Suma Tagadur Sureshchandra

Biography

Achievements: Been working in the area of medicinal plants conservation and traditional knowledge for more than 19 years. 1. Contributed towards project coordination & management of the following centers designated by GoI: a. Environmental Information Systems Centre on Medicinal Plants, supported by MOEF&CC, GoI,since 2006. b. Bio-Resources Information Centre on Indian Medicinal Plants, supported by DBT, GoI, since 2011. 2. Contributed to the design and development of projects/ methodologies for a. Conservation Assessment and Management Prioritization process for Sikkim, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur states by applying IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, version 3.1 (supported by NMPB-SMPB/ SBB) b. Engaged in developing community based methodology titled “Documentation and Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions (DALHT)” in collaboration with 13 NGOs and several CBO in southern India, during 1998-2001 (supported by ETC COMPAS). c. Involved in developing methodology to create “Community Health Knowledge registers/ People’s Bio-Diversity Register” during 1998-2000(supported by ETC COMPAS). d. Conceived and tested an innovative approach to encourage high school students to appreciate the neighborhood medicinal plants along with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan network schools, Bharatiya Vidyapet schools, local schools of Bangalore city, biology teachers and 300 students. An interactive CDROM titled: Neighborhoods Medicinal Plants of Bangalore city, was designed. This can be used as part of Environment Education tools (supported by SDTT corpus). e. Involved in a community based approach for developing methodology for sustainable management of medicinal plants in select locations of Karnataka state (supported by FRP). 3. Been part of comprehensive studies, surveys, biodiversity informatics databases development: a. Presently pursuing doctoral studies titled: Study of Raw Drug Markets in southern India with special reference to genuine, alternatives and adulterants, under Manipal University. b. Been part of the team in National survey for assessment of Demand and supply of medicinal plants in India (2006-07) and Reassessment of Demand and Supply of medicinal plants in India, in collaboration with ICFRE, during 2015-17 (supported by NMPB). c. Contributed in building Multi-facet database on Indian Medicinal Plants and Traditional Knowledge d. Been part of the comprehensive documentation and assessment of local health in southern India during 1998-2000 across 13 project sites spread across Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra. Documented 1500 households and 1000 folk healers. A comprehensive database was developed related to the same. (supported by ETC COMPAS) e. Been part of FRLH botanical team and surveyed select forest types of Sikkim, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, and southern India and contributed to voucher specimen collections and raw drug repository f. Medicinal Plants inventorization at regional or state levels- Lahual Spiti and Ladakh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand. 4. Contributed to and guided websites, CDROMs, Android Apps projects, applications such as: a. Websites: envis.frlht.org, bric-medplant.org, homeremedy.in, frlhtenvis.nic.in, envis.frlht.org/sikkim/ b. Mobile Apps: Neighborhood Medicinal Plants of Bangalore City version 0.4.0, 2016. ENVIS app on Indian Medicinal Plants, 2016; Indian Medicinal Plants of Conservation Concern, 2016; healing remedies, 2017. c. CDROMs: Inventory of medicinal and aromatic plants of Sikkim, Neighborhood Medicinal Plants of Bangalore city, Clinically Important Plants in Ayurveda. d. Documentation tools: LHTs software application. 5. Training/ Outreach/ resource person: Served as Resource person in various training programs of Conservation Education and Training wing , CAMP process, outreach activities etc

Research Interest

• Trade and economic development: demand and supply of medicinal plants • Ethno botanical studies ( Biodiversity, Traditional Knowledge, Local Culture) • Conservation: Conservation Assessment and Management Prioritization (CAMP) • Biodiversity Informatics and its application • Innovative Environmental Awareness / Botanic Garden Education Programs for schools, Garden Interpretation and Extension, Citizen Science Forum, Consumer Awareness Programs (Pharmacovigilance of plant drugs).