THE EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY FROM

WALAJABAD TO HARVARD
A BIOGRAPHY ON KANCHI N GANDHI, THE WORLD ACCLAIMED
BOTANIST

Rajalakshmi Prasad

Edited By Dr.Anupama Jayasimha

Dedicated To

Dr.Kanchi N Gandhi, Senior Nomenclature Editor, Harvard Univwersity Herbaria,

Late.Dr.Dan H Nicolson, Smithsonian Plant Taxonomist

and

His.Holiness.Sri.Swami Vishnumayananda, Ramakrishna Mission, Shivahalli, Bangalore .

Salutations to

Sri Ganesha, Kolaramma, Kanchi Kamakshi and Kanchi Ekamranatha Swamy

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
Contents

Acknowledgements

Why This Biography?

A Note on Werner Greuter

Preface By Werner Greuter -- The Botanical Code Bears Kanchi's Imprint!

Part One

Life In India

Chapter One - Destiny Unravelled

1.1 Sri Ganesha, A Good Beginning

1.2 Gandhi Went To School

1.3 Gandhi Became A Child Labour

1.4 Natarajan Moved His Family To Bangalore

1.5 Gandhi Visited His Favourite Library In Walajabad

Chapter Two - Gandhi's Inheritance

2.1 Shree Kamakshi Ammal Of Kancheepuram

2.2 Shivapuram Became Walajabad

2.3 Bangalore Karaga

2.4 Traditions And Festivals

Chapter Three - Gems Of Toil

3.1 Determined To Study And Excel

3.2 Adolescent Gandhi

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
3.3 Fort High School Gave Its Verdict

3.4 Central College, Bangalore

Chapter Four - Struggle For Identity

4.1 Hassan Flora Project

4.2 Dhruva Of Taxonomy

4.3 The Bsi Had No Job For Kng In 1974

4.4 Gandhi Had No Options To Dispense His Knowledge

4.5 A College In Chennai Did Not Want Gandhi's Expertise

4.6 Gandhi's Friend Mr.Shamarao

4.7 Kng Procured A Temporary Post

Chapter Five - Lectureship At Last

5.1 National College, Basavanagudi, A Symbol Of Greatness

5.2 Woes Of A New Lecturer

5.3 Supportive Colleagues

5.4 The Uncertainty And Insecurity Of Temporary Postings

Chapter Six - The Botany Department, Ncb

6.1 Dedicated Teachers Of Botany In Ncb

6.2 Kng Found His Soulmate

Chapter Seven - Kng Grows In Stature

Chapter Eight - Despair And Dilemma

Chapter Nine - A Seer's Blessing

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
Part Two - Arrival In America (1982)

Chapter Ten – Kng Made Usa His Home

10.1 American Award For An Indian Born Botanist

10.2 Grappling With Reality

10.3 Dr.Dalethomas Of Louisiana

10.4 Kng In Texas

10.5 Baby Jayashree Is Born To The Gandhi Couple

Chapter Eleven - East Became West!

11.1 'Guru' Dan.H.Nicolson And 'Shishya' Kanchi.N.Gandhi

11.2 James Reveal And Dr.Zarucchi, Two Former Colleagues Of Kng

Chapter Twelve - A Vast Fertile Field Visible Only To The Chosen Few

12.1 What Is Taxonomy?

12.2 Linnaeus, The Buddha Of Botany

Chapter Thirteen - The Glass Flowers Of Harvard

Chapter Fourteen – Kanchi.N.Gandhi, The Botanist Has Arrived!

14.1 List Of Awards And Recognition For Kanchi N Gandhi, The Botanist

14.2 Kanchi N Gandhi's Publications

Chapter Fifteen - KNG, The Taxonomist And The Teacher Of Botanical Nomenclature

15.1 Visits To India By The Harvard Botanist KNG (As Told By KNG)

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
15.2 KNG Answers Questions Related To Plant Taxonomy

