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=== University Education ===
=== University Education ===


Singh obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1964 and 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 Grant Commission (India)|University Grants Commission (India)]]. He then went on to win a Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) from CSIR in 1972 and received his doctorate in 1971 from the [[Banaras Hindu University]] for his work on "Evolution of karyotypes in snakes" in the area of Cytogenetics under the guidance of Professor S.P. Ray Chaudhuri. <ref>{{cite web|title=Lalji Singh: Fellow of Indian National Science Academy|url=http://insaindia.org/detail.php?id=N94-1162|publisher=Indian National Science Academy|accessdate=16 December 2014}}</ref>
Singh obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1964 and 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 Grant Commission (India)|University Grants Commission (India)]]. He then went on to received his doctorate from the [[Banaras Hindu University]] in 1971 for his work on "Evolution of karyotypes in snakes" in the area of Cytogenetics under the guidance of Professor S.P. Ray Chaudhuri. <ref>{{cite web|title=Lalji Singh: Fellow of Indian National Science Academy|url=http://insaindia.org/detail.php?id=N94-1162|publisher=Indian National Science Academy|accessdate=16 December 2014}}</ref> His doctoral thesis was thoroughly published in Chromosoma, an International Peer Reviewed Journal of [[Springer Link]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Singh|first1=Lalji|title=Evolution of karyotypes in snakes|journal=Chromosoma|date=1972|volume=38|issue=2|page=185-236|doi=10.1007/BF00326193|url=http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00326193|accessdate=15 January 2015}}</ref>


=== Research Career ===
=== Research Career ===

Revision as of 09:24, 15 January 2015


Lalji Singh
File:Lalji Singh.JPG
Born (1947-07-05) 5 July 1947 (age 76)
Kalwari, Uttar Pradesh
NationalityIndia
Alma materBanaras Hindu University
Known forDNA Fingerprinting; Wildlife Conservation; Human Evolution
AwardsPadma Shri
NRDC Meritorious Invention Award
CSIR Technology Award
Ranbaxy Research Award
Commonwealth Fellowship
Scientific career
FieldsBiotechnology & Cytogenetics
InstitutionsCCMB; Banaras Hindu University
Doctoral advisorS. P. Ray-Chaudhuri

Lalji Singh

Lalji Singh (born 5 July 1947) is an Indian scientist who served as the 25th Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) from August 2011 to August 2014. [1] [2] [3] Singh was born and raised in a small village named Kalwari of Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and studied Zoology and Cytogenetics at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. [4] Before his term as Vice Chancellor of BHU he also served as Director of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) [5] and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad, India. Singh is popularly known as the 'Father of DNA Fingerprinting' in India for his pioneering work on the development and establishment of Indigenous DNA Fingerprinting Technology in India. [6] [7] [8] [9] Singh is also known for his pioneering work on Wildlife Conservation. [10] and molecular basis of sex determination. [11] In 2004, Singh was honored with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of the Republic of India in recognition of his distinguished contribution to Indian Science and Technology. [12]

Education and research career

University Education

Singh obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1964 and 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 (India). He then went on to received his doctorate from the Banaras Hindu University in 1971 for his work on "Evolution of karyotypes in snakes" in the area of Cytogenetics under the guidance of Professor S.P. Ray Chaudhuri. [13] His doctoral thesis was thoroughly published in Chromosoma, an International Peer Reviewed Journal of Springer Link[14]

Research Career

During 1971-72, Singh worked as Research Associate at Department of Zoology, Calcutta University and in April 1974, he was promoted as Pool Officer (a teaching post). In the year 1974, Sing received the prestigious Commonwealth Fellowship to carry out research at the Edinburgh University, UK where he worked until 1987. During this time, Singh also worked as guest Scientist at Calcutta University, India for a short period and visited the Australian National University, Canberra as a Visiting Fellow. [15]

In June 1987, Singh returned back to India and joined the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad as Senior Scientist. During these years, Singh developed and established the DNA Fingerprinting technology in India for forensic investigation of crime and civil disputes. [16] In July 1998, Singh became 4th Director of CCMB where he served until August 2009. On 22 August 2009, Singh was appointed as the 25th Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. [17] Singh has published more than 230 research papers during his 45 years of research career so far with H index of 30 as of April 2013. [18]

