Featured

New Cherry Blossom Species Discovered In Manipur Named After Odia Scientist; Check Details

By
OB Bureau

Bhubaneswar: A new species of Cherry Blossom, discovered by two scientists from Manipur, has been named after well-known Odia botanist Prof Dinabandhu Sahoo, who is credited with putting India on the Cherry Blossom map of the world. The new species has been named “Prunus dinabandhuana” after him.

One usually associates Cherry Blossom with Japan or the US, where Cherry Blossom Festivals attract millions of tourists during March-April. But thanks to Sahoo, India is now a popular destination for Cherry Blossom Festival.

How this came about is a remarkable story. In 2014, Sahoo, a Professor in the Department of Botany, University of Delhi, while delivering a TEDx Talk at Shillong, spotted a Cherry Blossom tree in full bloom in the city.

Luckily, the same year, Sahoo was appointed Director of the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) at Imphal. Immediately after his posting, he started exploring the forests of North-Eastern states for the presence of Cherry Blossom trees.

To his surprise, he found that the Cherry Blossom is native to the Himalayas. In 2015, under his initiative, thousands of Cherry Blossom saplings were planted in Shillong and Manipur in collaboration with the state governments.

Because of Sahoo’s determined efforts, the Cherry Blossom now grows in large numbers in six North-Eastern states.

Sahoo’s work was noticed in Japan. A delegation of GIFFU Cherry Blossom Association from Japan arrived in India and jointly organised India’s First Sakura Ceremony in 2016, making India the 28th country in the world to be part of the Sakura map.

Sahoo did not stop there. In November 2016, he planned and organised India’s First Cherry Blossom Festival at Shillong, which attracted lakhs of people. Thanks to his efforts, the First Manipur Cherry Blossom Festival was held at Mao, the border town of Manipur and Nagaland, and major research projects were started in the North-East.

From this research efforts, “Prunus dinabandhuana” was discovered by Manipur scientists Biseshwori T and Jenifer M. Growing up to 25-30 metres, the new species blooms in November unlike Japanese Cherry Blossom, which blooms during March-April.

The findings were published in the latest issue of international scientific journal Annales Botanici Fennici.

Sahoo is presently Director, Centre for Himalayan Studies; Director, Cluster Innovation Centre; Senior Professor, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, and a former Vice Chancellor of Fakir Mohan University, Odisha.

Sahoo was the first Indian student to visit Antarctica in 1987.

OB Bureau

Recent Posts

IPL Auction: KKR Break Bank For Venkatesh On Lucrative Day For Indian Players; Check Top Buys

Mumbai: The first day of the IPL mega player auction at Jeddah threw up several…

November 24, 2024

Odisha Govt Hands Over Case Of Attack On Dharmasala MLA To Crime Branch

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has handed over the investigation into the attack on Dhramasala MLA…

November 24, 2024

Commissionerate Police Issues Traffic Advisory During Winter Session Of Odisha Assembly; Details Here

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate of Police on Sunday issued an advisory for movement of vehicular traffic…

November 24, 2024

Elon Musk Proposal: Fire US Federal Employees Who Want To Work From Home

New York: Now that President-elect Donald Trump has tasked Elon Musk with the responsibility of co-heading…

November 24, 2024

Odisha Govt Warns Of Stern Action For Renting Out Its Quarters

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has warned its employees of stern action for sub-letting their allotted…

November 24, 2024

AR Rahman Best Man In The World, Certifies Saira Banu; Then Why Their Separation?

Mumbai: There has been a lot of talk over AR Rahman and his wife Saira…

November 24, 2024

Process On To Form NODC In 2-3 Months, Says Odisha CM Mohan Majhi

Sundargarh: The North Odisha Development Council (NODC) would be formed in 2-3 months, said Chief…

November 24, 2024

Odisha DGP Reviews Security Arrangements For President’s Visit To Puri

Puri: Director General of Police (DGP) YB Khurania on Sunday reviewed the security arrangements for…

November 24, 2024