This is the story of a man who successfully moved the entire Zoological Survey of India to Banaras in 1942, preventing any loss of scientific material due to Japanese air threats. Meet Dr. Baini Prashad, who led the Zoological Survey of India and did important research on the Vivipariidae family, finding that the mantle was responsible for creating shell sculptures.
He was born on March 13, 1894, in Kirtarpur, Punjab, into a family with a strong tradition of Administrative Service. He went to school in Lahore and graduated from the Government College in 1913, earning his M.Sc. degree in 1915.
During his college days, he was influenced by the renowned Professor Dr. J. Stephenson, specializing in Annelida, and earned his Doctorate Degree from Punjab University in 1918, becoming the first D.Sc. of the University. In 1927, he also received the D.Sc. Degree from the University of Edinburgh.
In 1918, Dr. Prashad started his career in Calcutta as the Officiating Director of Fisheries for Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
Dr. Prashad became the first Indian Director of the Zoological Survey of India. During his tenure, he efficiently organized various faunal surveys, ensuring their quick publication with the collaboration of foreign specialists.
His keen interest in animal ecology and evolution was influenced by Dr. Nelson Annandale, the Founder Director of the Zoological Survey of India.
Dr. Prashad’s work on the Vivipariidae family, particularly the mantle’s role in shell sculpture production, and his study of their distribution, evolution, and paleogeography are highly praised.
He concluded that freshwater streams were crucial channels for the family’s spread, and the shell sculpture’s evolution had a phylogenetic origin.
In 1942, due to the threat of Japanese air attacks on Calcutta, he successfully moved the entire Zoological Survey of India to Banaras, preventing any loss of scientific material. Despite facing challenges, including damage from floods in 1943, Dr. Prashad’s action saved a considerable part of the collections.
As the Director of the Zoological Survey of India, he edited various publications, including the Records of the Indian Museum, Memoirs of the Indian Museum, and the Fauna of British India Series.
In 1938, he contributed to the “Silver Jubilee Number” of the Indian Science Congress Association, titled ‘Progress of Science in India during the past 25 years.’
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