Societal Innovations and contributions to Indian Science and Technology

DNA Fingerprinting Technology

During his early science career 1968, Singh became interested to study the Cytogenetics of Indian snakes. [19] While studying the evolution of sex chromosome in a species of Indian snake Banded krait in the decade of 1970s [20], Singh and his colleagues identified a highly conserved repeated DNA sequences in this species and other vertebrates, [21] which they named as Banded Krait Minor (Bkm) sequences. [22] These Bkm sequences were conserved across various species and were found to be polymorphic in human. [23] During 1987 to 1988, while working in CCMB, Singh established that a Bkm derived probe can be used to generate the individual specific DNA Fingerprints in human and in 1988, he used this probe to solve the first case of parentage dispute in India. [24] In 1991, Singh produced the first DNA Fingerprinting based evidence in an Indian Court to settle a disputed paternity. [25] [26] This followed the DNA Fingerprinting based resolution of hundreds of civil and criminal cases including the cases; such as assassination case(s) of Sri Beant Singh and Sri Rajiv Gandhi [27], Naina Sahni Tandoor murder case [28], Swami Premananda [29] [30] and Swami Shraddhananda case(s) [31], Ms. Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case [32] etc. This established the DNA Fingerprinting in India as an 'evidence' to be used in legal regime. [33] Singh's pioneering work in this arena prompted Government of India's Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to form autonomous institution 'Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD)' in 1995 with the aim to provide the DNA Fingerprinting services to the Nation specially for human identification. [34]

Wildlife Conservation and Forensics

While serving as the Director of CCMB during the end of 20th Century, Singh realized an urgent need for assessment and conservation of the Wildlife Resources of the Nation. To address the need , he conceptualized the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) in 1998. [35] The foundation stone of this laboratory was laid by the Hon'ble Minister of Environment and Forests, Government of India on 16th september 2001 and on 2nd February 2007, this state-of-the-art laboratory was inaugurated and dedicated to Nation by then Hon'ble President of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. [36] [37] LaCONES is currently serving the Nation as a prime research laboratory for conservation and preservation of wildlife resources using advanced technological interventions [38]; and also serving as a 'National Wildlife Forensic Cell' to provide the wildlife identification services to the Nation based on the fundamental discovery of Universal primer technology by Verma and Singh (2001). [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] The first DNA based report on the establishment of the species identity of an unknown biological sample to solve a case of wildlife crime was submitted by this laboratory in the court of law in the year 2000 [46], since then, this laboratory is undertaking thousands of such cases on a routine basis and revolutionized the arena of Wildlife Forensics. [47] The laboratory also recoded a major success in the assisted reproduction technology (ART) of wild animals, when the first successful artificial insemination in the world in estrus induced Spotted deer, by non-surgical intra-vaginal insemination done in the laboratory, led to the birth of a live fawn on 14 March 2006, [48] [49] followed by AI assisted birth of an Indian black buck fawn in August 2007. These were the first such reports in the world on the successful AI in the species of wild animals. [50] On World Heritage Day 2013, the LaCONES campus was recognized as a Heritage Monument by the the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture (Intach) [51] for its architecture and design [52] [53] .

Molecular basis of Sex Determination

In the year 1982, Singh and his colleagues discovered that a tiny portion of the short arm of sex-determining Y chromosome was necessary and sufficient to convert a female mice into male. [54] This fundamental discovery provided a new concept of translocation of sex-determining region from Y chromosome to other chromosomes causing sex reversal and later became basis on the understanding of sex reversal in human.

DNA Based Molecular Diagnostics

Until 1998, India did not have an adequate facility for diagnosis of genetic disorders prevalent in the country. The fundamental research carried out by Singh and colleagues in this arena led to conceptualization and establishment of the first DNA based diagnostic laboratory in the country [55] which later evolved as a separate centre (within Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in Hyderabad, India) to provide the advance DNA based molecular diagnostics services to the Nation.[56]

Novel Insights into evolution and migration of human

The fundamental DNA based research carried out by Singh's and his colleagues on primitive tribes including the tribal population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India provided critical insights into the evolution and migration of human suggesting the out of Africa route of modern human about 60,000 years ago to the Andaman Islands. [57] These findings have revolutionized the ways of thinking about the origin of man in terms of their evolution and migration from place to place. [58] [59]

Genome Foundation

In the year 2004, Singh founded a not for profit research and service organization, the Genome Foundation with the aim of diagnosing and treating genetic disorders affecting the Indian population, in particular the under privileged people residing in rural India with the participation and voluntary services of scientists and professionals. [60] [61]

