Bio Data
Name
: NEERU PRAKASH
Date of Birth
: 20th August’ 1959, Luck now
Present Position
: Scientist ‘F’
Address: Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow 226007, INDIA
email: neerup_in @yahoo.com
Phone +91-0522-2742997 (O); +91- 09452465156 (Mobile)
Fax: +91-522-2740485
Education:
B.Sc. Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, with 1st class in 1979 from University of
Lucknow
2. M. Sc. Botany, with 1st class in 1981- University of Lucknow
3. Ph. D. Botany, 1989- (Palaeobotany) Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, awarded
from University of Lucknow
1.
Proficiency in French from Lucknow University
Title of the Thesis: Contributions to the Mesozoic flora of India
Member of academic bodies:
1. Life member – The Palaeobotanical Society, Lucknow
2. Life member-The Electron Microscopy Society of India
Research Interests:
Research areas:
Upper Gondwana plant Mega Fossils, Biodiversity, Phytogeography,
Palaeoecology and Palaeoclimatology
Research work done mainly on plant mega fossils of Jurassic-Cretaceous
deposits of various sedimentary basins of India viz,
● Rajmahal Basin (Bihar),
● Mahanadi and Krishna –Godavari basins, East Coast
● South Rewa and Satpura basins, Madhya Pradesh
● Cuticular study of gymnospermous (Conifer and Bennettitalean ) leaves
● Study of biodegradation of leaf cuticles
Presently working on Kachchh and Saurashtra basins of Western India under the five year
plan projects of the Institute.
Research Experience:
Thirty years of research experience in the field of Indian Mesozoic Gondwana plant mega
fossils. Major part of the research includes palaeo-floristic (palaeo-vegetation analysis),
biostratigraphy, phytogeography, age determination and palaeoecological interpretations.
Field Experience Extensive field experience on geological excursions undertaken for collection
of plant megafossils throughout India viz., Rajmahal (Jharkhand); Mahanadi, Krishna-Godavari
basins (East–Coast), Satpura–South Rewa basins (Madhya Pradesh), Kachahh and Saurashtra
basins (Gujarat), India
Visits Abroad
In connection with different palaeobotanical/palaeontological conferences deputed to following
places1. 7th European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference, held in Prague, Czech Republic
during 3rd –11th September 2006
2.
8th International Congress on ‘Jurassic System’ held at Shehong of Suining, Sichuan, China
during 9th- 13th August 2010.
3. International Symposium on Geology & Palaeontology held at Yichun, China, during 22nd 26th August 2011
Editor
Geophytology (w.e.f. January 2013)
List of Publicatiobns:
1987 Pandya, N. Geographic distribution of Genus Cycadopteris during Upper Gondwana.
Palaeobotanist 36 : 205-206.
1990 Pandya, N. Srivastava, V. B. & Sukh-Dev. A new conifer fossil from Vemavaram (Early
Cretaceous) Andhra Pradesh, India. Geophytology 20: (1): 74.
1990 Singh, R.S., Pandya, N. & Sukh-Dev. Equisetites sehoraensis sp. nov. from Jabalpur
Formation, Madhya Pradesh. Geophytology 20 (1): 72-73.
1994 Prakash, N. & Sukh-Dev. Fossil flora of Athgarh Formation Geophytology 24 (2): 219228.
1994 Rajanikanth, A. & Prakash, N. Indian Gondwana: Annotated Synopses vol.2. Pt.4 Mesozoic Megafossil 1-68.
1994 Pandya N. & Sukh-Dev. Fossil flora of Gollapalle Formation Palaeobotanist 49:57-64.
1996 Srivastava, S.C. & Prakash, N. Helically arranged aggregated scale leaves from the
Triassic (Nidpur bed) beds of Gondwana. Gondwana 9: 465-470
1998 Prakash, N. The Genus Phlebopteris in Indian Gondwana. Indian Fern Journal.15:49-57
2000 Prakash, N. Floral diversity of two fossil sites (Dudhkol & Sitalpur) of Rajmahal
Formation, Bihar, India. Palaeobotanist 49:57-64.
2000 Srivastava, S.C. and Prakash, N. Climatic Fluctuations Based on Two Hundred Million
Years Old -Triassic) Plants in Indian Peninsula: A Significant advances in Botany.
Glimpses in Botany eds. Mukherjii, K.G., et al.), pp. 80-98.
2001 Srivastava, S.C., Manik, S.R. & Prakash, N. Observation on Triassic Seeds with Remarks
on their Morphology in Fossil State. Botanical Eassays: Tribute to Prof. Bahadur Singh,
pp. 183-216.
2003 Prakash, N. Fossil flora of the Chui Hill, Jabalpur Formation, Satpura Basin , Madhya
Pradesh. Palaeobotanist 52 :63-71.
2004 Prakash, N. & Madhav Kumar. Occurrence of Gingko Linn. in Early Cretaceous deposits
of South Rewa Gondwana Basin, Madhya Pradesh. Current Science 87: 63-71
2004 Prakash, N. & A. Rajanikanth. Podocarpoxylon bansaense n. sp. from the Bansa beds,
South Rewa Gondwana Basin. Palaeobotanist 53 :177-180
2004 Kumar M., Usha Bajpai, Prakash N., Shukla, M. & Srivastava, G. P.
Biodegradation of leaf cuticles during fossilisation: A preliminary study. Journal of
Palaeontological Society of India 49: 151-157.