15.3 KNG Answers Questions On Two Sacred Plants - Parijatha And Tulsi

15.4 KNG's Philosophy Of Teaching

Chapter Sixteen - Impressions About Kanchi.N.Gandhi

16.1 Impressions On KNG Shared Through Emails To The Author

16.2 Impressions Shared Through Interviews To Dr.Anupama Jayasimha

Chapter Seventeen - KNG's Past Meets His Present

17.1 Walajabad Municipality Primary School

17.2 D.S.S.N School, Walajabad

17.3 Central College, Bangalore

17.4 KNG Institutes Prizes

Chapter Eighteen – KNG’s Reveries

18.1 A Botanist's Humour

18.2 KNG’s Dreams

18.3 Two Former Students, Dr.Sowbhagya Bhat And Dr.Jayashree Narayan

18.4 The World Acclaimed Botanist Praises An Unknown Star In Taxonomy

18.5 KNG And National College

18.6 Affection Runs Deeper Than We Imagine

18.7 KNG Praises Sudha Jayaram And Sabitha Sriprasad

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
 Acknowledgements
This biography would not have been possible but for my close friend and classmate Anupama
Chandrasekhara, now Dr.Anupama Jayasimha. Anupama reconnected with KNG in the year
2011 during her visit to USA. It was Anupama again who invited my husband and I to a
luncheon she had organized in KNG’s honor in 2012 December when he visited India. A few
students from the 1977 and 1982 batches and almost all the Botany faculty who were colleagues
of KNG at National College, Basavanagudi, Bangalore (NCB), attended the get together. This
event brought to notice KNG’s achievement in the United States of America as a very
distinguished Plant Taxonomist.

I am deeply indebted to Anupama who made it possible for me to meet KNG which resulted in
writing this Biography on him.

In the year 2013 July, it so happened that Anupama and I travelled together to the USA to meet
our grandchildren and to be with our sons’ families. In the month of August, Anupama’s son
Prof. Dr. Atulasimha with his wife Dr. Smitha and their little son Advaith took Anupama and
me to Harvard to meet KNG at the Harvard University Herbaria. The seed was born in my mind
then, to bring to notice, to the world, the achievements of a boy who rose from a humble
background to become one of the worlds renowned Taxonomists and nomenclature specialists.

Anupama has contributed an excellent chapter for the biography based on her interviews with
KNG’s family members and the faculty that taught in National College Basavanagudi,
Bangalore, where KNG was a lecturer between the years 1974 and 82. She has interviewed
Swami Vishnumayananda of Ramakrishna Ashram, (former Head at Basavanagudi and now at
Shivahalli, near Bangalore), who guided KNG’s at a crucial time, for the biography.

Anupama Jayasimha has also done a great job as the Editor for the biography. I am extremely
grateful to Anupama’s husband Sri. Jayasimha for his support and for the task of formatting he
took upon himself, a daunting task no doubt!

I am very thankful firstly to KNG who would promptly send replies to my queries about his
childhood, schooling and college before he came to National College as a lecturer. He also told
me about how Swami Vishnumayananda of Ramakrishna Mission played a positive role in
shaping his destiny.

I am very grateful to KNG’s friends and colleagues who sent me their priceless write ups about
KNG. They are from India, U.K, Germany and United States of America.

I am especially indebted to late Dr. Lakshminarsimhan Pakshirajan, the former Head of BSI,
Pune, who plunged us in sorrow when he suddenly passed away due to covid in 2020. Dr.
Lakshminarasimhan was a quiet, shy, kind -hearted gentleman and a great organizer. Thanks to
him, I attended the Nomenclature workshops with my son Dr. Shivaram Prasad in Pune, with

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
my husband Dr. S.R. Prasad in Coimbatore and with both my sons Dr. Ramakrishna Prasad and
Dr.Shivaram Prasad along with my friend and Editor Dr. Anupama Jayasimha in Shillong.

I am extremely grateful to Dr. Arun Pandey for letting me attend the IAAT Conference at the
Delhi University . I thank Professor Dr. Geetha for letting me attend KNG's lecture she had
organized a week after the IAAT Conference at Delhi.

I am also grateful to Smt Chitra A Rao , Director , Hymamshu Jyothikalapeetha of

Malleswaram , Bangalore who is related to Dr. Mohan Ram, the doyen in Indian Botany. She
telephoned and told him about me and my intention in attending rhe IAAT Conference prior to
my visit to Delhi . Dr. Mohan Ram blessed me in the endeavour of writing a biography on
KNG.

I am happy to say that I was very lucky to sit in one of KNG’s classes at Harvard where he
teaches Botany to the general public. I thank Ms. Lynda Mapes whom I met in the classes who
was a Fellow at Harvard in the year 2013. Ms Lynda , a science journalist and a well- known
author herself, has given a beautiful account of her experience in those classes.

Among the family members of KNG who helped me, I am indebted to Dr. Kamatchi
Arunachalam and her parents who took very good care of me, my son Dr. Shivaram Prasad and
my grandson Aniruddha Raghav Prasad when we went to Kancheepuram. They also took us to
the grand temples of Kanachi namely , Shri. Kamakshi Ammal, Sri Ekamranatha Swamy
and Sri Perumal Ulagandar .

Dr. Kamatchi Arunachalalm took us to KNG’s parents' former rented house and the schools
where KNG studied in Walajabad. There in Walajabad , the friends whose family had shared
the rented accommodation when KNG was a child, saw to it that we could visit the two schools
where KNG studied as a child and also see the library where KNG read when he stayed in
Walajabad. The family friend Mr. Srinivasan, his wife Smt. Vijayakumari Srinivasan and son
Santana Krishna were very hospitable to us. I thank all of them.

