COUNCIL MEMBERS OF MSI

1. Dr N.S. Atri, Dept. of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala-147 002, Punjab, Indianarinderatri04@yahoo.com
2. Dr J. Savitha, Department of Microbiology, Bangalore University, Jnanabharathi, Bangalore – 560 056, India.
3. Prof. S.F. Rodrigues, Department of Botany, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa-403206.felinov@gmail.com
4. Dr A. Anantapadmanabhan, Scientist, Microbial Type Culture Collection (MTCC), Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39-A, Chandigarh – 160 036, India
5. Dr.V. Kaviyarasan3, Devsmruti Above Dena Bank, Jageshwari (E) Mumbai-400060, India
6. Dr Sasirekha Suresh Kumar, 3, Devsmruti Above Dena Bank, Jageshwari (E) Mumbai-400060, India

MEETINGS

One of the activities of the Society is holding an annual meeting every year at different places in India. Usually along with the annual meeting a symposium on different aspects of mycology will be conducted. Apart from the Presidential address, The Shome Memorial and Agnihotrudu Endowment Lectures will also be delivered. During the symposium, both invited and contributed papers will be presented. Young mycologists will be encouraged to present posters. Every year one best oral presentation and one best poster presentation will be awarded with the ‘Prof. M.J. Thirumalachar Merit Award’

The Mycological Society of India held its 36th Annual meeting and organized the National Seminar on “Fungal Biodiversity & Bioprospecting in the age of Global warming during October 29-30, 2009of at Goa University, Goa on the 29th October 2009. The conference was attended by 140 delegates and included invited lectures, oral and poster presentations. The Conference was inaugurated by Shri Pratapsingh Rane, Hon. Speaker, Goa Assembly. Prof. Dileep Deobagkar, Vice Chancellor of Goa University, Prof. C. Manoharachary, President of the Mycological Society of India, Prof. P.V. Desai, Dean of Life Sciences & Environment, Prof. D.J. Bhat, Convener and Prof. B.F. Rodrigues, Organising Secretary presided over the of the function. Prof. P.V. Desai, Dean, Faculty of Life sciences and Environment, Goa University released the Volume 36 for the year 2008 of KAVAKA, the transactions of the Mycological society of India during the inaugural ceremony.

The Presidential address “My voyage with Fungi” was delivered by Prof. C. Manoharachary, Professor Emeritus, Osmania University. This was followed by Dr. Agnihothrudu memorial award lecture delivered by Prof. T. Satyanarayana, University of Delhi, Delhi. He elaborated upon thermophilic moulds and their importance in biotechnological applications.

Two parallel technical sessions were held after lunch. Each session started with an invited lecture. Prof. Yashpal Sharma spoke on wild edible fungi in some regions of West Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir in one of the session. Prof. D. J. Bagyaraj’s invited talk on ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was delivered in a parallel session. Both the sessions were followed with oral presentations especially from young mycologists on different aspects such as diversity, enzyme productions, active compounds from fungi, molecular diversity of soil fungi, fresh water hyphomycetes. These sessions were followed by poster sessions in respective areas. There was also another invited talk by Dr. Absar Ahmad on the biological synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials using fungi before the MSI general body meeting.

The MSI conducted the Annual General Body meeting in the evening of 29 October to elect new office bearers of the MSI for the year 2010 and also to pass some resolutions.

The Agnihotrudu memorial lecture for the year 2010 will be delivered by Prof. D.J. Bagyaraj and the Shome memorial lecture by Prof. Badraiah, Chairman, Department of Botany, Osmania University, Hyderabad.

The next meeting of MSI for the year 2010 will be in Osmania University, Hyderabad.

A resolution was passed in the meeting where Dr. M. Sudhakara Reddy, Treasurer was authorized to negotiate with Springer and take decision to publish the KAVAKA journal from Springer publishers from the year 2011.

The second day of the conference (30th October 2009) began with Dr. Shome memorial lecture by Dr. M. Sudhakara Reddy. He emphasized on the diversity of Cantharellaceae from Western Himalaya region and their associated bacteria. This was followed by two parallel sessions with two invited lectures by Prof. B.M. Sharma on Mushrooms in Human health and by Prof. P. Mehta on biotechnology of Claviceps. There were oral presentations in both sessions on different aspects like role of AM fungi on plant growth promotion, fungal endophytes as potential source for anticancer compounds, biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles, antimicrobial activity of lichens, production of bioactive compounds by fungi. This was followed by poster sessions in respective areas.

As a special societal interaction initiative, a meeting was organized at the Goa University's DETI studio between Goa's farmers and horticulturists and the mycologists, including Dr. S.B. Sullia, Prof. Bhagyaraj, Prof. Manoharachary and Prof. Bhagyanarayana, who answered various queries. About 25 farmers from all over Goa participated. The programme began at 11.00 h with an introduction by Prof. D.J.Bhat and was then anchored in English and the local language Konkani by Dr. Nandkumar Kamat. Questions relating to crop diseases, weeds, organic farming, biofertilizers etc. were asked. The interactive programme ended with concluding remarks from the environmental journalist and activist Shri Rajendra Kerkar. The farmer participants thanked the organizing committee for this unique initiative.

The final session of the conference began with the invited lecture by Dr. D. Ananthapadmanabhan, who elaborated on conservation of fungal resources by the Indian Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh. This was followed by some oral presentations on PCP degradation by fungi, role of marine fungi in bioremediation and Onychomycosis- a potential threat to gardeners.

The Registrar of Goa University, Prof. M.M. Sangodkar was the chief guest of the valedictory function which was graced by Mr. Sanjit Rodrigues, the Director of industries, Trade and Commerce, Govt. of Goa, and Dr. Sangam Kurade, the Vice president of Goa Industries Association, who pioneered commercial mushroom production in Goa. Prof. B.F. Rodrigues, the organizing secretary welcomed and presented the report of the seminar. The outgoing President of MSI, Prof. Manoharachary offered his remarks and on behalf of the delegates, while Prof. Shridhar and Dr. Prakash gave their impressions about the overall organization. Mr. Sanjit Rodrigues and Dr. Kurade made brief speeches and the joint organizing secretary Dr. Nandkumar Kamat offered vote of thanks.

The 36th Annual Mycological Society meeting was held at Goa University during October 2009 along with a conference and new office bearers were elected