G. Rangaswami

Govindachetty Rangaswami (10 May 1925 – 7 September 2005), commonly referred to as G. Rangaswami, was an Indian agricultural scientist and administrator known for his contributions to agricultural microbiology, plant pathology, and sericulture. He served as the Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University from 1971 to 1978 and played a pivotal role in advancing agricultural education and research in India.

Early life and education Rangaswami was born on 10 May 1925 in Kuttapatty village, Madras Presidency. He graduated from the Agricultural College, Coimbatore, in 1946 with distinction in Agricultural Botany and Plant Pathology. His academic excellence earned him two medals for first rank in his class. He continued his academic journey at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, where he undertook an Associateship from 1951 to 1953. In 1956, he earned a Ph.D. from Rutgers State University, New Jersey, under the mentorship of Nobel Laureate Selman A. Waksman.

Career After returning to India in 1956, Rangaswami joined the Mycology Section of the Agricultural College, Coimbatore, where he continued his research in soil microbiology. During his tenure, he expanded academic initiatives and integrated plant pathology and microbiology into broader agricultural studies. He later served as Advisor to the Agriculture of the Planning Commission (1980), and Commonwealth Technical Advisor (Agriculture) in the United Kingdom (1981).

Rangaswami also contributed significantly to the sericulture industry, authoring foundational books in collaboration with the Central Sericulture Research and Training Institute, Mysore. He served as Chairman of the All India Sericulture Research Coordination Committee of the Central Silk Board for two terms (1973–1980). He also received honorary doctorates from institutions such as the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore; Tamil Nadu Agricultural University; and Pondicherry University.

Death Rangaswami died on 7 September 2005, in a car crash.