दक्षिणी मराठी खजाना

Dr. V.K. Badami, L.Ag., Ph.D., (Cantab), the third and youngest son of Babami Krishna Rao, was born on the 12th of January 1888 in Mysore. He was educated at Bangalore and Mysore. Joining the Coimbatore College of Agriculture in 1909 after passing the Matriculation Examination, he passed out of the College with distinction, obtaining gold medals in Agricultural Chemistry and for “best Studentship”. He joined the Mysore Agricultural Department in 1913 as Junior Assistant Botanist. He was later, Assistant Principal of the Agricultural School at Hebbal, and then became Senior Assistant Botanist in 1918. In 1923 the Government of Mysore deputed him to Europe for higher training at Cambridge. He studied under Sir Rowland Biffin, Prof. Punnet and Dr. C.A. Barber and worked in the two Wembley exhibitions in the Mysore Court. During the vacations he toured widely in Denmark, Sweden and France and came in contact with many leading breeders of the day like Prof. Johansen of Denmark, Prof. Neilson Ehle of Sweden and Prof. Bateson. He was made Economic Botanist to the Government in 1929 and Principal of the Agricultural School in 1931. Since 1934, he is, in addition, the Deputy Director of Agriculture.

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Dr. Badami’s researches have resulted in the evolution of many strains of ragies, groundnuts and new varieties of sugarcanes. A cane called H.M. 320 has greatly helped the Mysore Sugar Company in its prosperity. His researches on the effect of X-rays on the production of new mutants in Sugarcanes have attracted much attention.

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Dr. Badami represents to Government of Mysore on the Indian Central Cotton Committee, and schemes sanctioned by the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research and the Cotton Committee are under his supervision.

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