Lalji Singh
Encyclopedia
Lalji Singh is an India
n molecular biologist
. He currently serves as the Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University
(BHU) and was the director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
(CCMB) before that. His areas of his research interest involves molecular basis of sex determination, DNA fingerprinting, wildlife conservation, silkworm genome analysis, human genome and ancient DNA studies.
degree in 1964. He won the Banaras Hindu Gold Medal for standing first in order of merit in the M.Sc.
in Zoology examination of 1966, and was awarded Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) from the University Grants Commission (U.G.C) that year. He went on to receive a Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) from CSIR
in 1972. He then went on to earn a Ph.D.
degree in 1971 from the Banaras Hindu University
for his work on "Evolution of karyotypes in snakes" in the area of Cytogenetics
.
From 1970 to 1972, Singh was Research Associate at the Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University and later on Pool Officer at the Calcutta University during April–September 1974. He won the two year Commonwealth Fellowship in 1974 to carry out research at the Edinburgh University U.K. He stayed on to work as a Research Associate for two stints (1977–79 and 1979–87) at that university. During a leave from October 1976 to April 1977, he joined Calcutta University (Department of Zoology) as Guest Scientist. From July to September 1979 Singh was invited as Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University
, Canberra
. He was awarded the Dr. S. P. Basu Memorial Medal of Zoological Society, Calcutta in 1973 for his outstanding contribution to the field of Cytogenetics
. In 1974 the Indian National Science Academy
decorated him with the Science Academy Medal for Young Scientists.
Singh and his colleagues developed a probe called Bkm-derived probe for DNA fingerprinting which brought CCMB to limelight. Since then this probe is being extensively used for forensic investigation, paternity determination and seed stock verification. For the first time DNA fingerprinting evidence was presented in the court of law in India. The Kerala High Court upheld the verdict and since then this indigenous technique has been used as evidence in more than 300 cases including the assassination of the late Prime Minister of India Shri Rajiv Gandhi
. This fetched him and his group the CSIR Technology Award for the year 1992 for biological sciences. The direct result of this work was the formation of an autonomous institution, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD)
in 1995.
In 1998 he was appointed the Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
At present, Dr Lalji Singh is the Bhatnagar Fellow (CSIR) at CCMB, Hyderabad since August 2009
2009: Life Time Achievement Award for the year 2008 [Biotech Research Society (BRSI), BHU, Varanasi] during 6th BRSI Convention and International Conference, ETBT-2009, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
2009: Life Time Achievement Award [Indian Analytical Instruments Association, Hyderabad]
2009: CSIR Bhatnagar Fellowship [CSIR, New Delhi]
2008 : CSIR Technology Award for Life Sciences – 2008 [CSIR, New Delhi]
2008 : 2nd University Foundation Oration [KLE University, Belgaum]
2008 : 18th Convocation of Kakatiya University [Kakatiya University, Warangal (A.P.)]
2008 : 8th Dharma Vira Oration [Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi]
2007 : Rajbhasha Shri Samman [Bharatiya Rajbhasha Vikas Sansthan, Dehradun]
2007 : Rashtriya Ekta Samman 2007 [National Unity Conference, New Delhi]
2007 : Sir Edward Mellanby Memorial Lecture [Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow]
2007 : Honorary D.Sc. degree [Deendayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur]
2006 : Dr L D Sanghvi Oration Award [Indian Society of Human Genetics]
2006 : Father of DNA Fingerprinting Award [Jaunpur Journalists Association]
2006 : J C Bose National Fellowship [Department of Science & Technology]
2006 : Honorary D.Sc. degree [Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad]
2006 : Honorary Professor [Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati]
2005: ISWA Honorary Fellowship (2005) [Indian Science Writers’ Association (ISWA)]
2005: Honorary Fellow, Biotech Research Society of India [Biotech Research Society of India]
2005: Swami Sukhdevanand Rishi Samman in the field of Genetics [Mumukshu Ashram Siksha Sankul, Shahjahanpur]
2004: Intellectuals’ Honour – The Great Son of the Soil [All India Conference of Intellectuals, Meerut]
2004: Honorary D.Sc. degree [Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi]
2004: Padma Shri [Government of India]
2004 : FICCI Award 2002-03 for R&D in Life Sciences [Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi]
