Awards

Late Prof. J. G. Vaidya was a distinguished faculty member in the Department of Botany at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune. He made remarkable contributions to mycology, particularly in the taxonomy and biology of Aphyllophorales, a group of medicinal fungi. His research focused on pharmacognostic studies of two significant medicinal mushrooms, Ganoderma and Phellinus, naturally occurring in the Western Ghats of India, also known as Phansomba. Additionally, he explored the medicinal potential of various folk fungi found across India. Prof. Vaidya guided over 10 Ph.D. and 10 M.Phil. students and authored more than 70 research papers, several book chapters, and a book. His dedication and perseverance in mycology earned him widespread recognition at both national and international levels. Throughout his career, he actively participated in over 80 national conferences, 14 international conferences, and 56 university refresher courses. He was frequently invited as a resource person to various institutions and had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed mycologists such as Dr. Stapler. Notably, he was one of the experts in Aphyllophorales from the country, a contribution of great significance in the field.

Award Instituted by: Dr. Mahesh Borde, Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune - 411007, India