Ramdeo Misra obtained his PhD (1937) from University of Leeds, UK specializing in botany-ecology. He served as the Professor, Head of Botany Department, University of Saugor, Sagar, and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Dean of Faculty and Vice-Chairman of Teaching Council, BHU, Varanasi.

Academic and Research Achievements: Misra had made innovative measurements of soil redox potential and established its value for plant adaptations along soil-moisture gradient. He developed a theory of bodybiomass build-up; demonstrated ecotypic differentiation and discussed synecological and ecosystem hypotheses in the light of tropical vegetation of India. Examined ecology, social value system and environmental education.

Other Contributions: Misra served on UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme as Vice-Chairman of its International Coordination Council; Chairman, International Commission for Training & Research Ecology (1967). Member, Governing Body of Wildlife Institute of India (1986-), Advisory Board of Botanical Survey of India (1970-73), Indian National Committee on Human Environment (1969-72), NCEPC; Vice-Chairman, MAB National Committee (1972-75) and Member, INSA Council (1981-83). Commemorative medals have been instituted in honour of Ramdeo Misra, eg Founder’s Medal by International Society for Tropical Ecology (instituted in 1979); Ramdeo Misra Gold Medal by Indian Environmental Society (instituted in 1980). He served as chief editor, Tropical Ecology (1960-85); and Internatinal Journal of Ecology Environmental Science and Ecology (1975-88) besides being on the editorial boards of many journals and authored/co-authored three books.

Awards and Honours: Misra received Birbal Sahni Gold Medal (1967); Jawaharlal Nehru Gold Medal (Madhya Pradesh Vigyan Academy) (1974); Bronze Medal International Society for Tropical Ecology (1979); Sanjay Gandhi Award for environment and Ecology (Government of India) (1984); Professor TS Sadasivan Endowment Lecture (INSA) (1984); Swami Pranavanand Saraswati Award (UGC) (1986). He delivered the Malaviya Memorial Foundation Lecture (BHU) (1986); Platinum Jubilee Lecture Indian Science Congress (1991). He was the President, Botany Section, Indian Science Congress (1958). He was a Fellow, National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad and Indian Botanical Society (President, 1959); Founder Fellow, National Institute of Ecology, World Academy of Arts and Science and International Society for Tropical Ecology (President, 1971-75).