Vavilala Vasudeva Sastri did his MSc (1947) from University of Mysore. He worked as General Manager (Special Duties-Exploration), Oil & Natural Gas Commission (1982-84); Director Research & Development, Institute of Petroleum Exploration, ONGC, Dehra Dun; Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations, ESCAP, Bangkok (1982-83); Advisor (Geology) to Malaysian National Oil Co. (Petronas), Kuala Lumpur (1984-88); Consultant to Standard Vacuum Oil Co., Kolkata; and CSIR Emeritus Scientist, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Academic and Research Achievements: Sastri had deep interest in petroleum geology and petroleum exploration. He conducted and directed research (applied) for petroleum exploration in India and Asia for about 30 years. He propounded new concepts on Krihna-Godavari basin use, which later came out to be true.

Other Contributions: Dr Sastri served as Member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and International Stratigraphic Subcommission, USA. He edited the book Petroleum Exploration (ONGC); was one of the editors of Tectonic Map of India (UN and ONGC); and coordinated 3 editions (1975, 1985, 1989) of Oil and Natural Gas Map of Asia (UN).

Awards and Honours: Dr Sastri won the Gold Medal by Geological Society of India (1973); Diploma of Honour for Excellence in Petroleum Exploration by University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA (1989); UGC National Lecturer (1982); and Prince Mukharam Jha Lectureship by Indian Geophysical Union. He was elected Fellow of the Geological Society of India and Palaeontological Society of India.