Prof. K.S. Manilal, esteemed botanist and Emeritus Professor at the University of Calicut, passed away this morning (4 AM January 1, 2025). He spent 35 years researching, translating, and annotating Hortus Malabaricus', the landmark seventeenth century botanical twelve volume compendium about the medicinal plants in Kerala, published by Hendrik van Rheede the then Dutch Governor or Cochin.
The University of Kerala released Prof. Manilal's landmark translations of Hortus Malabaricus in English (2003) and Malayalam (2008), making this seminal work accessible to researchers and the public.
He obtained his doctorate from Sagar University and joined Kerala University in 1964. He later served at various universities and academic research institutes such as the University of London, the University of North Wales, the National Museum of Natural History, the Royal Botanical Garden Rijks Herbarium in Washington, DC, and the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. He retired as Head of Botany Department, Calicut University. He has published more than 200 research papers and 11 books.
He was Chief Editor, Rheedea, The Journal of Indian Association of Angiosperm Taxonomy (1991–present), President, Botanical Society of India (1999), Treasurer, Botanical Society of India (1984–1986), Founding President, Indian Association of Angiosperm Taxonomy (1991) and Chairperson, CRIKSC (Centre for Research in Indigenous Knowledge, Science & Culture)
He has been awarded the Vishwambhar Puri Medal (1990), the YD Tyagi Gold Medal (1998), the EK Janakiammal Taxonomy Award (2003), the Netherlands Government's highest civilian award, Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau award by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and the country has honored him with the Padma Shri (2020)

Dr. B. Ekbal
Former Vice-chancellor of the University of Kerala