Das, V.S. Rama 1933- (Vallabhaneni Sita Rama Das)

PERSONAL:

Born February 5, 1933, in Gudlavalleru, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India; son of Venkatappaiah (an agriculturist) and Ratnamma (a homemaker) Vallabhaneni; married Ahalya Vemuri (a homemaker), June 22, 1951; children: Kausalya Yarlagadda, Ravi Vallabhaneni. Education: Andhra University, B.Sc., 1951; University of Delhi, M.Sc., 1953; University of Uppsala, graduate study, 1953-54; Oxford University, D.Phil., 1957; University of California, Berkeley, postdoctoral research, 1960. Politics: "No political affiliation." Religion: Hindu.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.

CAREER:

University of Allahabad, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, assistant professor of botany, 1957-59; University of California, Berkeley, research plant physiologist, 1959-60; Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India, lecturer, 1960-61, reader in botany, 1961-67; Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, associate professor of biology, 1967-69; Sri Venkateswara University, senior professor of botany, 1970-88, chair of board of studies in botany and department head, 1969-83, dean of School of Biological and Earth Sciences, 1981-82, dean of sciences, 1983-88, principal of university, 1983-84, rector of university, 1986-87; University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, professor of life sciences and director of Centre for Photosynthetic Studies, 1978-80, professor of plant sciences, 1989-95, professor emeritus, 1995—, emeritus scientist, 1995-99; Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar, Andhra Pradesh, honorary visiting professor of biotechnology, 2000—, honorary scientist, 2000-05. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India, director of laboratory, 1991-92; past member of expert committees of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Indian Department of Science and Technology, Indian Department of Atomic Energy, and other agencies; participant in international conferences.

MEMBER:

Indian Academy of Sciences (fellow), Indian National Science Academy (fellow), Indian National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (fellow), Indian Science Congress Association (member of executive committee, 1983-84), Indian Society for Plant Physiology (president, 1973), Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences (president, 1978-79).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Award from Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries, 1978, for scientific achievement; J.J. Chinoy Memorial Medal, Indian Society for Plant Physiology, 1978; Meritorious Teacher Award, Government of Andhra Pradesh, 1981; Birbal Sahani Medal, Indian Botanical Society, 1985; S.M. Sircar Memorial Medal, University of Calcutta, 1986; Honor Summus Medal, Watumull Foundation, 1987; Jagdish Chandra Bose Award, University Grants Commission of India, 1991; Professor S.B. Saksena Memorial Award, Indian National Science Academy, 1996.

WRITINGS:

Photosynthesis: Regulation under Varying Light Regimes, Science Publishers (Enfield, NH), 2004.

Contributor of more than 200 articles to scientific journals. Editor in chief, Indian Journal of Plant Physiology, 1977-78.

SIDELIGHTS:

V.S. Rama Das told CA: "I have been motivated throughout my career to conduct research in the basic sciences, with emphasis on photosynthesis. My interest was kindled by the fact that photosynthesis is the most fundamental process on this planet, a process in which water is oxidized to produce oxygen, protons, and electrons at atmospheric temperature. Oxygen that is released annually by the green mantle of earth makes it possible to sustain aerobic life while simultaneously producing organic carbon from carbon dioxide. It was my dream to uncover the mechanisms involved and the influence of environmental constraints on photosynthesis."