Moti Lal Dhar specialized on medicinal chemistry en route to his PhD (1940) from the University of London. He became Chief Chemist of the Drug Research Laboratory (now Regional Research Laboratory) in Kashmir; and the Director, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow. He later became the Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

Academic and Research Achievements: Dhar’s research work cover organic reaction mechanisms; medicinal plants of India; fertility control; chemotherapy of mycobacterial and protozoal infections including tuberculosis, leprosy, amoebiasis, filariasis and helmenthic disorders; neuro-muscular blocking, and hypoglycaemic and hypotensive agents.

Other Contributions: Moti Lal Dhar served on various significant policy-making bodies, being a Member of the WHO Committee on Drugs; Chairman of the Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and Institute for Microbial Technology, Chandigarh. He served as a Member in the INSA Council (1970-72).

Awards and Honours: Moti Lal Dhar was awarded the Padma Shri in 1971. He was also a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore and National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad.