The Marathi Vigyan Parishad has overlooked a very eminent senior Parsi botanist and family friend, Dr Rustamji D. Asana (pictured) while featuring six other Parsis ("Eminent botanists,” Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, July 21, 2018). He was one of the earliest Parsi research botanists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute of India even before it moved from Patna to New Delhi in 1936.
Parsiana had carried an interesting article on Asana’s life and achievements ("Stalwarts of science,” August 21, 2008) by a fellow Californian and one named amongst the 100 in Parishad’s book, Dr Ardeshir Damania.
After retirement Asana settled down in Valsad on Tithal Road, where I met him before he passed away not so long ago.
To not include him amongst the 100 would be demeaning to his lifetime research.
I wonder if anyone from the Delhi Parsi Anjuman has taken up the matter to get its once eminent resident recognized and to correct the records to include him in the list. Let us not forget the outstanding contribution of this brilliant Parsi botanist from the recent past.
RUSI SORABJI
California
rustam@sorabji.org
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