I wish to express my thanks to two brothers in Chennai for telling me about the trade of
running a firewood shop in Tamil Nadu . They are Mr. Murali Mudaliar and Mr. Sundar
Mudaliar . They have been in the business since 60 years and they inherited the shop from their
father .

Two former colleagues of KNG , Dr. Yeremane Tulajappa (YT) and Dr. B.K. Sadashiv Singh
(BKS) deserve special mention. They and their families are very hospitable and treat KNG as
their honoured guest whenever he visits Bangalore. They accompany him and ensure that he
reaches the different venues on time to deliver his lectures . Sometimes they even travel with
him and attend his classes on Botanical Nomenclature.

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
Another former colleague of KNG , Professor Y N Seetharam arranged with the Vice
Chancellor of Tumkur University, for KNG to address a large gathering of students at the
University. Dr.YNS has guided many PhD. students and presently he takes care of the Herbaria
at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. I express my thanks to him for inviting me to the
gathering at Tumkur.

Smt. Sudha Jayaram and Smt. Sabita Prasad, KNG’s former students of the 1977 batch
organized a memorable 40 year passing out of the CBZ tudents get-together in February 2017.
Smt. Sudha Jayaram ( the maiden name Sudha Pandurangi ) wrote a wonderful memoir on the
event and it is there on the internet . I thank Sudha and Sabita for this beautiful effort .

The same year, Dr. Anupama Jayasimha organized a get -together, in her residence when KNG
came to India to attend the IAAT conference in November . I thank Anupama for her
hospitality .

Both the events were attended by most of the former faculty of Botany and a few others from
other departments . Many of the 1977 batch students and few students from the other batches
took part . I am grateful to all the three organizers and the former CBZ students who made both
the events a grand success.

Smt. Gita Das, another former student of KNG of the 1982 batch who is also the first woman
drug controller of Karnataka , has contributed towards a prize instituted by KNG.

The person who meticulously took care of me in Delhi was my close friend Dr. Neerkanwal
Maani. She was my classmate at Panjab University , Chandigarh .Dr. Neerkanwal is a well -
known author and translator . She is Principal and Head of the Dept. Of Higher Education at
Mohana College of Post Graduation, Faridabad. She and her mother Smt. Saroj Kaushik and her
brother Sri. Aravind Kaushik, were with me right from the moment I got down at the Delhi
railway station early on a wintry morning till the moment I entered the Delhi airport to catch
my flight back to Bangalore.I thank them for their care.

I wish to express my thanks to young G . Rajesh, the brother of my student Smt. Sukanya
Rajasekhar in Kolar. Sri. Rajesh who coaches IAS aspirants in Delhi , helped me shift from the
University Guest Accommodation to the IIT Guest House.

My son Dr. Ramakrishna Prasad, my daughter-in-law Dr. Varsha Sridhar bore my travel
expenses . My daughter-in-law Dr. Varsha Sridhar also arranged accommodation for me in the
IIT guest house through her uncle, Dr. Srinivas Veeravalli who is aProfessor at IIT Delhi.
Varsha’s uncle and her aunt Dr.Anuradha ShahVeeravalli , Professor at Delhi University, and
their daughter Dhrithi were all very kind to me. After the IAAT Conference, I needed to stay in
Delhi for a week more since I wanted to attend one more lecture of KNG which was arranged
by Professor Gita at the Delhi University. I thank all of them for their kindness.

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
 I am grateful to my daughter Dr. Ambika Prasad and my son in law Dr. Sharath Ghalige who
made it possible for me to go to Delhi and Shillong at a time when my granddaughters were tiny
and needed attention. Lakshmi S Ghalige was six months old when I went to Pune in 2017 and
Lalitha S Ghalige was one month old when I went to Shillong in 2020.

I would be failing in my duty if I did not mention the role, the grandchildren have played in the
genesis of this book. It was the first birthday of Anupama’s grandchild Advaith, son of
Anupama’s son Prof. Atul Simha . Atul wished his parents would be there for the occasion. And
I wished to greet my baby granddaughter Durga Annapoorna Prasad in her infancy itslef , just as
I had done when my grandson Aniruddha Raghav Prasad was born. Aniruddha and Durga are
my son Dr. Ramakrishna Prasad's children . Since both Shri. Jayasimha and my husband Dr.
Prasad were busy , it was decided that we two grandmothers travel together and reach
Virginia . There my son's family came for the birthday and took me to their home in Pittsburgh.

I thank Anupama, Atul, his wife Dr. Smitha , and their little son Advaith for the lovely stay I
had with them in Virginia. Again , a few weeks later , in the month of August , I had a great
time with them , when they took me to Harvard , the Bar islands and Acadia .

