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Rev. Dr. V.S. Manickam S.J., F.I.F.S. is the Director of both Centre for Biodiversity and Biotechnology (Research base) and Kodaikanal Botanic Garden (Environmental base). He is a well-known field botanist of India particularly for his floristic works in south India. He did his M.Sc. in St. Joseph’s College. Tiruchirapalli (1969) and Ph.D. in Kerala University (1974). He joined as lecturer in St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli and retired as Reader from St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai on 2002. During the last three decades Rev. Dr. V.S. Manickam has carried out intensive botanical explorations in the Western Ghats of south India. Under his leadership, various families of south Indian ferns have been subjected to cytological, ecological, micromorphological, phyto-chemical and biotechnological studies. He has published 7 books and about 100 research papers. He participated in several National and International (China, Netherlands, Australia, USA) symposia and organized two National Symposia on ferns and medicinal plants. He is coordinating “All India Coordinated Project on Taxonomy (Pteridophytes & Gymnosperms)” (20002-2005).

Dr. V. Irudayaraj is lecturer in St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai. He did his M.Sc. in St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappali (1983) and Ph.D. St. Xavier’s College (affiliated to Madurai Kamaraj University), Palayamkottai (1991) under the guidance of Rev. Dr. V.S. Manickam. He has specialized in biosystematics of south Indian ferns. He has co-authored two books and published about 50 research papers on taxonomy, cytology and intraspecfic variation of south Indian ferns. He had the chance to work on Himalayan ferns under the guidance of Prof. S.S. Bir, Punjabi University, Patiala (1992-1993). He is the recipient of Prof. S.S. Bir medal in Pteridology (2001).