K.S. Manilal
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Dr. K.S. Manilal, the esteemed botanist who brought the ancient botanical treasure Hortus Malabaricus to the modern world, passed away early on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) morning at a private hospital in Thrissur, Kerala. He was 86. The Padma Shri awardee had been battling illness for a long time.

A former head of the Botany department at Calicut University, Dr. Manilal dedicated around 35 years of his life to researching, translating, and annotating Hortus Malabaricus, a 17th-century Latin manuscript compiled by Dutch Governor Hendrik Adrian van Rheede. The 12-volume work, which documented the diverse medicinal plants of Kerala, had been virtually forgotten until Dr. Manilal’s extensive research revived it. His translations of the monumental work were published in English in 2003 and in Malayalam in 2008, making it accessible to both researchers and the general public.

Dr. K.S. Manilal receiving Jaiva Jagrata Puraskaram from then Speaker of the Kerala Assembly P. Sreeramakrishnan in 2018.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

He obtained his doctorate from Sagar University and joined Kerala University in 1964. He later served at various universities and academic research institutes such as the University of London, the University of North Wales, the National Museum of Natural History, the Royal Botanical Garden Rijks Herbarium in Washington, DC, and the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. He retired as Head of Botany department, Calicut University.

Dr. Manilal’s dedication to reviving Hortus Malabaricus began in 1958 and spanned decades of tireless work. Under his guidance, the first English and Malayalam editions of the text were produced, providing invaluable insight into Kerala’s flora. This work became a cornerstone in the study of Indian plant diversity, especially in the context of the Silent Valley and Kozhikode, areas where Dr. Manilal led groundbreaking studies on plant biodiversity. His research not only enhanced the understanding of Kerala’s unique plant life but also played a critical role in conserving these ecosystems.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Manilal authored over 200 research papers and 11 books, including notable works such as Flora of Calicut (1982), Flora of Silent Valley (1988), Botany and History of Hortus Malabaricus (1980), and Hortus Malabaricus and The Socio-Cultural Heritage of India (2012). His studies led to the discovery of 19 new plant species, with four species being named in his honour. Dr. Manilal’s work also contributed significantly to the revival of plant taxonomy, a field that had been overlooked by many Indian researchers.

Leadership role

Dr. Manilal held several key leadership positions in the field of botany. He was the founding president of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy (IAAT) in 1989 and served as the chief editor of Reedia, the journal of the IAAT, from 1991. He also served as president of the Botanical Society of India in 1999 and treasurer from 1984 to 1986.

Dr. Manilal received numerous prestigious awards, including the Vishwambhar Puri Medal (1990), the Y.D. Tyagi Gold Medal (1998), and the E.K. Janaki Ammal Taxonomy Award (2003) from the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020 for his exceptional contributions to botany. His international accolades include the Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau award from the Netherlands, presented by Queen Beatrix in 2012, making him the first Asian to receive this honour.

Dr. Manilal retired from Calicut University in 1999 but continued his work by founding the Centre for Research in Indigenous Knowledge, Science, and Culture (CRIKSC) in Kozhikode. The centre publishes the research journal Samagra, dedicated to preserving and promoting indigenous knowledge and culture.

He is survived by his wife Jyotsna, daughter Anita, and son-in-law K.P. Preethan.