In the month of October, 2013, my daughter – in-law Dr. Varsha Sridhar needed to attend a
conference at Harvard. I went once again to Boston with my son’s family which enabled me to
attended KNG’s classes at Havrard. I am thankful to Varsha for this opportunity.

I could not meet Mrs. Kasturi Gandhi but she was very kind and sent many tasty crunchy South
Indian delights to me and my son’s family to savour. She also packed extra food in KNG’s
lunch box on all the four days I met him at the Harvard University Herbaria. Smt. Kasturi Ma’am
is a gem of a person and she is a great support to KNG. I thank her for her thoughtful gesture.

I am grateful to Sri. Rajendra Prasad Turaga , a disciple of Swamy Vishnumayananda. He very

kindly arranged for me and Anupama to meet Swamy Vishnumayanada at the Shivahalli
Ramakrishna Ashram.

I express my gratitude to my parents Late Sri. K.S.Rajan and Late Smt.Savitramma for instilling
the love of learning in me. My father loved Botany and English language. Incidentally , Smt.
Chithra A. Rao is the daughter of the founder of the school Shri. M.L. Sreenivasa Shastry for
whom my father worked . She is also the Director of the Hymamshu Educational Trust .

My younger sister, late. Smt. Ratna Giri helped me in finding KNG’s childhood school
Ramakrishna Swatantrananda (RKS) school in Cottonpet, Bangalore. She also introduced me to
Smt. Chitra A Rao. Words cannot express my fond rememberance and gratitude to my sweet
and charming sister.

I am very happy to express my thanks to the Government of India, the Ministry of Forests and
Environment and the Botanical Survey of India. I make a special mention of the former and the

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
longest serving Director of BSI, Dr. M. Sanjappa who was the first person to invite KNG to
conduct his classes in Botanical Nomenclature for the botanists in India at Calcutta. The
succeeding Directors namely Dr. Paramjeet Singh and now Dr. A.Mao continued the good
work . Similarly , I thank Dr. Mamiyil Sabu for honouring KNG .

I am extremely grateful to all the people who have contributed their writings about KNG for the
biography. They all sent their emails promptly and lovingly in reply to my request. Their write
ups along with their names and designations appear in the chapter called “Impressions”.

But there are names which I have not mentioned .Some are known to me and many unknown .
But all the botanists I met at Harvard and India were kind and hospitalble. They were happy
that I wanted to write about a botanist . They were friendly and accommodative.They would
explain the botanical terms I did not understand. They would accompany me and never let me
feel lonely and lost. A recently retired couple from Bantwala , who also stayed in the same floor
as I did at the Delhi's guest house , were very caring . A young botanist couple from Calcutta
would point out the interesting plants at the Delhi Bio-Diversity Park and I was filled with
wonder when the wife showed me "salt grass " that had the taste of common salt we use in our
kitchen ! Another botanist walked in the bio-diversity park just like every other botanist did, in
spite of the handicap in his leg. I also met a young volunteer in the park who loved Boany and
Classical Music. It was truly very interesting to know about how the botanists braved their visits
to woods and jungles where they might come across tiger and elephant droppings . A young
dedicated proven botanist declared that he never told the women at home about the wild
animals he encounterd in the jungle ; because they would ask the same questions again and again
and eat his head . I was thrilled when a botanist from Kerala liked my question during her paper-
prsentation. She told me that among the sacred plants , eighty percent of them were dedicated to
female deities. I must express the sheer happiness I felt when some well known botanists gave
lectures and showed their marvelous picture slides. The botanist from Sweden impressed
everyone when he asked his audience to identify a picture of a pipe he showed on the screen .
Another unforgettable image is that of the utmost care with which the botanists and their helpers
handled the herbaria. Also the love and reverence with which the botanists greeted KNG was
awe-inspiring . And how do I describe the wonder I felt when a woman care-taker in the nursery
at the BSI, Shillong showed me the baby pitcher plants !

An established botanist from ATREE told me at Shillong that it was perfectly possible to procure
seeds and saplings of the famed Ashoka tree of Ramayanam ; and grow them in our gardens.
Another discussion I heard in Delhi, was around the lacunae in communication between forest
officials and junior botanists. The complaint against the forest department was that the officials
did not permit the researchers to collect the plants they needed. Then the senior botanists
explained that the forest officials required specific information about the quantity of the plant
specimens the botanists required. In other words, the forest department expected the botanists to
mention how many quintals or truckloads of the plant specimens they required !

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
The list is long ; All I can say is I am thankful.

