Tikam Singh Rana
Tikam Singh Rana (Hindi: टीकम सिंह राणा) (Dr T.S. Rana), is an Indian plant biologist, specializing in Plant Taxonomy, Conservation Biology, and Molecular Systematics. He is presently working as Chief Scientist, Head and Area Coordinator of the Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium (PDSH) Division at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow. Rana’s contributions to understanding the taxonomy and phylogeny of taxonomically complex and economically important taxa like Murraya sp., Chenopodium sp., Ocimum sp., Jatropha curcas, Taxus sp., Ephedra sp., Acorus calamus, Ficus sp., Sapindus sp., Bergenia sp., Betula sp., Uraria sp., Gymnema sp., etc. employing both phenotypic and molecular markers (RAPD, DAMD, ISSR, AFLP, SSRs and genes from nuclear ribosomal and chloroplast DNAs are exemplary). Rana has immensely contributed towards the capacity building in plant taxonomy and bi-systematics by coordinating hands-on training courses from 2012 to 2018 for young faculty and students pursuing plant taxonomy in Indian Universities and Institutions. Education and career Rana received bachelor's degree (1986-1988) in Chemistry, Zoology, and Botany, and a master's degree (1988-1990) in Botany from the DBS (PG) College, Dehra Dun and DAV (PG) College, Dehra Dun (HNB, Garhwal University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand), respectively. He then joined as Junior Scientist at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute