Dr. Govil has been Editor-in-Chief of the Journals, New Botanist (An International Journal of Plant Research)and Glimpses in Plant Research, since 1988. He has also guided more than a dozen post-graduate students. Dr. J.N. Govil was actively engaged through his leadership on pigeonpea breeding with special emphasis on “Breeding short duration pigeonpea varieties for improved management and low input conditions.” Through his intensive efforts over the last 20 years, nine varieties of early pigeonpea in arhar-wheat rotation have been released at national level. Currently, Dr. Govil has retired from ICAR and has joined as Publishing Director and Managing Editor with Studium Press LLC, USA.