I am especially indebted to KNG’s teacher , Dr. Werner Greuter . He has blessed this venture by
contributing his very valuable thoughts about KNG . Dr. Werner Greuter has explained KNG's
priceless work and thus has provided the preface to this biography on Kanchi N Gandhi.

WHY THIS BIOGRAPHY?

In the academic year 1976 - 77, when we were in our Final Year B.Sc. , KNG taught us Plant
Taxonomy in the Botany Practical’s Laboratory. Before that happened , in 1975 itself , my
friend Anupama had told me that KNG was both a good teacher and a Botanist . She pointed
out this fact to me because I had joined my Second Year B.Sc. classes late and I had not heard of
KNG before ; though he had already joined our college as a lecturer in the year 1974.

This biography is also about a little boy who struggled to get an education in spite of all the
economic hardship he and his family faced in Walajabad, Kancheepuram and later in Bangalore.

To write about this world acclaimed botanist Kanchi N Gandhi , I needed a better perspective
about Botany and Botanists. I was fortunate to attend the IAAT National Conference at New
Delhi in 2017 , KNG’s Nomenclature courses in Pune (2017), Coimbatore (2019) and Shillong
(2020 ) .

The IAAT conference organized by the Indian Association of Angiosperm Taxonomists was a
lively event buzzing with well known botanists from all over the country and a few scientists
from abroad. KNG represented the International Botanical Community .

It was wonderful to see so much talent in Botany in the country and it was great to listen to their
presentations, see the posters the PhD. students had made and also watch a beautiful skit in the
style of a street play by the very talented budding scientists. The Ph. D. students who
participated in the Conference as Volunteers were very helpful. I could see that they were well
trained under Prof. Arun Pandey’s amazing leadership.

Attending the Nomenclature workshops conducted by KNG, opened my eyes to the importance
of the subject KNG taught . It also gave me an opportunity to witnesss the gratefulness the
students felt for the clarity they got on the subject. The students included not only taxonomists
but also botanists working in different fields in Botany. They told me that what KNG taught ,
helped them to understand their own branch better.The course duration increased from three days
in Calcutta to four days in Pune and five days in Coimbatore to six in Shillong on request from
the botanists. They were from all corners of the country and actively participated in his
interactive marathon classes from 9 in the morning to 6 in the evening. The last hour from 5 pm
to 6 pm was reserved for questions and answers. KNG rewarded every good question and every
good answer with innovative prizes like pen-drives which he had brought from the US.

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
The conference and the classes gave me the exposure I needed to write about this great botanist
of rare distinction. I could see the growth in KNG’s stature from that of a ‘just-joined college
lecturer’ to an internationally acclaimed authority in plant taxonomy!

As a teacher KNG appeals to all age groups. When we were college students, he taught Pre -
University and Degree Classes. But now his classes attract degree, post –graduate and post-
doctoral research scholars. And I must add that he is a hit with children and general public as
well. He is a good public speaker and can relate any subject to Botany. And at Harvard , he
conducts a course in general botany . The students come from different professions and they
register their names for the course well in advance. This author had the opportunity to sit in
KNG's class after a gap of nearly 35 years !

The same magic of his teaching had unfolded when he had addressed 9th and 10th standard
students in Chinmaya School , Kolar in 2013 at my behest and on the invitation of the school
principal Shri Narayana Swamy. On this occasion , Dr. B. K. Sadashiva Singh , former
colleague and close friend of KNG who had accompanied him to Kolar too addressed the
students and spoke very well. He explained the importance of good values and spirituality in
life. After the talks which lasted nearly three hours, it was a sight to watch the students
thronging around KNG asking him so many questions and the school principal asking them to
leave since it was already sunset lest they missed the buses to their villages .

In recognition of his commendable work in bringing out the editions of Flora of North America
(FNA) on the Angiosperms of North America, KNG was conferred with a very rare
Distinguished Service Award by the American Society of Plant Taxonomists in 2010.

KNG has been conferred a Fellowship from the Indian Association of Angiosperm Taxonomists
or IAAT. In 2023, he has been awarded “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Botanical
Survey of India (BSI ) which is equivalent to the Distinguished Service Award he received in
the US.

This author feels that just the way a true devotee of God ponders about the thousand names
of God , KNG too immerses himself in plant taxonomy and botanical nomenclature.

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
 PREFACE BY DR. WERNER GREUTER
A NOTE ON WENER GREUTER

Dr. Greuter is Kanchi N Gandhi’s teacher whom KNG respects immensely. He says that Dr.
Greuter solves knotty issues in botanical nomenclature and helps his botanist friends who work
in plant taxonomy. KNG is very grateful to Dr. Greuter who helps him whenever he has
problems on applying the code on critical issues.

