Mysore/Mysuru: Dr. S. Shankara Bhat, Plant Pathologist and former Professor of Botany and Microbiology Department, University of Mysore (UoM), was conferred the prestigious FPSI (Fellow of Indian Phytopathological Society-2024) Fellowship in recognition of his lifelong contributions to Plant Health Management.

 The honour was bestowed during the 78th Society’s annual meeting held at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (BCKV), Kalyani, West Bengal recently.

Profile: The Fellowship recognises Dr. Bhat’s decades of remarkable research, teaching and his unwavering commitment to advancing Plant Health Management. The FPSI Fellowship adds to the list of awards, including a Plaque of Honour from the Indian Phytopathological Society (2023) for his outstanding contributions to Plant Protection Sciences and the Prof. M. J. Narasimhan Medal (1992) for the best research paper in Indian Phytopathology, 1989.

Dr. Bhat played a pivotal role in shaping the academic landscape of UoM. He served as Professor from 1974 to 1999 and as Chairman from 1993-1995 at the Department of Studies in Botany, Manasagangothri.

He is credited as the architect of the Postgraduate Microbiology Programme at UoM, having established it in 1992. He was appointed as Coordinator and Professor of Microbiology (1999) where he served until his retirement in June 2004.

Dr. Bhat was honoured by the Association of Microbiologists of India (Mysore Chapter) for his outstanding contributions in the field of Microbiology (2004).

Dr Bhat’s scientific legacy includes the identification and naming of Phomopsis azadirachtae, the fungus responsible for the devastating die-back disease of neem trees — a breakthrough that led to a major three-year research project funded by the Department of Science and Technology,                      New Delhi.