About Author
Dr. Sarkar did his graduation and post-graduation from the Presidency College of Calcutta University; M.Sc. in Forestry from Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehra Dun and MBA/PGPPM (Post Graduate in Public Policy Management) from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He was conferred a doctorate degree in Botany from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.
He was selected in I.F.S., and joined at IGNFA, Dehra Dun during 1986 to have professional training on Forestry and training on Administration at LBSNAA, Mussoorie for two years. His cadre was allotted to Tamil Nadu by the Govt. of India. Dr. Sarkar served in various capacities and also hold many key positions during his career as an IFS officer in the state.
Finally, Dr. Sarkar was promoted to the position of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) and later retired. After retirement, Dr. Sarkar established the Nivedhita Foundation, Trichy-a self-funded NGO along with Dr. Aruna Basu Sarcar IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Rtd.) and Chairperson cum Managing Trustee.
During his service period and also after retirement he has written popular articles in daily National Newspaper like the Hindu, the Indian Express and also in Wild life journals like Traffic. His many research articles were published both in national and international journals. He co -authored two books for the field staff of Tamil Nadu Forest Department with Dr. Aruna Basu Sarcar, IFS during 2005.
Based on his research work for post doctorate thesis on endemic and threatened medicinal plants of India as a pilot project Govt. of Tamil Nadu and the Govt. of India have published two important books during 2012 namely
1.Management Strategies for Endemic and Threatened Medicinal Plants in India – A Geoinformatics Approach
With Special Reference to Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Southern Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India Published (March 2012) by Department of Environment, Govt. of Tamil Nadu
2.Biodiversity Governance for Managing Endemic and Threatened Medicinal Plants in India – AGeoinformatics Approach
(National Biodiversity Authority Govt. of India published an abridged version of the first book for use by conservationists, forest and environment department personnel, policy makers and local people)
Further, from 2025 he continued creating awareness about goodness of plant and forests including medicinal plants and books on Spirituality in the Amazon platform. So far Amazon has published his 11 books another four books are under process.
Turning Point of My Life from the Hobby of Seed Collection
On 2 June 1986, I joined in Indian Forest Service at IGNFA (Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy), Dehradun after leaving the job of Civil Hydrographic Officer from Indian Navy. Forests and forestry were not familiar to me. I felt, as if it was a boon on me. It appeared that an invisible source which destined me to join this service and to carry out unselfish work and enjoy the journey of life. However, in the first instance, I could not pass the Botany examination during the professional course training of this Service at IGNFA, Dehra Dun in 1987.
My revered mother smilingly told me “Love the plants to know them and grow them”. I could not understand the secret of this statement until I failed in Botany and passed it finally at IGNFA, Dehra dun. It was a stunning lesson to me still today. One of the faculties of the academy suggested me to learn Field Botany from the nearby botanical garden of FRI and that may help me to qualify in the subject.
To pass in botany during my IFS Training, I used to go to the local botanical garden on holidays at FRI campus. I started learning the names of plants from the name board fixed on tree trunks. To know their names intimately I started collection of seeds from the nearby ground of the plant to memorise their difficult names. I started learning the names of plants and finally passed in botany. However, the seed collection remains with me as my new hobby. It appeared to me that my loving plants within, has made a turning point in my life.
This failure proved to be a blessing in disguise. It gave me a sense of deep understanding that to render good services in forests and forestry one must love to learn certain basic things like Forest types, its composition, species names and their assemblage, their characteristics, growth habits and how they can befurther propagated.
During our All-India tours in North, South, East and West, I fully enjoyed with my new hobby and collected more than 415 types of seeds, pods, dry fruits of plant species. It gave me a great learning with their local names, scientific names, their various characteristics and growth habits. I started small nursery in front of my room in New Hostel, got scolding from Shri Kazmi Sir (Sports Instructor). Somehow, I continued my business to confirm the habits of learning about plants and their growth.
Three seedlings of Polyalthiya longifolia raised in my small nursery from the collected seeds and planted in front my hostel room during end of 1987.Three tall plants of Polyalthiya longifolia could be noticed still today,(Photographs attached).
I preserved the collected seeds, pods for a long period until ants, insects and rats attacked these seeds. Later on, I used them as my teaching tool to the trainee foresters in Forest training college, Vaigai, Theni district, Tamil Nadu as its Principal and Chief Conservator Forests during 2009 September to 2010 October.
Meanwhile, Shri KVSK Reddy, IFS one of my seniors and the Director of Arignar Zoological Park, Vandalur, Chennai called me to provide some good colourful seeds /pods to the park for making an exhibit for awareness creation of the tourists who visit the park every day. I gladly given various kinds of the seeds, which he displayed nicely for the tourists.
Finally, the remaining seeds I kept them in plastic containers, arranged them sequentially in two wooden racks and presented to the Institute as training materials (vide Photograph).
I could collect the seeds, pods, bark, fruits etc during the All-India tours from the following areas:
- A-Tour in part of the Himalaya (Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir)
- B- Tour in Western part of India (Rajasthan, Gujarat)
- C-Tour in part of Northern and Eastern India (Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh)
- D-Tour in part of Southern India (Kerala and Tamil Nadu)
I continued my connection with plants in various ways more vigorously by growing them wherever I worked. Besides, writing about them in scientific journals, in daily newspapers, writing project reports and finally did Ph.D. in Botany and also written books on plants to create awareness and love for plants.
My objective was to learn and share the learning with all so that love for plants grow among people as their committed care for plants help in protection of forests and also grow by planting them.
It gave me enormous sense of joy when I visited them during November 2022 along with my batchmates who attended two days senior officers meeting in IGNFA and FRI campus.
This hobby later emboldened me to write articles on lesser-known plants in dailies to create awareness among people about the invaluable services of the plant kingdom.)
Finally, it gave me the experience of getting a vibrant connection with the plant kingdom after a gap of 18 years in the green campus of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore during 2002. I could solve all classroom exercises of management school through plant related issues while undergoing PGPPM course on public policy at IIM, Bangalore. (PGPPM-Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy and Management course for selected civil servants based on merit from all over the country). Intuitively, I felt as if the plant kingdom for all such solutions bestowed me direction and blessed me.
This inspired me into writing a dissertation on dying and decaying plants (threatened plant species) of the country for the same course.
I remember the golden words of my mother that inspires me even today.
Author Manoj Kumar Sarkar
Dr Sarkar did his graduation and post-graduation from the Presidency College of Calcutta University; M.Sc. in Forestry from Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehra Dun and MBA/PGPPM (Post Graduate in Public Policy Management) from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He was conferred a doctorate degree in Botany from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. Read More…
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