2004. Prakash N. Reappraisal of Athgarh flora with remarks on its age. Geophytology
34:101-104
2004 Prakash, N 2004 Kumar M., Usha Bajpai, Prakash N., Shukla, M. & Srivastava, G P
Biodegradation of leaf cuticles during fossilisation: A preliminary study. Journal of
Palaeontological Society of India 49: 151-157
2005 Ram-Awatar, Kumar M. & Prakash N. Palynological analysis of lower Gondwana
sediments exposed along the Umrar River, South Rewa Gondwana Basin. Palaeobotanist
54 :87-97.
2008 Prakash, Neeru Diversity in Jurassic-Cretaceous Pteridophytes of India In: Trivedi,
PC (ed.) Palaeobotany to Modern Botany: pp. 22-42, Prof. B.D.Sharma Felicitation
Volume, pointer publishers, Jaipur,
2008 Prakash, N Biodiversity and palaeoclimatic interpretation of Upper Gondwana deposits
of Jabalpur Formation, Satpura Basin (M.P) India. Palaeoworld 17(3-4):253-263.
2009 Tiwari, R, Madhav Kumar and Prakash, N. Early Cretaceous megaspore from
Sher river section, Sehora, Satpura Gondwana Basin, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Phytomorphology 59 (1 &2) 7-20
2010 Prakash, N. (2010) Conifer diversity in Sehora, Jabalpur Formation, Satpura
Basin,India. Geoscience Frontiers 199-201
2011 Prakash N and Madhav Kumar Variations in Bennettitalean leaves of the Indian
Gondwana Palaeobotanist 60:369-376
Catalogues :
Rajanikanth, A. & Prakash, N (1994) Indian Gondwana. Annotated Synopsis Vol. II: Part IV:
Mesozoic megafossils, pp. 1-68
Some Recent Conferences attended and Abstract Published:
♣ Prakash, N. (2005) Diversity in Jurassic-Cretaceous Pteridophytes of India. published in
Diamond jubilee National conference on Challenges in Indian Palaeobiology –Current Status,
Recent developments and Future directions” held during 15- 16th Nov’. 2005 at Birbal Sahni
Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow, p 93
♣ Prakash, Neeru 2006 Biodiversity in Upper Gondwana deposits of Jabalpur
Satpura Basin (M.P) India”. Presented in 7th European Palaeobotany and
Conference, held in Prague, Czech Republic during 3rd –11th September2006
Formation,
Palynology
♣Prakash, Neeru 2006
Early Cretaceous flora of Satpura Basin: Its Implication in Late
Gondwana phytogeography and climate, India, presented in Diamond Jubilee International
Conference on Changing Scenario in Palaeobotany and Allied Subjects and held at BSIP,
Lucknow, during 15-17th November 2006, p.69.
♣ Prakash, N. and Madhav Kumar (2006) Early Cretaceous flora of Satpura Basin: Its
implication in late Gondwana phytogeography and climate, published in National conference on
.Changing scenarioin palaeobotany and allied subjects, p. 69.
♣Prakash, Neeru (2006)- Biodiversity in Upper Gondwana deposits of Jabalpur Formation,
Satpura Basin (M.P) India, published in 7th
European Palaeobotany and Palynology
Conference, held at Prague, Czech Republic, p. 108.
♣ Prakash, Neeru 2007
Palaeobiology of sedimentary deposits exposed around Taken area
of South Rewa Basin, Madhya Pradesh
XXI Colloq. Micropalaeontol. Stratigr., BSIP,
Lucknow, November 2007, p 132.
♣ Prakash, Neeru 2008 Mesozoic seed ferns of Indian Gondwana: Its present status, published
in “Plant Life Through Ages” BSIP Lucknow, 16- 17 Nov.2008, pp 116.
♣ Prakash, N. (2010) Vegetation and Palaeoclimate upper Gondwanas of Satpura Basin.pp
47, In Indo-Brazilian Symposium on Glimpses of Gondwana Research, in B.S.I.P 24 th
November 2010, p. 47.
♣ Prakash, N. (2011) Paleoflorostics and palaeoclimatic interpretation of Sehora, Satpura Basin,
India, pp.81-82, in National Conference on Stratigraphy, Paleontology and palaeoenvironment
held in Department of Geology, university of Rajasthan, Jaipur during 3-5 February 2011, p. 8182 .
♣ Rai, J., Prakash, N., Pandey D.K., Fursich F.T.& Matthias, M. 2011 On earliest record of
bennettitlean plants fossils from the middle Oxfordian Washtawa Formation of Wagad region,
Kutch western India. –Ammonoid and nanofossils evidence, pp 75-77 in National Conference
on Stratigraphy, Paleontology and palaeoenvironment held in Department of Geology,
university of Rajasthan, Jaipur during 3-5 February 2011, p.75-77 .
Article published:
Prakash, Neeru 2007 Pioneer of Indian Palaeobotany - Birbal Sahni (1891-1949) - (For
Website) VIII IOP Conf. Bonn, Germany (August–September, 2008)