2003: Biotechnologist of the year 2002 [Metro Vision Business & Technology Magazine, Hyderabad]
2003: Vigyan Gaurav Award [Council of Science & Technology, Government of Uttar Pradesh]
2003: The Honorary D.Sc. degree [Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi]
2003: Purvanchal Ratna [Veer Bahadur Singh Poorvanchal University, Jaunpur]
2002: ISHEER AWARD [Indian Society of Health Environment Education and Research (ISHEER), Jodhpur Centre, Jodhpur]
2002: TWAS Fellowship [Third World Academy of Sciences Trieste, Italy]
2002: Sixth Prof. S. P. Ray-Chaudhuri Memorial Lecture Award [Prof. S. P. Ray-Chaudhuri Foundation, BHU, Varanasi]
2002: New Millennium Plaques of Honour – 2001-2002 award for outstanding services in the field of Biological Sciences [By the Prime Minister of
India at the 89th Session of the Indian Science Congress-2002]
2001: K N Bhal Memorial Gold Medal for 2001 [Society of Biosciences, Muzaffarnagar]
2001: The D.A.E. – C.V. RAMAN Lecturership-2000 [Indian Physics Association, Mumbai]
2001: Goyal Prize in Life Sciences-2000 [Kurukshetra University, Haryana]
2001: CRI Foundation Day Oration Lecture [Cancer Research Foundation, Mumabi]
2001: Late Sri Damodaram Sanjivayya Endowment Lecture [Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati]
2001: Dr Y Nayudamma Memorial Extension Lecture on Biotechnology-1999 [Dr Y Nayudamma Memorial Turst, Tenali]
2001: Kothari Memorial Endowment Lecture [Pondicherry University, Pondicherry]
2000: Visesha Puraskaaram [Dr Ramineni Foundation, USA]
2000: The Honorary D.Sc. degree [Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, U.P.]
2000: Fellow [Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences, Hyderabad]
2000: IMTECH Foundation Day Lecture [Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh]
1999: II Mansi Ram Memorial Lecture [University of Delhi, Delhi]
1999: Professional Excellence Award in Science & Technology – for Expertise in DNA Fingerprinting [Viswabharathy Academy, Hyderabad]
1999: IV Endowment Lecture [The Indian Instrumentation Society, Hyderabad Chapter, Hyderabad]
1998: Scroll of Honour: Outstanding Forensic Expert Award – for Indianization of DNA Fingerprinting Technology [The Medico Legal Society, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi]
1998: Honorary Professor [School of Animal Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad]
1998: Indian Academy of Neurology Oration [Indian Academy of Neurology, Bangalore]
1998: Dr Yellapragada Subbarow Memorial Oration [The Indian Medical Association, Vijayawada]
1997: Joy Govind Law Memorial Medal [The Asiatic Society, Calcutta]
1997: Padma Bhushan Dr P S Siva Reddy Endowment Award [Dr P Siva Reddy Foundation, Hyderabad]
1996: Shri Om Prakash Bhasin Award – in the field of Biotechnology [Shri Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation for Science & Technology, Delhi]
1996: Haldane Oration Medal [Society for Bionaturalists, India]
1995: The VASVIK Research Award – for Biological Sciences & Technology for the year 1992 [Vividhlaxi Audyogik Samshodhan Vikas Kendra, Bombay]
1995: Professor Vishwanath Memorial Lecture Award [Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi]
1995: Jagdish Chandra Bose Award – for Research in Life Sciences [Hari Om Ashram Trust, Delhi]
1994: Ranbaxy Research Award – in the field of basic medical sciences [Ranbaxy Research Foundation, Ranbaxy, New Delhi]
1994: Prof S P Ray-Chaudhuri 75th Birthday Endowment Lecture Award [Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi]
1992: CSIR Technology Award – for biological sciences [Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi]
1974-76 Commonwealth Scholarship – for Postdoctoral Research in Molecular Biology at Edinburgh University, UK [Commonwealth Commission, UK]
1974: INSA Medal for Young Scientists [Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi]
1973: Dr S P Basu Memorial Medical – for outstanding contribution in the field of Cytogenetics [Zoological Society, Calcutta]
1966: Banaras Hindu University Gold Medal – for standing first in order of merit in M.Sc (Zoology) Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.[2]
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n molecular biologist
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
. He currently serves as the Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
(BHU) and was the director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology or CCMB is a National level Research laboratory located in Hyderabad, India. CCMB is one of the constituent national laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research CSIR, the premier multidisciplinary Research & Development...
(CCMB) before that. His areas of his research interest involves molecular basis of sex determination, DNA fingerprinting, wildlife conservation, silkworm genome analysis, human genome and ancient DNA studies.
