Plant Tissue Culture LaboratoryBlog Page

“Hello I got a missed call who’s this” ” Sir, I am final year Biotechnology student from Hassan Agricultural College and called you to invite you to the ‘Guruvandana’ function we are holding”. I paused a bit to grasp the situation, the voice continued saying that the programme is on 10th. “Which day is that?” I mumbled. “Tuesday sir,” said, the student. With disappointment, I had to say “so sorry I am travelling to Coimbatore for a Doctorate Committee Meeting at an University”. There was a palpable silence at the other side. I continued to utter the same again and said ” I am touched “. I continued apologetically and said “Sorry, kindly give my regards to all my students and thanks again’. “I will sir, thanks” said the student and hung the phone.

I went on a time travel and remembered travelling to the College at Hassan from Bangalore on the orders of my then Dean Dr. Mallik (2011 beginning)at the College that I should travel to Hassan and take classes for the students of Biotechnology. I was wary of the predicament as I never look forward to travelling long distances. But my professional ethics compelled me to accept the situation. After all every student has a right to be taught? I traveled to Hassan and realised that my services were not required and felt disappointed and requested whether I could deliver a lecture for having traveled all the way. The Dean of Hassan was happy to arrange for a lecture. I got into the class only to be enthusiastically greeted by them to my surprise and learnt that they knew me earlier as they had visited my laboratory. Well it was an additional impetus to give an impressing talk. One and half hours of talk was enough for the students to open up to me with travails of their journey so far as students at Hassan. They were eager to keep in touch with me. I promised them that I would travel when ever can and deliver them some more lectures. That never happened!.

Well what a reward for my lecture, I am invited to a ‘Thanks Giving’ programme along with all those teachers who taught them endlessly. What a feeling!. If I had to pen a story on this batch of students I would end the story saying “they happily lived ever after”. For sure I wish and believe that they would be happy souls for ever. Thanks my student friends for your love and reverence for little service of mine though it was expected of me. Have a great time tomorrow and I congratulate all the students who would be felicitated.

Dr.B.N.Sathyanarayana

Well truly, as carried by a News paper recently. its a second home coming for this premier variety of Banana. We all know, well hopefully, that Nanjanagud variety of Banana, which now carries a GI tag was once patronised by erstwhile Mysore Maharajas. This variety was a household name in Karnataka State of India. The distinct aroma this variety possess is unmatched by any other banana variety in the world. It was arguably the best banana variety in the world. Once a greatly sought after variety being grown in a few thousand of acres in the Nanjangud Taluk, is now almost extinct with not even a couple of organised orchards dedicated to this variety existing. It’s presence is reduced to few patches of area in orchards of other banana variety such as Elakki. Lot has been said and professed to save this variety from extinction owing to devastating panama wilt this variety was susceptible to dreaded panama wilt. But nothing tangible happened towards saving this variey from extinction. I personally felt that making available the disease free planting materials in large numbers to the farmers especially to the farmers of Nanjanagud area, coupled with sincere attempts to manage the variety against keeping the panama wilt at bay would surely rejuvenate this variety. Hence, it was my irrepressible passion to contribute towards the cause. Well now we are in a position to put our thoughts and efforts to tangible reality. yes, we at the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore are going to distribute this variety to farmers in large numbers. Coming this September,2011, we are planning to distribute the Tissue Cultured planting material to farmers. Probably in the last month of September these plants would be distributed to farmers in a formal function. In this programme of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Association of Nanjangud Rasabale Growers of Nanjangud area, farmers of Nanjangud area , Karnataka State Department of Horticulture and Govt. of Karnataka would be part of the porgramme. Exact date, time and venue would be notified later through News paper and other Electronic Media.

I just cant wait to see that its done.

Bye

Dr.B.N.Sathyanarayana
Professor, and Incharge, Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, UAS, Bangalore.