Dr. Werner Greuter was the Chief Editor for 2 Botanical Codes (1994 & 2000). To be an expert
on plant nomenclature, one should have good basic knowledge in Latin, Greek, and Botany;
knowledge of a few European languages is helpful. Dr. Werner Greuter worked in Berlin;
officially retired, but continues to be very active in taxonomic research.

The thoughts expressed about KNG’s service to plant taxonomy by his teacher Werner Greuter
explain the work KNG does for Botany. The biographer selected this piece as the preface to this
biography on Kanchi N Gandhi. Werner Greuter expressed his views about KNG in an email he
wrote to the biographer , in response to her request to share his impressions about KNG for the
biography.

THE BOTANICAL CODE BEARS KANCHI'S IMPRINT !

Whereas my personal acquaintance with Kanchi Gandhi has been limited to a few short
encounters when attending nomenclature section meetings at some International Botanical
Congress (IBC), my correspondence with him, invariably by electronic mail, has been extensive
and revealing. Based on these exchanges I can assert confidently that Kanchi is not only one of
the most assiduous workers in our field but, arguably, the most selfless representative of our
profession. As far back as I can remember, he has been busy full time in providing services to the
botanical community, mainly by painstakingly and competently adding to the contents of the
International Plant Names Index (IPNI) and improving its contents, the sorry heritage of a
source, the Index Kewensis, that took shape long before the current nomenclatural rules had been
accepted but that had never been updated to reflect the many profound changes of these rules
with respect to the traditional, British way of naming the species of flowering plants. Through
his accumulated experience, Kanchi has become India’s leading expert in the often surprisingly
complex and tricky interpretation and application of what is still widely known as the “botanical
Code”.

Working without respite his seven-day week in front of his computer screen, with an occasional
stroll to the Smithsonian Institution’s unfathomably rich library, Kanchi never failed to apologize
if some bus strike or blizzard, even over a weekend, forced him to stay at home; or if illness or
the dentist or a rare attendance at some professional meeting kept him from work. Ask him any
relevant question and he will reply by return, often taking the trouble to involve others for help,
e.g. librarians in whose care he knows or assumes some rare bibliographic item may be. All this

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
he did and does out of the kindness of his personality, and also out of the keen interest he has
developed in clarifying matters on nomenclatural. In his passion for sharing the profound
knowledge thus acquired, he became the teacher and mentor of generations of Indian botanists to
whom he succeeded to transmit, not only his skill but also his enthusiasm for the intelligent
application of the nomenclatural rules. Under his drive, India has become a reservoir of botanical
adepts of the nomenclatural Code.

Ever keen to test his opinions against those of others, Kanchi became the pivot of an informal
discussion group of nomenclatural experts, including the past and present holders of the office of
Rapporteur general to the IBC nomenclature sections. Often lively discussions took place in the
frame of this varying “panel”. Many proposals for clarifying and improving the “botanical Code”
originated from these exchanges, so that it is fair to say that the modern face of our rules, to a far
from negligible extent, bears Kanchi’s imprint. May this statement do justice to an otherwise
largely undocumented facet of Kanchi Gandhi’s botanical legacy .

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
 PART ONE
LIFE IN INDIA ( 1948 to 1982 )

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
 CHAPTER ONE

DESTINY UNRAVELED

1.1 SRI GANESHA , A GOOD BEGINNING !

The Ganesha idol in the temple looked divine ; So did the little devotee! This was the scene
in a tiny temple in the Chettiar Street area in Walajabad in Tamil Nadu in the fifties of the 20 th
century. A little dark skinned boy stood praying earnestly with deep devotion before the granite
image of Lord Ganesha.

Who was that boy ? What made him pray so earnestly ?

BIRTH AND PARENTAGE

Two gentlemen by names Sri. Nadeshan and Sri. Kannivel lived in the Chettiar Street area
in Walajabad. They were well-respected in their Chettiar community. They were cousins and
admired Mahatma Gandhi a lot. Both expressed their love for the Mahatma in their own unique
ways.

Sri . Kannivel had started a free school for poor children. Some years later with a local
politician by name Sri. Masilamani, he co-founded a free hostel for those students. The school
has primary , higher primary and high school classes even today.

Sri Nadeshan had a daughter by name Smt. Radhabai. She was married to Sri. Natarajan of
Kancheepuram. Their first baby was a boy and he was called Jothi. Their second baby, also a
son was born on the 28th January of 1948. The baby’s birth-star was Arudra, a great star!

The third day after the baby was born, the news came that Mahatma Gandhi was martyred . Sri .
Nadeshan found it very difficult to accept the fact that his dear idol, the Mahatma was no more!
To show his love for the great man, the elderly patriarch called his daughter’s newborn by the
name ‘Gandhi’ .

Radhabai agreed but the baby’s father Natarajan did not. He added the names of himself and
that of his native place Kancheepuram and made his son’s name more acceptable to Tamil and
South Indian ears.

