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{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = G. S. Venkataraman
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = 1 February 1930
| birth_name = Gopalasamudram Seetharama Venkataraman
| birth_place = [[Tenkasi]], [[Tirunalveli district]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|1998|10|3|1930|2|1}}
| death_place =
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates =
| othername =
| occupation = Botanist [[Phycologist]]
| yearsactive = 1956–1998
| known for = [[Phycology|Algology]]
| spouse =
| domesticpartner =
| children =
| parents = G. R. Sitaraman Lokanayaki
| website =
| awards = [[Padma Shri]] Alagappa Gold Medal [[VASVIK Industrial Research Award]] Sanjay Gandhi Award [[University Grants Commission (India)|UGC]] National Lecturer Award [[Om Prakash Bhasin Award]]
}}
'''Gopalasamudram Sitaraman Venkataraman''' (1930–1998) was an Indian botanist,<ref name="Venkataraman, Gopalasamudram Sitaraman">{{cite web | url=http://kiki.huh.harvard.edu/databases/botanist_search.php?mode=details&id=75871 | title=Venkataraman, Gopalasamudram Sitaraman | publisher=Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries | date=2015 | access-date=19 October 2015}}</ref> academic and the director of the [[Indian Agricultural Research Institute]] (IARI), New Delhi.<ref name="Deceased Fellow">{{cite web | url=http://www.insaindia.org.in/deceaseddetail.php?id=N810865 | title=Deceased Fellow | publisher=Indian National Science Academy | date=2015 | access-date=18 October 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813033644/http://www.insaindia.org.in/deceaseddetail.php?id=N810865 | archive-date=13 August 2016 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> He was also a director of the ''DBT Centre for Blue-Green Algae'' at [[Madurai Kamaraj University]] and a recipient of the [[VASVIK Industrial Research Award]] and [[Om Prakash Bhasin Award]].<ref name="Deceased Fellow" /> The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the [[Padma Shri]] in 1992.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web |url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 |df=dmy }}</ref>

== Biography ==
Venkataraman was born on 1 February 1930 to Lokanayaki and G. R. Sitaraman, a freedom fighter, at a small hamlet in [[Tirunelveli district]] by name, [[Tenkasi]], in the south Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]].{{cn|date=February 2020}} His early education was at the local village school after which he did his intermediate (higher secondary) from [[St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai]]. At Alagappa Chettiar College, Karaikudi, where he joined for his graduate studies, he had the opportunity to learn under S. Doraisamy, an [[Phycology|algologist]] and a protégé of [[M. O. P. Iyengar]], a renowned [[phycologist]].<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium">{{cite web | url=http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/sept10/articles4.htm | title=G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium | publisher=Indian Institute of Science | date=2015 | access-date=18 October 2015}}</ref> His master's degree came from [[Banaras Hindu University]] and, on getting a Government of India fellowship, he pursued doctoral studies under the guidance of Y. Bharadwaja and secured a PhD and DSc from the same university.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" />

His career started as an Assistant Botanist at the [[Indian Agricultural Research Institute]] in 1956. With the guidance of [[M. S. Randhawa]], then Vice-President of the [[Indian Council of Agricultural Research]], he established an algal research centre at the institute which is known to have conducted research on Algae and published several research papers and books on the subject.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" /> Through his researches, he established the role of algae in agriculture as a nitrogen fixing agent which was accepted by [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] (FAO), among others. He also initiated master's and doctoral courses in Agricultural [[Phycology]] at the institute to foster research and for training manpower. Supported by a grant from the [[Department of Biotechnology]], he also established a national facility for the collection and distribution of [[Blue-green algae]] (BGA) cultures.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" />

When the [[Department of Science and Technology (India)|Department of Science and Technology]] initiated a national level project on ''Algae for fertilizer, feed and fuel'' in 1976, Venkataraman was selected to head the project as its director.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" /> The project, which had state and central participation, is reported to have been successful in the dissemination knowledge on [[Blue-green algae|BGA]] bio-fertilizers among Indian farming community. His studies revealed the importance of rice strain selection as he maintained that different strains have differing ability and adaptability vis-à-vis soil conditions, resistance to pesticides and insensitivity to sources of nitrogen like [[nitrates]] and [[Ammonium]]. He demonstrated ''the transfer of fixed nitrogen from algae to rice plants using [[Isotopic labeling|15N]]''.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" /> He also developed a method for the [[in situ]] production of the BGA bio-fertilizer which he later improved by growing pure cultures of BGA on solid organic substrates, an achievement during his days at the School of Biological Sciences of [[Madurai Kamaraj University]].<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" />