Background
Singh was born on July 5, 1947 at Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh and obtained his B.Sc.Bachelors Of Science
Bachelors of Science is the stage name of Phil "Rene", Chris and Lukeino. They met in California and formed a successful act, quickly becoming one of the top drum and bass producers in the electronic music scene...
degree in 1964. He won the Banaras Hindu Gold Medal for standing first in order of merit in the M.Sc.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Zoology examination of 1966, and was awarded Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) from the University Grants Commission (U.G.C) that year. He went on to receive a Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) from CSIR
CSIR India
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research established in 1942, is an autonomous body and India's largest Research and Development organization, with 39 laboratories and 50 field stations or extension centers spread across the nation, with a collective staff of over 17,000...
in 1972. He then went on to earn a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in 1971 from the Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
for his work on "Evolution of karyotypes in snakes" in the area of Cytogenetics
Cytogenetics
Cytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G-Banded chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ...
.
From 1970 to 1972, Singh was Research Associate at the Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University and later on Pool Officer at the Calcutta University during April–September 1974. He won the two year Commonwealth Fellowship in 1974 to carry out research at the Edinburgh University U.K. He stayed on to work as a Research Associate for two stints (1977–79 and 1979–87) at that university. During a leave from October 1976 to April 1977, he joined Calcutta University (Department of Zoology) as Guest Scientist. From July to September 1979 Singh was invited as Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. He was awarded the Dr. S. P. Basu Memorial Medal of Zoological Society, Calcutta in 1973 for his outstanding contribution to the field of Cytogenetics
Cytogenetics
Cytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G-Banded chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ...
. In 1974 the Indian National Science Academy
Indian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy , New Delhi is the apex body of Indian scientists representing all branches of science & technology.-History:...
decorated him with the Science Academy Medal for Young Scientists.
Work in CCMB
In June 1987, Singh came back to India and joined the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad as senior scientist.Singh and his colleagues developed a probe called Bkm-derived probe for DNA fingerprinting which brought CCMB to limelight. Since then this probe is being extensively used for forensic investigation, paternity determination and seed stock verification. For the first time DNA fingerprinting evidence was presented in the court of law in India. The Kerala High Court upheld the verdict and since then this indigenous technique has been used as evidence in more than 300 cases including the assassination of the late Prime Minister of India Shri Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
. This fetched him and his group the CSIR Technology Award for the year 1992 for biological sciences. The direct result of this work was the formation of an autonomous institution, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD)
Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics
The Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics is an autonomous organization funded by the Department of Biotechnology , Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. CDFD receives funding from other agencies like the Wellcome Trust on specific collaborative projects...
in 1995.
In 1998 he was appointed the Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
At present, Dr Lalji Singh is the Bhatnagar Fellow (CSIR) at CCMB, Hyderabad since August 2009
Honours & Awards
2010: B P Pal Memorial Award [97th Indian Science Congress]2009: Life Time Achievement Award for the year 2008 [Biotech Research Society (BRSI), BHU, Varanasi] during 6th BRSI Convention and International Conference, ETBT-2009, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
2009: Life Time Achievement Award [Indian Analytical Instruments Association, Hyderabad]
2009: CSIR Bhatnagar Fellowship [CSIR, New Delhi]
2008 : CSIR Technology Award for Life Sciences – 2008 [CSIR, New Delhi]
2008 : 2nd University Foundation Oration [KLE University, Belgaum]
2008 : 18th Convocation of Kakatiya University [Kakatiya University, Warangal (A.P.)]