I was planning to jump into my passion of travelling to be part of think tank of plant tissue culture. It was just that all these days after my return to India with a doctoral degree from University of London ( from Wye College, now Imperial, London) way back (!) in 1993, lot of things took precedence over my passion. Well a time has come now that I could pursue my passion in zest. Here I am taking this opportunity which would probably be a precursor for exciting things to happen in future. I must thank Prof Steefan and Geelan of Gent University, Department of Bioscience Engineering, the organisers of the Belgium event to have invited me to give a 2nd key note address in the session on micropropagation and regeneration. Besides I should be chairing a session. I am looking forward to the symposium. i hope everything falls in place at the right time especially with my travelling plans. Its a great feeling to know that quite a few papers originating from my laboratory, of student researchers are going to be presented at the symposium. As a keynote address I would be speaking on the topic ‘Micropropagation to Revolutionize Plant Production Scenario in India – Role of Universities towards Innovations in making the Technology a Low Cost Sector and thus Empower Unemployed Youth of the Country Micropropagation to Revolutionize Plant Production Scenario in India – Role of Universities towards Innovations in making the Technology a Low Cost Sector and thus Empower Unemployed Youth of the Country.’ Well lot is going to transpire at the Symposium. Looking forward to meet the active scientists from across the world at the conferfence. A few Indian researchers expressed their happiness and eagerness to meet me there.

Sure we shall meet.

Dr.B.N.Sathyanarayana
Professor and Incharge, Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, GKVK Campus, Bangalore, India

My thoughts go back to the year 1997(I suppose), When lecturers of Jain College, Mrs. Nalini and Shanti Iyer ( a known destination for excellence among private colleges in the city (Bangalore, India) came to my laboratory ( a kind of make shift laboratory at that time) and requested me to help in designing a syllabus for a vocational course in Plant Tissue Culture, I never knew I would be drawn into a lasting relationship with that College and more importantly erudite student community pining for more of me as a teacher in tissue culture. Me becoming a part of that college in the evenings as a visiting professor was one of those milestones in my career as a teacher who always wanted to serve the community of students. My association with them for years was quite endearing really.I relished all those kudos I used to recieve from the students after my lecures. On one of those occasions in front of the parents(gathered for student and parent interacton), Miss Nandini Bhogar went on the stage and eulogised me calling me a ‘genius’. Those i enjoyed the occasion I reminded her that I am an ordinary person but with a passion to deliver things in the way students deserve). Its very satisfying to know that many of my students are up there in the league of students who have etched out their lives with ablomb especially elsewhere in the world. Other day when I recieved a mail from Nandini, after a gap of probably a decade, it was a feeling of nostalgia. Its nice to know that she is well settled in Canada doind her Ph.D(part time) and working for a company. Its even more satisfying to know that she intend opening a company on her own, I can only amaze at her confidence. It must have come with challenges she may have had faced over many a years at Canada. Well there is a lesson in Nandini which my students have to realise and that message lies in reaching for your dreams.
I wish this website would become a portal for exchaging the experiences of my students in achieving what ever they have stirived to.

Thanking you all my students (probably many a thousand of them).

Dr.B.N.Sathyanarayana
Professor and Incharge, Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory. University of Agricultual Scieces, GKVK, Bangalore, India.

It was a day like any other for me. But the Biotechnology students of  Bishop Cotton Boys School surely had a memorable day along with their teacher Yesterday (25th Nov. 2011). It was palpable, the excitement the boys went through realising that their pursuit of Science holds a great promise for them not only to  live and absorb all that nature beckons, for their satiation of hunger for knowledge and also in the fact that on that day the day of learning inspired  them to go along plant science as their career option. I wish some of them become Scholars of  science and transform the world (at lease a little)  to make life an exciting one for them and a better one for a common man.

Dear Students thanks for your appreciation. Its pleasing to know that you took the trouble of sending a prompt message on the blog thanking us. Every student who comes visiting our lab express their pleasure and  promise to blog but fail to do so. Its understandable that some thing more excitable had come their way before letting me know their pleasure through blog or through a mail. This does not dissappoint me as I would not be expecting them to do so. I know for sure their happiness of visiting us is etched in their hearts and thoughts.

Nestled in the heart of a serene and scenic campus, the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory stands out as an exemplary temple of learning and research. The layout Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory Unit encompasses science, art and aesthetics- which quite aptly reflect the activities which go on inside the laboratory. The first thing that anyone who visits the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory at GKVK, is the beautiful landscape of the laboratory.

Situated right across a century old “Heritage Banyan tree”, the set up manages to imply that both nature and technology can coexist in tandem with the thoughtful usage of technology, the world will be able to cope up with the huge advances in science which can be mind boggling at times.

The Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory unlike any other laboratory yearns to subtly bring out the messages about education, science, ethics, aesthetics, and art.