1996-97 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

I Foreword I
Birbal Salmi Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow is a premier research organisation
under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and is named after
its Founder- the late Professor Birbal Sahni, F.R.S. On April 3, 1949 its Foundation Stone
was laid by Sri Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India. The Institute, started
initially in a room in the University of Lucknow on 10 September, 1946, has now completed
its glorious 50 years and celebrated the Golden Jubilee Year in 1995-96, in its spacious
complex.
Professor Sahni's vision ofth.is Institute was to develop it as an international cenlre
for earth science and palaeobotanical research. He perceived that for a meaningful
understanding of fossil plants, knowledge of living plants, geology and other scientific
allied disciplines was absolutely essential. Palaeobotany not only allows'us glimpses into
the evolutionary history of plants, but helps us more and more accurately to assign the ages
of strata. Its application in earth sciences has overwhelmingly applied from fundamental
research in the sphere of origin of Iife in our Solar System and in the exploitation of economic
mincral deposil on global scale.
The Institute is committed to develop scientific knowledge and expertise on the
varied aspects of earth sciences, palaeobotany and related disciplines. The main objectives
ofthe Institute have been:
• To develop earth scientific application in palaeobotany, including
palaeopalynology, in all its botanical and geological aspects.
• To constantly update the data for international interaction with allied disciplines
in earth sciences.
• To co-ordinate with other knowledge centres in areas or mutual interest such as
early life, exploration of fossil fuels, vegetation dynamics, climatic modelling,
conservation of rorests, etc.
• To publishjournal, monographs, catalogues, etc. and disseminale the scientific
knowledge all over the world keeping its high international standard.
TIle research activities of the Institute during the year 1996-97 were carried out
keeping in view the objectives of the Institute. An integrated and multidisciplinary approach
is adopted to complete the targets or various programmes undertaken in the VITI Five Year
Plan. This yew', four DST sponsored projects were completed and two new ones were
initiated. Being the last yew' of the Vlll Five Year Plan the tW'get and objectives of vW'ious
rrogrammes have been, by and IW'ge, achieved.
During next IX Five Yew' Plan the research activities of the Institute have been
expanded and the following revised thrust w'eas have been identified to steer the inslitute
with wider vision and perspective into 21st Century.