Venkataraman's book, ''The Cultivation of Algae'',<ref name="The cultivation of algae">{{cite book | url=http://www.booklooker.de/B%FCcher/Venkataraman+The-Cultivation-of-Algae/id/A01OMjPD01ZZp | title=The cultivation of algae | publisher=Indian Council of Agricultural Research | author=G. S. Venkataraman | year=1969 | pages=319 | oclc=571889}}</ref> published by the [[Indian Council of Agricultural Research]] (ICAR) in 1969, is a [[monograph]] on the culture and cultivation of algae while the 1974 publication, ''Algae: form and function'', and ''Vaucheriaceae'',<ref name="Vaucheriaceae">{{cite book | title=Vaucheriaceae | publisher=Indian Council of Agricultural Research | author=G. S. Venkataraman | year=1961 | pages=112 | oclc=4478576}}</ref> deal with the scientific aspects of Algae.<ref name="Algae: form and function">{{cite book | title=Algae: form and function | publisher=Today & Tomorrow's Printers & Publishers | author=G. S. Venkataraman | year=1974 | pages=562 | oclc=1346403}}</ref> Two other books, ''Algal biofertilizers and rice cultivation''<ref name="Algal biofertilizers and rice cultivation">{{cite book | title=Algal biofertilizers and rice cultivation | publisher=Today & Tomorrow's Printers & Publishers | author=G. S. Venkataraman | year=1972 | pages=75 | oclc=2415473}}</ref> and ''Blue-green algae for rice production : a manual for its promotion''<ref name="Blue-green algae for rice production : a manual for its promotion">{{cite book | title=Blue-green algae for rice production : a manual for its promotion | publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | author=G. S. Venkataraman | year=1981 | pages=102 | isbn=9789251011072|oclc = 8248149}}</ref> detail the algal applications in agriculture and one of the books he edited, ''Plant protection in the year 2000 AD'' covers the papers and proceedings of the conference held at New Delhi in December 1984.<ref name="Plant protection in the year 2000 AD">{{cite book | title=Plant protection in the year 2000 AD | publisher=Indian National Science Academy | author=G. S. Venkataraman | year=1986 | pages=218 | oclc=15115568}}</ref> He was the editor of another book, ''Cyanobacterial biotechnology'', a presentation of selected papers from the ''International Symposium on [[Cyanobacteria]]l [[Biotechnology]]'', held in [[Tiruchirappalli]] in September 1996.<ref name="Cyanobacterial biotechnology">{{cite book | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/32543532?q&versionId=39568106 | title=Cyanobacterial biotechnology | publisher=Science Publishers |author1=G. Subramanian |author2=B.D. Kaushik |author3=G. S. Venkataraman | year=1998 | pages=372 | isbn=1578080355}}</ref> He also published over 170 articles on the subject.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" />

Venkataraman served as the Editor-in-Chief of the ''[[Journal of Phycology]]'' and was a member of the editorial boards of ''Biological Wastes'' and ''MIRCEN Journal of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology''.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" /> He was the Editor of the INSA scientific publications from 1983 to 1986 and a member of the sectional committee and the council of the [[Indian National Science Academy]].<ref name="Deceased Fellow" /> He was associated with the [[International Rice Research Institute]] as a member of its ''Policy Advisory Committee on Microbiological Nitrogen Fixation'' and was a director of the ''Indo-US Science and Technology Collaborative Programme in Agriculture''.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" /> He served as the visiting professor at Japan Agriculture Society and was a consultant to the [[Food and Agriculture Organization]].