Awards and Honors

Singh has been conferred with fellowships of all major national science academies of India and also the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) [62]. Some of the notable awards conferred to Singh as as follows: INSA Medal for Young Scientists (1974), Commonwealth Fellowship (1974-1976), CSIR Technology Award (Twice: 1992 and 2008; The 2008 Award was jointly conferred to Verma and Singh) [63] [64] [65], Ranbaxy research Award (1994), Goyal Prize in Life Sciences (2000), Vigyan Gaurav Award (2003), FICCI Award 2002-03), JC Bos National Fellowship (2006), CSIR Bhatnagar Fellowship (2009), NRDC Meritorious Invention Award (2009, jointly conferred to Verma and Singh) [66], and Biospectrum Life Time Achievement Award (2011). [67]

Singh has also been honored with Padma Shri in the year 2004, the fourth highest civilian award of the Republic of India in recognition of his distinguished contribution to Indian Science and Technology. [68]

Selected Publications

  • Singh, L.; Sharma, T.; Ray-Chaudhuri, S.P. (1968). "Chromosomes and classification of the snakes of the family Boidae". Cytogenetics. 7: 161–168. PMID 5693182.
  • Singh, L. (1991). "DNA profiling and its applications". Current Science. 60: 580–585.

Notes and References

  1. ^ "Lalji Singh appointed as BHU Vice-Chancellor". The Hindu. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  2. ^ "BHU's Vice Chancellor Lalji Singh retires". IndiaTVNews. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  3. ^ "Tripathi takes charge as BHU V-C". The Indian Express. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Lalji Singh to join as BHU vice chancellor". The Times of India. 6 August 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Past Directors of CCMB". CCMB. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  6. ^ "BHU introduces PG course in forensic science from this session". Times of India. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Dr Lalji Singh to take only Re 1 as wage for BHU VC". WebIndia123. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  8. ^ "DNA inventor Dr Lalji Singh gets Nayudamma Award". Telugu Mirchi. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Lalji Singh to take only Re 1 as wage for Banaras Hindu University -Vice Chancellor". IIT-BHU Chronical. 21 August 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  10. ^ "The Game Changer Geneticist". BioSpectrum. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  11. ^ Singh, Lalji; Jones, K.W. (1982). "Sex reversal in the mouse (Mus musculus) is caused by a recurrent nonreciprocal crossover involving the X and and aberrant Y chromosome". Cell. 2: 205-216. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(82)90338-5.
  12. ^ "Padma Shri Awardees - 2004". Government of India. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  13. ^ "Lalji Singh: Fellow of Indian National Science Academy". Indian National Science Academy. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  14. ^ Singh, Lalji (1972). "Evolution of karyotypes in snakes". Chromosoma. 38 (2): 185-236. doi:10.1007/BF00326193. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  15. ^ "Dr. Lalji Singh: Brief Profile". Banaras Hindu University. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  16. ^ "Professor (Dr) Lalji Singh - A Profile". Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  17. ^ "Padma Shri Lalji Singh is new BHU V-C". The Indian Express. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  18. ^ Mukherjee, Bhaskar (September 2013). "A scientometric profile of Prof. Lalji Singh as seen through Web of Science and Scopus" (PDF). Annals of Library and Information Studies. 60: 195-203. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  19. ^ "Charm of snakes led this scientist to DNA fingerprinting". The Times of India. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  20. ^ Singh, L.; Sharma, T.; Ray-Chaudhuri, S.P. (1970). "Multiple sex chromosomes in the common krait, Bungarus caeruleus Schneider". Chromosoma. 31: 386-391. PMID 5490305.
  21. ^ Singh, L.; Purdom, I.F.; Jones, K.W. (1976). "The chromosomal localization of satellite DNA in Ptyas mucosus (Ophidia, Colubridae)". Chromosoma. 57: 177-184. doi:10.1007/BF00292916.
  22. ^ Singh, L.; Purdom, I.F.; Jones, K.W. (1980). "Sex chromosome associated satellite DNA: Evolution and conservation". Chromosoma. 79: 137-157. PMID 7398495.
  23. ^ Singh, L.; Jones, K.W. (1986). "Bkm sequences are polymorphic in humans and are clustered in pericentric regions of various acrocentric chromosomes including the Y". Human Genetics. 73: 304-308. PMID 3017839.
  24. ^ Jayaraman, K.S. (1989). "Cut-price fingerprints". Nature. 340: 175. PMID 2755472.
  25. ^ "Kunhiraman vs Manoj on 27 February, 1991 [II (1991) DMC 499]". Kerala High Court. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  26. ^ Singh, L. (1991). "DNA profiling and its application". Current Science. 60: 580-585.