RADHABAI WAS STUNNED !

Once Gandhi turned six months old , Natarajan brought his family from Walajabad to his home
in Kancheepuram . Natarajan lived on the same street where the famous Tamil leader
Annadurai did. Life went on smoothly for Radhabai and Natarajan till one day when suddenly ,

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
Natarajan told his wife , “ Radha, I must tell you something. I am very sorry.”

Radhabai asked her husband, “ Why, what happened? Why do you apologize? “

Natarajan replied, “ Radha , when you were in your father’s house expecting Gandhi, I took
some foolish decision. My father too agreed. And now both of us have lost all the money that
belonged to us. The lands are gone! The house is gone! Money, gold everything is gone.”

Radhabai was stunned. “ What ? No money ? No house?” Radhabai looked aghast. Natarajan
looked pained. “How are we going to live? Where are we going to stay? “, persisted Radhabai.

After a pregnant pause, Natarajan replied that within a month or two, they had to move out. He
said he would find some rented accommodation.

“But how did it happen ? What did you do?”, questioned Radhabai.

“We both signed on blank papers without any thought that it might make us lose everything. In
simple words we were ignorant and foolish.”, replied Natarajan.

Radhabai understood nothing. Natarajan explained nothing.

After a while, Natarajan himself resumed the conversation.

Natarajan said, “ I am very sad for you, because you are used to a comfortable life . Your father
is a big man. I am afraid if you stay with me, you have to remain economically a poor woman.
The decision to struggle with me or stay back in your father’s place is yours. I shall not blame
you if you choose not to come with me.”

Radha bai was sad . “ I have borne you two sons . Still you haven’t understood me ? Of course
I’ll be with you.”

Natarajan cautioned his wife, “ But people may not respect us , now that we have no money.”

Radhabai promised , “ I will teach my children to work hard and earn respect. ”Natarajan
added , “ I will insist that my children study hard and gain social status.”

Radha bai asked , “How do we go about ?”

Natarajan replied , “I do not know. I will venture honestly and efficiently in whatever I can
do.”

LIFE WAS NOT FAIR TO EACH AND EVERYONE IN THE WORLD !

Shri. Natarajan did odd jobs in Kancheepuram and Chennai. He felt that he could have got a
good job with a regular income if he had done his Matriculation at least.

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
It was a challenge to pay Jothi’s school fees. The Natarajans could not afford most of the
things they needed. House rent was a burden. On one hand , it was a pain to live in such paltry
circumstances; and on the other hand the memory of the past distressed them .

Natarajan’s father Sri . Kanni lived separately . He became a roadside astrologer to earn his
livelihood. Natarajan’s brothers married out of caste and started leading their own lives.
Natarajan’s sisters found life very hard because the eligible suitors lost interest in them once the
property disappeared.

Meanwhile a daughter was born to Radha and Natarajan, but she did not survive long.

Natarajan told Radhabai once again to go back to her father’s house. Radhabai did not agree.
She made it very clear to her husband that she would live in any accommodation which her
husband provided for her. Any other place meant disrespect to herself and her husband.

Natarajan could not help feeling that life was not fair to each and everyone in the world !

NADESHAN SENT A BAG OF RICE

Natarajan decided to shift to Walajabad. He rented a shared accommodation very near to

Nadeshan’s house on the Chettiar street . Jothi’s admission was done in the well known private
school by name Dhanasekhara Shashwathanidhi ( DSSN ) Pathashale. Gandhi was too young to
join school yet .

A year or two passed. One day the two brothers Jothi and Gandhi had food in their Grandfather
Nadeshan’ house. The first question Gandhi asked his grandfather made the old man send a
bag of rice to his daughter’s house.

“Mother, Grandfather Nadeshan sent this bag of rice.” , said Jothi as he kept the bag in the
kitchen.

“Why? What for?”, asked Mother Radahabai.

“Today Gandhi asked Grandfather as to how come there was so much rice in their house while
we had so little in ours. “

“When did he ask? And what did my father say? “, enquired Radhabai.

“Today while we were having food in their place.”, replied Jothi. “ And Grandfather said
nothing. He simply smiled and asked me to carry this rice bag home .”

“I hope you did some work in Grandfather’s house. I hope you both did not simply eat and come
home without doing any work. “, said Radhabai.

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
“No mother. You have told me before. So I always do help grandmother and do whatever little
work they ask me to do. Today I cleaned their kitchen. Grandmother was very happy. Even little
Gandhi swept the kitchen and mopped the floor”, explained the eleven year old Jothi.

“ Good, my dear children , you must always work hard before you eat. And if somebody gives
you food or any help, you must do something good in return for that favor .”