Venkataraman died on 3 October 1998, at the age of 68.<ref name="IAS Fellow" />

== Awards and honours ==
Venkitaraman's memoirs have been included in the 24th volume of ''Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy'',<ref name="Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy, Volume 24">{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=za3aAAAAMAAJ | title=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy, Volume 24 | publisher=Indian National Science Academy | date=2004 | access-date=19 October 2015}}</ref> a compendium periodically published by the [[Indian National Science Academy]], featuring its deceased and living fellows.<ref name="Publication">{{cite web|url=http://www.insaindia.org/journal.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227200706/http://insaindia.org/journal.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 December 2015 |title=Publication |publisher=Indian National Science Academy |date=2015 |access-date=19 October 2015 }}</ref> The [[Indian Academy of Sciences]] elected him as their fellow in 1974<ref name="IAS Fellow">{{cite web | url=http://www.ias.ac.in/php/pfell_all.php3?alpha=V | title=IAS Fellow | publisher=Indian Academy of Sciences | date=2015 | access-date=19 October 2015}}</ref> and the [[Indian National Science Academy]] followed suit in 1984.<ref name="Deceased Fellow" /> He was also an elected fellow of the [[National Academy of Sciences, India]]<ref name="NASI Fellow">{{cite web | url=http://www.nasi.org.in/deceased.htm | title=NASI Fellow | publisher=National Academy of Sciences, India | date=2015 | access-date=19 October 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528102550/http://www.nasi.org.in/deceased.htm | archive-date=28 May 2015 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> and a fellow of the [[National Geographical Society]] and [[Phycological Society of India]].<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" /> He received the [[VASVIK Industrial Research Award]] in 1978,<ref name="Agricultural Sciences & Technology">{{cite web | url=http://www.vasvik.org/agricultural_sciences%20_&_technology.html | title=Agricultural Sciences & Technology | publisher=VASVIK | date=2015 | access-date=19 October 2015}}</ref> Sanjay Gandhi Award for Science and Technology, four years later and the National Lecturer Award of the [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]] in 1986.<ref name="Deceased Fellow" /> In 1988, he was awarded the [[Om Prakash Bhasin Award]] by the Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation for his contributions to Agriculture and Allied Sciences.<ref name="SHRI OM PRAKASH BHASIN AWARDS ">{{cite web | url=http://www.opbfawards.com/agriculture.html | title=SHRI OM PRAKASH BHASIN AWARDS | publisher=OM PRAKASH BHASIN FOUNDATION | date=2015 | access-date=19 October 2015}}</ref> The Government of India included him in the 1992 [[Indian honours system|Republic Day honours]] list for the civilian award of the [[Padma Shri]].<ref name="Padma Awards" />

Venkataraman, who was a holder of Humboldt Research Fellowship, delivered several award lectures including the Professor Panchanan Maheshwari Memorial Award Lecture of the Indian National Science Academy.<ref name="Deceased Fellow" /> He was also a recipient of the ''Alagappa Gold medal'' for his academic excellence from his alma mater, Alagappa Chettiyar College and the Australian Bicentennial International Medal in 1988 from Melbourne Poetry Society for his poem anthology, ''Reactions'', published in 1986.<ref name="G. S. Venkataraman – A tribute in memorium" /> He was one of the 56 Tamil personalities covered in ''Arunthondu Aatriya Tamizhaga Andhanargal'', a compilation of biographies, published in [[Tamil language]].<ref name="Arunthondu Aatriya Tamizhaga Andhanargal">{{cite web | url=http://www.librarything.com/work/6072456 | title=Arunthondu Aatriya Tamizhaga Andhanargal | publisher=Tambras Foundation | date=2015 | access-date=19 October 2015}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Venkataraman, G. S.}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in medicine]]
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Tirunelveli district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian botanists]]
[[Category:Indian scientific authors]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Indian Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy]]
[[Category:Fellows of The National Academy of Sciences, India]]
[[Category:Indian phycologists]]
[[Category:Humboldt Research Award recipients]]
[[Category:Food and Agriculture Organization officials]]
[[Category:Banaras Hindu University alumni]]
[[Category:Indian Council of Agricultural Research]]
[[Category:Madurai Kamaraj University]]
[[Category:Scientists from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian officials of the United Nations]]

G. S. Venkataraman - Revision history

UpdateBot at 10:57, 15 June 2022