title: Vallabhaneni Sita Rama Das, 1933-2010: teacher and mentor.
abstract: We present here the life and research of V. S. Rama Das, a distinguished Indian botanist who specialized in photosynthesis. He was the first to purify chloroplasts that were free of mitochondrial contamination. He then studied C4, C3-C4 intermediate and CAM pathways, as well as their taxonomic distribution in tropical climates. His most valuable legacy is that he, as a philosopher, inspired and guided many students to pursue their research career in India. Also see Narayana and Pullaiah (Eminent Indian Botanists: Past and present: Biographies and contributions, pp 394-401, 2010) and Raghavendra and Reddy (Curr Sci 101:798-799, 2011) for further information on Rama Das.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanobiotechnology, Vision Research Foundation Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 60006, India.
authors.forename: Sailaja V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Elchuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Department of Plant Biology and Center of Biophysics & Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA. gov@illinois.edu.
authors.lastname: Govindjee
mesh_terms: D001901:Botany / Q000266:history*; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008027:Light; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects
keywords: C3–C4 intermediate pathway; C4 metabolism; Daniel Arnon; Light response; Taxonomy; W. O. James