  27. ^ "Chandradevi (A-3) vs State Of Tamil Nadu on 12 December, 2002". Madras High Court. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  28. ^ "Nailing a criminal the DNA way". The Times of India. 21 August 2001. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  29. ^ "Chandradevi (A-3) vs State Of Tamil Nadu on 12 December, 2002". Madras High Court. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  30. ^ "TWO ASPECTS OF SWAMI PREMANANDA: "THE AVATAR OF THIS AGE" plus CONVICTED RAPIST & MURDERER". http://www.exbaba.com. Retrieved 16 December 2014. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  31. ^ Criminal Appeal No. 454 of 2006, the Supreme Court of India, decided on 22th July 2008
  32. ^ "Santosh Kumar Singh vs State Th. Cbi on 6 October, 2010". Supreme Court of India. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  33. ^ "SC pulls up trial court for not taking DNA experts seriously". The Indian Express. 7 October 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  34. ^ "Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD)". Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  35. ^ "President to open LaCONES Read more at: http://www.oneindia.com/2006/11/20/president-to-open-lacones-1164028176.html". OneIndia. 20 November 2006. Retrieved 17 December 2014. {{cite news}}: External link in |title= (help)
  36. ^ "PRESIDENT 'S ADDRESS AT THE DEDICATION OF THE LABORATORY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES (LACONES), HYDERABAD". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  37. ^ "President dedicates LaCONES to nation". The Hindu: Business Line. 3 February 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  38. ^ "Virtual Tour of LaCONES". CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  39. ^ "US Patent No 7141364: Verma and Singh 2001".
  40. ^ "Australia Patent AU2001258719 - Verma & Singh".
  41. ^ "Universal primers for wildlife identification: WO 2002077278 A1".
  42. ^ "It's only a leopard: lab finding". The Hindu. 10 February 2002. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  43. ^ "CCMB develops DNA test to identify animal species". The Hindu: Business Line. 30 April 2003. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  44. ^ "Indian Inventors Discover Wildlife Identification Universal Primer". HighBeamResearch. 7 December 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  45. ^ "DNA tests : A breakthrough for wildlife forensics". Wildlife Trust of India. 14 May 2003. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  46. ^ "Verma and Singh, Universal Primer technology US and PCT Patent application No: PCT/IN01/00055, First Filling Date: 28/03/2001; Priority date: 28/03/2001". Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  47. ^ "CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) had developed DNA barcoding technology". Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  48. ^ "CCMB's non-invasive artificial insemination bears fawn". Business Standard. 29 March 2006. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  49. ^ "CCMB scientists spawn spotted fawn". The Times of India. 29 March 2006. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  50. ^ "LaCONES delivers "BLACKY", a Black Buck" (PDF). Council of Scintific and Industrial Reseach (CSIR). Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  51. ^ "Hyderabad monuments awarded". Deccan Chronical. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  52. ^ "Shirish Beri: Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species". Floornature. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  53. ^ "LaCONES (Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species)". Architecture-page.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  54. ^ Singh, L.; Jones, K.W. (1982). "Sex reversal in the mouse (Mus musculus) is caused by a recurrent nonreciprocal crossover involving the X and an aberrant Y chromosome" (PDF). Cell. 28: 205-2016. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(82)90338-5.
  55. ^ "Genetic fingerprinting catches on". India Environmental Portal. 30 October 1992. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  56. ^ "DNA fingerprinting comes of age". The Hindu: Business Line. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  57. ^ "DNA polymorphism provides insight into human origin". The Hindu. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  58. ^ "Aryan-Dravidian divide a myth: Study". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  59. ^ "New research debunks Aryan invasion theory". DNA. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  60. ^ "Genome Foundation to set up centres in rural areas". The Times of India. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  61. ^ "Even a rupee can help fund its cause". The Hindu. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  62. ^ "Lalji Singh: Fellow of TWAS". The World Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  63. ^ "CSIR award for CCMB". The Hindu. 24 September 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  64. ^ "CCMB bags CSIR technology award for life sciences 2008". WebIndia123. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  65. ^ "CSIR Technology Awards- 2008". Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. 26 September 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  66. ^ "NRDC Awards 2009".
  67. ^ "BioSpectrum awards excellence". Biospectrum. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  68. ^ "Padmashri Recipients: 2004". WebIndia123. Retrieved 17 December 2014.

External links

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