Padubidri Subbaraya Sarma obtained PhD (1946) from University of Wisconsin, USA. He worked as Professor of Biochemistry, University of Madras; and also Chairman, Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

Academic and Research Achievements: Professor Sarma’s contributions relate to intermediary metabolic processes in conversion of tryptophan to niacin. His research interests involved: (i) inter-relationships of trace elements in a variety of living systems, which laid the foundation for investigations on regulatory aspects of the biosynthesis of haeme and its involvement in drug metabolism; and (ii) etiology of neurolathyrism, a crippling disease due to the continued consumption of the seeds of Lathyrus sativus (Kesari dal).

Other Contributions: Professor Sarma endeavoured to raise the standard of teaching biochemistry in universities. He was associated with many technical committees of CSI, UGC and NCERT. He was on the Editorial Board of Indian Journal of Biochemistry (now Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics). He served as Member of the American Institute of Nutrition, Society of Experimental Biology & Medicine (USA), and Society of Biological Chemists (India) (President, 1962-64).

Awards and Honours: Professor Sarma won the Curzon Prize by University of adras (1941) and GJ Watumull Award (1965). He was elected Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, London and Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore.