Dharni Dhar Awasthi, an internationally acknowledged botanical scholar and an expert in the field of lichenology, passed away peacefully on 21 August 2011 at Lucknow, India, as a result of a cardiac arrest while on the way to hospital. He was born to Chandra Devi and Hari Ballabh Awasthi, the second son of three siblings, on the auspicious day of Navratra Maha-Ashtami on 28 September 1922 (however, according to official records his date of birth is given as 1 August 1922) at Naret, a small village in the former estate of Askote in the district of Pithoragarh (formerly Almora) of Kumaun Himalaya in Uttrakhand (formerly United Province and Uttar Pradesh). He attended a District Board School near Naret and the King George VI Coronation High School, Pithoragarh, before attending the Government Intermediate College, Almora in 1941. He received his BSc in 1943 and MSc (Botany) in 1945 from Lucknow University.
While working as a research student in mycology at Lucknow University, Awasthi received training in systematic botany and taxonomy at Calcutta (now Kolkata) Botanical Garden and Herbarium in 1946–48. It was during this period that he developed a life long passion for lichenology. He obtained his PhD in botany from Lucknow University in 1961, but during the period 1960–1963 he worked with Prof. William A. Weber as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Colorado, USA, which awarded him a second doctorate in 1962.
Awasthi was a faculty member at the Department of Botany, Lucknow University, from 1952 to 1982, where he taught systematic botany and taxonomy to undergraduates and postgraduates, as well as making major contributions to Indian lichenology through his research. He also found time to discharge his duties as President of the University's Rowing and Swimming Club from 1966–1970. After retirement in 1982 he continued working at Lucknow University, initially as an Emeritus Scientist of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and from 1987 to 1990 as a Senior Scientist for the Indian National Science Academy (INSA).
During his long tenure at Lucknow University, Awasthi guided many PhD students who have subsequently made significant contributions in the field of lichenology, including M. R. Agarwal, K. P. Singh, S. R. Singh, Ajay Singh, P. Akhtar, M. Joshi, D. K. Upreti and L. R. Sharma. He was a sharp observer, critical reviewer, strict disciplinarian and hard taskmaster who expected high quality performance from his students. With his vast experience, Awasthi together with his students undertook several lichen collecting expeditions in the western Himalayan, southern and western regions of India, collecting over 40 000 specimens. He built up one of India's finest lichen herbaria at Lucknow University through academic leadership, dedication, passion, capability and diligence. He also maintained a personal herbarium and amassed an extensive library of classical and recent literature through his European and American contacts. Studies of these collections made it possible for him to revise almost all of the macrolichen genera of India, contributing c. 70 research papers in peer reviewed journals (see British Lichen Society Bulletin 110: 175–178, 2012) besides several books, including Catalogue of the Lichens from India, Nepal, Pakistan and Ceylon (1965), A monograph of the lichen genus Dirinaria (1991), A key to the microlichens of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka (1991), A Hand Book of Lichens (2000), Lichenology in Indian Subcontinent, a Supplement to “A Hand Book of Lichens” (2000), A Compendium of the Macrolichens from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka (2007) and Foliicolous Lichens of The World: a Review (2010).
Awasthi was recognized and honoured by the scientific community at large for his valuable contributions to lichenology. He was elected a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, in 1978 and a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi (INSA), in 1984. He was a recipient of the Panchanan Maheshwari Memorial Lecture Award from the Indian National Science Academy in 1991 and the prestigious Acharius Medal from the International Association for Lichenology in 1992. He was made an honorary member of the British Lichen Society in 1993, and was also a member of the Indian Mycological Society, the American Bryological and Lichenological Society, the Society of Sigma XI (USA) and the International Association for Lichenology. He played a pivotal role in establishing lichenological studies in the Indian subcontinent and is aptly known as the “Father of Indian Lichenology”. The genera Awasthiella and Awasthia and several species have been named in his honour.
Awasthi was married in 1951, his highly supportive wife Shanti (née Joshi) dying in 2003. They were blessed with three children and five grandchildren. It was a privilege for me to work with him as a research student for about seven years and we remained closely associated until his death. Born into a religious minded family, he was a man of principle who led a disciplined, simple, ethical life. He was greatly admired by many and will be sorely missed.