After giving these clear instructions to her minor children, Radhabai turned her face away and
wiped her tears.

1.2 GANDHI WENT TO SCHOOL

Radhabai was good at preparing the traditional Chettiar food and delicacies. Hence her
relatives consulted her about cooking. Some wished to help Radhabai’s children with old
books, shoes, pencils, dresses and uniforms . Radhabai saw to it that help did not mean
disrespect. She taught her children to be respectful to others without any disrespect to
themselves.

Since Natarajan had high hopes of both his sons studying well and making it big in their lives,
Radha wanted little Gandhi to start going to school. Natarajan was away in Chennai . Radhabai
took a decision and made Gandhi join the free school started by her uncle Sri. Kannivel.

Aafter a week when Natarajan came home, Radhabai told her husband, “I have made Gandhi
join school.”

Natarajan asked, “ Which one, the free school started by your uncle ?”

Radhabai replied , “Yes, but Gandhi doesn’t like it. “

Natarajan suggested. ,”Ok , then we will make him join the Municipality school which is also
free for all”. So the parents changed Gandhi’s school.

Gandhi did not understand that his admission was in the State-run Panchayat Municipality
school. Jothi too was not aware that his parents had admitted Gandhi to Walajabad
Municipality School and not the DSSN where he himself was going . Five year old Gandhi was
happy that he did not have to go to the school he disliked .

GANDHI GOT A RERRIMAND FROM HIS FATHER NATARAJAN

Gandhi loved to be with his loved ones and do things they did. So he tagged along happily to
DSSN with brother Jothi and other children.

During one of his weekly visits, Natarajan asked his children, “Hey Jothi and Gandhi , are you
going to school?”

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
Both the children nodded. A satisfied Natarajan told the boys, “ Be regular. Work hard. You
must come first in the class. Education is very important. It will get you money and respect. Ok
?”

A year later Natarajan had a rude shock from the Walajabad Panchayat Union Primary School.
The school had failed his son Gandhi .

Natarajan called his wife Radha bai, sons Jothi and Gandhi. He was furious. “ What is this I
hear ? Gandhi has failed ! A fail in first standard.? Have you ever heard of such a thing?
Disgusting! Didn’t I tell you to study well and come first in the class ?

All remained silent. “Radha, do you know why he failed? “

Radhabai did not know. “Let’s go to the school and ask” was her reply.

At school they discovered the cause for Gandhi being issued a ‘fail’ and not a ‘pass’ certificate
at the end of the academic year .

“Gandhi , why did you not attend school?, a teacher of the State-run primary school asked.

“I did”, replied the child.

“Hey , Gandhi when did you come?”, the principal tried to get the truth from the boy.

“Then what were you doing during school hours Gandhi?”, demanded Mr. Natarajan.

“I did go to school.” , insisted the boy.

“Don’t tell lies .Which school did you attend?”, demanded the father.

Gandhi kept quiet.

“ Did you attend this school? “, asked Radhabai Natarajan.

“No, I went to the big school with all my brothers and sisters.”said Gandhi.

“Ah, that explains. You went to a different school .”, exclaimed the school teacher.

At home Natarajan was still feeling very angry . He felt let down by his own family . But he
had to accept that Gandhi failed due to lack of attendance. What was he doing if he was not
going to school? He called his elder son and asked , “ Jothi , what was Gandhi doing during the
school hours?”.

Jothi answered, “ Father, Gandhi came every day with us to DSSN . He never complained
while walking that far to school.”

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1
Natarajan shouted, “ Does it mean that he attended DSSN and not the Walajabad Union Primary
School? Nonsense. No wonder he has failed.”. Then turning towards his younger son, he
commanded , “Gandhi, whichever school I tell you to go , you must go . Understood? And you
must study well and not fail and be a disgrace to all. Now get out, all of you.”

A SCHOOL AS A SYSTEM

Prior to Sri . Natarajan insisting on Gandhi’s attendance in the Walajabad Panchayat Union
Primary School, DSSN was his first school. Like most children, he too did not know much
about rules of admission, attendance and results .

The teachers at the schools he went to hardly bothered to educate the children and their parents
about these technicalities and legalities. Gandhi's parents too did not seem to mind the fact that
the child attended a school different from the one where they had officially enrolled him into.

The Walajabad Panchayat Union Primary School registered his name but when he did not turn
up , they let it be . They did not inform the parents but at the end of the year issued a failed
certificate . The parents too did not go to the school at all during the whole academic year . They
went there on the day of the declaration of the annual results. They expected Gandhi to have
passed with flying colours just as Jothi did in every class. Instead , Gandhi’s failure in the first
standard stared at their face!

The lack of communication affected Gandhi the most. The parents were upset. Once they
recognized that it was not the school