Prof. MOP Iyengar
Prof. Mandayam Osuri Parthasarathy Iyengar was born in Madras (now Chennai) on December 15, 1886, to Shree M O Alasingaracharya and Mrs. Alamelu Ammal. He graduated from Presidency College in 1906, while completed his post-graduation degree in 1909. No wonder the family tradition and background of leading solicitors, educationalists,s and philosophers encouraged him to go for higher studies. He served for more than a decade from 1920 at Presidency college, teaching and organizing research in Botany and more particularly in Algology. Before that, he briefly served at Government Museum (Natural History) and engaged in Teachers Training in Natural Science. He left for London and finished his Ph.D. in 1932 under none other than Prof. Felix Eugen Fritsch. On his return, he became Professor of Botany at Madras University - a position he occupied until his retirement in 1944. Nevertheless, retirement did not impede his research, he continued to be busy studying algae into his small laboratory set up in his home. Prof. Iyengar spent his entire life studying Algae - which remained the mission of his life.
Prof. Iyengar as a teacher was an all-rounded botanist, having well-versed knowledge of all major plant groups. He played a prominent role in the development of Indian Botany. He was a founder member of the Indian Botanical Society and served as Business Manager, Treasurer, President as well as Editor of its journal.
One of the important steps he took was handing over his entire collection of seaweeds made for over two decades to Borgesen. He also toured the Indian and Sri Lankan coast during Borgesen's visit here which culminated in some serious studies of Indian Marine Algae.
The training which he has obtained with Prof. Fritsch sharpened his interest in freshwater algae. Prof. Iyengar described many new genera and species. Strange and interesting new algae described by him include Fritschiella and Ecballocystopsis. Many of the taxa which he described were not recorded a second time even after half a century. Further, he described reproduction and life histories in Tetrasporidium, Gloeococcus, Physocytium, Cephalomonas, Caulerpa, Pseudobryopsis, and Pseudostruvea. He had a penchant for spotting rare and interesting forms, with special morphological and reproductive features. However, he was very cautious, unless he observes an alga repeatedly and confirms these features, he would deny himself the pleasure of rushing into print. This attribute reveals his approach to science and his character as a researcher. He along with his student Ramanathan during the early 1940s showed alternation of generation in Enteromorpha, Anadyomene, and Microdictyon. The papers became a landmark as at that time culture studies were uncommon.
The unique heterotrichous habit of Fritschiella, with separation of functionality in the green algal thallus, provided an analogy with evolutionary trends in land plants. He needs to be credited with interpretation on the origin of filamentous habit in green algae. The monograph on Volvocales of India was a monumental contribution. He has collaborated with his graduate students. Quite a few of them have made a mark for themselves such as K. R. Ramanathan, K. S. Srinivasan, T. M. Philipose, M. S. Balakrishnan, R. Subrahmanyan, V. S. Sundaralingam, T. V. Desikachary, and V. Krishnamurthy.
Prof. Iyengar died peacefully on December 10, 1963. He left behind a lot of literature unpublished some of which were published by his students posthumously. It can be said without hesitation Prof. Iyengar laid a strong foundation for Algological studies in India. We as algology researchers bow our heads with enormous respect to this truly legendary Phycologist on the auspicious occasion of " Guru Poornima" with determination to carry forward his legacy of algology research for the betterment of the country.
Data compiled by: Dr. Vaibhav A. Mantri, Principal Scientist & Divisional Chair, CSIR-CSMCRI, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India.
Source Credit: "Prominent Phycologists of the 20th Century" by David J Garbary and Michael J. Wynne (Eds)
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