Palpu Pushpangadan
Palpu Pushpangadan was an Indian ethnobiologist and botanist, who was a director of the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow. He was also the director of the Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Kerala., Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram and Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow.
A Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India and National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, He was known for the development of Jeevani, a formulation developed from the medicinal plant, Arogyapacha, which was found to enhance immunity in humans and the 'TBGRI-Kani Model' of Benefit sharing. He received the Padmashri Award from the Government of India in 2010.
Life and career
Born on 23 January 1944 at Prakkulam in Kollam district in Travancore, Pushpangadan was known for his contribution to plant sciences. He was educated at SNDP High School, Neeravil,, Aligarh Muslim University and started career at, Jammu He got multidisciplinary training in cytogenetics, plant breeding, bioprospecting, biotechnology, conservation biology, ethnobiology, ethnopharmacology and pharmacognosy.Pushpangadan published about 515 research papers/articles in various national and international journals, authored/edited 26 books, contributed 41 chapters in books in taxonomy, plant breeding, conservation biology, biotechnology, ethnobiology, ethnopharmacology and Intellectual property, etc. Filed/Awarded 232 patents in herbal drugs/products jointly with other scientists. 15 of his patented products are already commercialized. He was a recipient of several awards and honors which include Dingra Memorial Award, Borlaug Award, John W. Harshberger Medal, UN-Equator Initiative Prize, Ayurved Gaurav Award, and Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Memorial -NABS -Life time achievement award.
Pushpangadan died on 19 December 2025, at the age of 81.