Krishna Rajaram Surange did his PhD (1948) from the University of Cambridge, UK and specialized in palaeobotany. He was Director, MACS Research Institute, Pune (now Agharkar Research Institute) (1980-85) and Director, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow (1959-80).

Academic & Research Achievements: Surange has done morphological studies on two genera of the small South American family, Cyclanthaceae and its fossil counterpart in India. He worked on coenopterid ferns (lower carboniferous), Botryopteris and Stauropteris. He discovered heterospory in Stauropteris burntislandica, one of the earliest fern-like plants. Surange carried out detailed studies on the male and female reproductive organs of Glossopteris complex, and on the venation pattern of type species of Indian Glossopteris. He also authored a monograph on Indian Fossil Pteridophytes.

Other Contributions: Surange served as Member of the Executive Committee of the World Organization of Palaeobotany; Member, International Committee for Palaeobotanical Nomenclature; and Chairman, Working Group in Palaeobotany and Palynology of IUGS Subcommission on Gondwana Stratigraphy (till 1982). He was also Chief Editor of Palaeobotany (till 1990).

Awards and Honours: Dr Surange was elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Maharashtra Academy of Sciences, and Palaebotanical Society of India.