2008 : 8th Dharma Vira Oration [Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi]
2007 : Rajbhasha Shri Samman [Bharatiya Rajbhasha Vikas Sansthan, Dehradun]
2007 : Rashtriya Ekta Samman 2007 [National Unity Conference, New Delhi]
2007 : Sir Edward Mellanby Memorial Lecture [Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow]
2007 : Honorary D.Sc. degree [Deendayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur]
2006 : Dr L D Sanghvi Oration Award [Indian Society of Human Genetics]
2006 : Father of DNA Fingerprinting Award [Jaunpur Journalists Association]
2006 : J C Bose National Fellowship [Department of Science & Technology]
2006 : Honorary D.Sc. degree [Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad]
2006 : Honorary Professor [Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati]
2005: ISWA Honorary Fellowship (2005) [Indian Science Writers’ Association (ISWA)]
2005: Honorary Fellow, Biotech Research Society of India [Biotech Research Society of India]
2005: Swami Sukhdevanand Rishi Samman in the field of Genetics [Mumukshu Ashram Siksha Sankul, Shahjahanpur]
2004: Intellectuals’ Honour – The Great Son of the Soil [All India Conference of Intellectuals, Meerut]
2004: Honorary D.Sc. degree [Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi]
2004: Padma Shri [Government of India]
2004 : FICCI Award 2002-03 for R&D in Life Sciences [Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi]
2003: Biotechnologist of the year 2002 [Metro Vision Business & Technology Magazine, Hyderabad]
2003: Vigyan Gaurav Award [Council of Science & Technology, Government of Uttar Pradesh]
2003: The Honorary D.Sc. degree [Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi]
2003: Purvanchal Ratna [Veer Bahadur Singh Poorvanchal University, Jaunpur]
2002: ISHEER AWARD [Indian Society of Health Environment Education and Research (ISHEER), Jodhpur Centre, Jodhpur]
2002: TWAS Fellowship [Third World Academy of Sciences Trieste, Italy]
2002: Sixth Prof. S. P. Ray-Chaudhuri Memorial Lecture Award [Prof. S. P. Ray-Chaudhuri Foundation, BHU, Varanasi]
2002: New Millennium Plaques of Honour – 2001-2002 award for outstanding services in the field of Biological Sciences [By the Prime Minister of
India at the 89th Session of the Indian Science Congress-2002]
2001: K N Bhal Memorial Gold Medal for 2001 [Society of Biosciences, Muzaffarnagar]
2001: The D.A.E. – C.V. RAMAN Lecturership-2000 [Indian Physics Association, Mumbai]
2001: Goyal Prize in Life Sciences-2000 [Kurukshetra University, Haryana]
2001: CRI Foundation Day Oration Lecture [Cancer Research Foundation, Mumabi]
2001: Late Sri Damodaram Sanjivayya Endowment Lecture [Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati]
2001: Dr Y Nayudamma Memorial Extension Lecture on Biotechnology-1999 [Dr Y Nayudamma Memorial Turst, Tenali]
2001: Kothari Memorial Endowment Lecture [Pondicherry University, Pondicherry]
2000: Visesha Puraskaaram [Dr Ramineni Foundation, USA]
2000: The Honorary D.Sc. degree [Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, U.P.]
2000: Fellow [Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences, Hyderabad]
2000: IMTECH Foundation Day Lecture [Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh]
1999: II Mansi Ram Memorial Lecture [University of Delhi, Delhi]
1999: Professional Excellence Award in Science & Technology – for Expertise in DNA Fingerprinting [Viswabharathy Academy, Hyderabad]
1999: IV Endowment Lecture [The Indian Instrumentation Society, Hyderabad Chapter, Hyderabad]
1998: Scroll of Honour: Outstanding Forensic Expert Award – for Indianization of DNA Fingerprinting Technology [The Medico Legal Society, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi]
1998: Honorary Professor [School of Animal Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad]
1998: Indian Academy of Neurology Oration [Indian Academy of Neurology, Bangalore]
1998: Dr Yellapragada Subbarow Memorial Oration [The Indian Medical Association, Vijayawada]
1997: Joy Govind Law Memorial Medal [The Asiatic Society, Calcutta]
1997: Padma Bhushan Dr P S Siva Reddy Endowment Award [Dr P Siva Reddy Foundation, Hyderabad]
1996: Shri Om Prakash Bhasin Award – in the field of Biotechnology [Shri Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation for Science & Technology, Delhi]
1996: Haldane Oration Medal [Society for Bionaturalists, India]
1995: The VASVIK Research Award – for Biological Sciences & Technology for the year 1992 [Vividhlaxi Audyogik Samshodhan Vikas Kendra, Bombay]
1995: Professor Vishwanath Memorial Lecture Award [Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi]
1995: Jagdish Chandra Bose Award – for Research in Life Sciences [Hari Om Ashram Trust, Delhi]
1994: Ranbaxy Research Award – in the field of basic medical sciences [Ranbaxy Research Foundation, Ranbaxy, New Delhi]
1994: Prof S P Ray-Chaudhuri 75th Birthday Endowment Lecture Award [Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi]
1992: CSIR Technology Award – for biological sciences [Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi]
1974-76 Commonwealth Scholarship – for Postdoctoral Research in Molecular Biology at Edinburgh University, UK [Commonwealth Commission, UK]
1974: INSA Medal for Young Scientists [Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi]
1973: Dr S P Basu Memorial Medical – for outstanding contribution in the field of Cytogenetics [Zoological Society, Calcutta]
1966: Banaras Hindu University Gold Medal – for standing first in order of merit in M.Sc (Zoology) Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.[2]