Sir. T.S.Venkatraman
Sir. T.S.Venkatraman was responsible for the spectacular achievement in evolving
improved varieties and thereby stabilizing sugarcane industry in the
country as it stands today and the worldwide recognition of the
Coimbatore Institute. He was acclaimed in sugarcane circles over the
world as the "Sugarcane Wizard". He assisted Dr. C.A. Barber,
the Founder Director of Sugarcane Research Station since its inception
and took over as the Government Sugarcane Expert after the retirement of
Dr. C.A. Barber in 1918.
- He was instrumental in evolving the first
inter-specific sugarcane hybrid Co 205 released for commercial
cultivation. It proved a remarkable success in North India,
particularly in Punjab where it recorded 50% more yield then indigenous
varieties.
- He started for the first time, a three species
combination involving the tropical sugarcane S.officinarum, the sub-tropical S. barberi and the wild species S.spontaneum and thus helped in evolving Co 213, Co 244, Co 312 and Co 313
- The variety evolved by him, Co 281 became a success
in South Africa for which he was made an Honorary Fellow of South African
Sugar Technologist Association.
- He was instrumental in evolving the world's wonder
variety Co 419 which saturated the entire tropical belt for about 4
decades and popular in several other countries.
- He did pioneering work in inter-generic
hybridization
- He introduced a mosaic of varieties to siut the
varied agro-climatic conditions of the country.
- He was honored by the British Government with titles
like 'Rao Saheb', 'Rao Bahadur', CIE and 'Sir' . The Government of India
honoured with 'Padhma Bushan. Click here for the historical notes published in Current Science:Vol 106(8), April 2014.
Dr. C.A. Barber is the Founder Director of Sugarcane Research Station during 1912 (now called Sugarcane Breeding Institute.