Prof. V. KRISHNAMURTHY
1921-2014
Professor Vasudeva Krishnamurthy was born on 14th August, 1921 at Valavanur, Villupuram district.
Prof. R.Vasudeva Sarma – his father was an eminent teacher, Professor of Sanskrit at National College, Tiruchirapalli.
Professor V.K. as affectionately called by his students took his B.A. Degree of Madras University with I class and ranked II in the University.
He has graduated from St. Joseph college, Tiruchirapalli, in 1940. He completed his B.Sc. (Hons.) Degree, Madras with II Class in Botany and ranked first in the Presidency. He has been awarded the Pulny Gold Medal by the University of Madras. Graduated from Presidency College, Chennai, in 1942. M.A. Degree, was awarded by efflux of time, University of Madras in 1947. He was awarded M.Sc. Degree, Madras University, by thesis submitted from Presidency College, Chennai in 1952.
He has been conferred with Ph.D. Degree by University of Manchester, U.K. in 1957.
Professor V.K. Joined this laboratory then known as Madras University Botany Laboratory as a research scholar to work under the guidance of the great Professor of Algology, Prof. M.O.P. Iyengar at the age of 21.
Later he worked as Lecturer in Pachaiyappa’s College, as Assistant Professor in Presidency College, as reader in Botany in St. Joseph College, Tiruchirapalli from 1943 to 1960. As Professor of Biology, he has workedin Thanjavur Medical College from 1961 to 1965 and as Professor of Microbiology and Bacteriology worked in the Department of Public Health Engineering in the college of Engineering Guindy.
From 1961 to 1971 he had lent his services to CSIR, by getting appointed as Scientist, in Central Salts and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, Gujarat.
He reverted back to Tamil Nadu Educational Services and worked as Professor of Botany in various colleges and retired as Principal from Arignar Anna Government Arts College for Men Namakkal in 1979.
During early period of his retirement he was actively taking part in a DST sponsored project on Algal Flora of India, sanctioned to Prof. T.V. Desikachary and later on continued with him in another project sanctioned by DOD concerned with Phytoplanktons of Bay of Bengal.
Though he often switched his services from Tamil Nadu Government to CSIR and back, his thrust for sincere teaching and valuable research have never diminished.
He was instrumental in encouraging college professors to pursue research in different fields of algology.
When he was in CSMCRI he identified and developed field stations at Okha in Gujarat and Mandapam in Tamil Nadu. The field station at Mandapam is called as Marine Algal Research Station which is now concentrating on seaweed cultivation in general and Kappaphycus cultivation in particular in recent times. His paper on seaweed cultivation is the first paper to be published in this field.
Professor has organized more than 20 National and International Seminars and workshops that have created awareness about algae and their utilization among college teachers and researchers throughout our country.
He has attended a number of International seminars and workshops held at various countries and chaired sessions as chairman in many of them.
He has visited several countries including USA, European countries, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
He has published about 140 papers. Edited 8 books, authored 5 books, founded two important journals such as Seaweed Research and Utilization and Indian Hydrobiology. official journal of Krishnamurthy Institute of Algology.
His able guidance helped 16 scholars to get their Ph.D. Degree officially and a large number of scholars unofficially.
Professor V.Krishnamurthy is a humble person, always with a smiling face, never get tired of discussing subject and sharing his overseas experience to his students.
(Prepared to introduce Professor at the time of inviting him to deliver the Padma Bhushan Prof.T.S. Sadasivan Memorial Lecture, in Chennai)
NEW TAXA OF ALGAE DESCRIBED IN HONOR OF PROF.V.KRISHNAMURTHY
Acrosorium krishnamurthii M U Rao
Draparnaldiopsis krishnamurthii Baluswami and Rajasekaran
Krishnamurthya shaveroyensis Chandra
Nostoc krishnamurthya Chandra
Tanakaella krishnamurthii Subramanian