Mahendra Raj Suxena did his PhD (1950) from University of London, UK. He worked as Emeritus Professor, Professor and Head, Department of Botany and Dean, Faculty of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad.

Suxena’s contributions relate to: hydrobiology, ecology of algae, systematics of grasses, economic and medicinal plants, systematics of diatoms, desmids and testacea. He has also done much work on the history of botany.

Awards and Honours: Professor Suxena received the Professor Sayeeduddin Gold Medal and Diamond Jubilee Award by Osmania University (1978-79), and Silver Jubilee Award by Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences (1979). He was elected Fellow of the Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences and Indian Botanical Society.