Kochi, Kerala (Commonwealth Union)_Janaki Ammal, a woman who brought immense glory to India by achieving many firsts under her name and creating history, is yet a name unheard of. Her life was a blazing testament to intellectual integrity as Janaki continued to pursue her passion despite being void of recognition or appreciation.
The South-Indian, Kerala-born Flower Scientist ventured into studies of biodiversity as early as the 1930s. Through her career, which spanned six decades, she reworked the classification of multiple flower and plant species. She was far ahead of her time, as her understanding and research of the plant species exceeded all her fellow scientists. In the year 1932, she became the first Indian woman to be awarded a doctorate in botanical science.
Her great niece Geeta described her as an individual who was passionate about everything. She further mentioned that she was completely liberated and fixated on her work. In a predominantly male-dominated industry, where Janaki faced a lot of criticism due to her gender and caste, she still thrived, simply backed by her purpose and intrigue to learn more.
Dr. Nair, who is a historian by profession, is actively researching the life of Janaki Ammal in an attempt to write a biography on her livelihood. She stated that Janaki was the first Indian to identify the origins of sugarcane, aligning it with a cross between sugarcane and maize. This hybrid was a milestone in botanical science, yet Janaki’s work went unnoticed.
During the Second World War, Janaki was employed as the first female scientist at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley, and her magnolias planted at the garden are still admired by many. She was later invited back to India by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in order to restructure the Botanical Survey of India. But alas, her male colleagues refused to work under a female scientist, causing her efforts to go for a waste. This greatly saddened her, yet she continued exploring her passion in different countries. She was even awarded a Padma Shri at the age of 80 for her contribution to science.
Janaki’s life is truly an inspirational journey to look up to, and a story to be shared with all. Her commitment led her to being one of India’s best scientists, however, her efforts were not celebrated. It’s time we change that and make her story one for the history books.
