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Professor Som Deva -
A
Botanist, Philospher and Perfectionist
Sachin Biswas
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" In taxonomy think twice before answering a question”.
Those were the first words I heard in the class with roar of a
lion and scold of my Godfather. In DAV Degree College, Dehradun
where Prof. Som Deva, later respectably called 'Guruji' used to
have our classes in the subject of Botany. Classes used to have
house full sometimes noticeable with students taking down notes
on his discourse, peeping through the windows. He was a
charismatic teacher with pleasing personality.
He had wonderful dress code seen during winter bearing each day
a new neck tie and shades of tweed coat. In fact I found in him
God's perfect blending of a teacher and a philosopher. Among the
class fellows in the college I learnt that many of them used to
attend his classes to experience his voice, learn vocabulary and
elegant style of teaching. He became my botanist model since I
attended his first class in the year 1968. He always used to say
that the teacher and students should freely interact and be
friends after the class. Interesting part of accompanying with
him on a botanical excursion was when he used to ask each of the
students to keep individuals' eatables and tiffin at one place
and partake collectively discussing on the days trails in the
forest. This would help in developing bondage and association
among the teachers and students. He used to believe that if
fraternity lies because of any subject, it is botany. |
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In the year in 1970 when I got
admitted in Post Graduate Degree course in Botany from DAV
College, I got an ample opportunity to come closer
(taxonomically) to Prof. Som Deva. Having become a favourite of
him for my interest in the subject of plant taxonomy my class
friends seemed envious. I still do vividly remember that
particular moment when he called me one day in the class and
showed me the taxonomic wonder of 'bearded filaments of Cynotis
(Commelinaceae) and glandularly hairy glume of Cynodon arcuatus
which otherwise resembles with common doob (Cynodon dactylon) of
lawn. I was assigned a topic to work on the systematics of
grasses of Haridwar Siwaliks in 1971.The devotion to study
taxonomy of grasses made him to permit me to work in his private
Herbarium and library at 13, Balbir Avenue, Dehradun. |
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His untimely loss on the 29th
January 2005 is great loss to those who believe in the
perfection of plant taxonomy through field studies and
integration with modern trends. About the location of the plant
sample or specimen he used to insist on its perfect address so
much so that "if a letter is sent to the plant from which a
collection of sample has been made, it should reach to that".
One could see a testimony to this fact in the Herbarium Som Deva.
Besides, it is relevant in present context to the use of RS/
GPS. He used to believe that the process involved in the correct
identification and conformity of the identity of a plant is not
lesser than worship in order to reveal the truth behind the
mystery and whisper of nature. Often he used to quote from the
inscription on the Humayuan's tomb "truth is the means of
pleasing God, I have not seen a man lost on the right road".
While accompanying him on long field trips in Bhagirathi and
Yamuna valleys, I found him very friendly with the locals,
paandas, Nepali and Bhutia coolies. They used to bow with
respect before him. Prof. Som Deva would ask them about the
phenolgy of flora in his own way by asking to them, “Yatra kaisi
chal rahi hai, kaun, kaun se pairo per phool hain" (How is the
pilgrimage season going on? Which are those plants with
flowering and foliage?). Besides, he would ask the locals about
the welfare of their families, addition to the family, earning
etc. He was very generous to them. In a Rest House in the
interior of Himalaya, I found him removing the curtains in mid
night to place on a coolie-engaged for changing plant presses,
shivering from severe cold.
Critical philosophy of Prof. Som Deva on the physiographic and
floristic circumscription of Doon valley and adjoining
sub-Himalayan and Siwalik tracts removed the ambiguity over the
botanical territory which helps in checking the prolific
publications from the area having botanical history of over 150
years. He was a keen observer and recorder with sighting
capacity of a tiger in woods, monitor lizard on bow of a tree
and remote sensing satellite. Some of his published works are on
Golatapper swamps, Mothronwala swamps, Cyperaceae, Eremostachys,
orchids etc. Discovery of ban oak (Quercus leucotrichophora)in
threatened swamps of Doon valley, Kadamb (Anthocephalus
chinensis) in Golatapper swamp forests, presumably introduced by
Nepali settlers long ago, rediscovery of Eremostachys superba in
Doon siwaliks in 1960s and presently surviving by less than 25
individuals and many new records of occurrence of plants deserve
worthy of mention for his scientific pursuits.
He can be referred to as “Prince of Indian Field Botany”, flora
being his teacher and subjects.
Prof. Som Deva was a wonderful photographer, many of his slide
film transparencies if converted in to CD, may reveal mystery
and the beauty of Himalayan landscape and flora. He had artistic
fingers and always insisted on supporting a description with
well-tailored figures. One could see the marvels of such works
in his famed Orchids of North West Himalayas, besides numerous
such figures on the specimens preserved in his Herbarium. His
artistic skills have contributed immensely towards better
understanding of floral structure of grasses, sedges, bamboos,
Scrophulariaceae, orchids etc. A species of bamboo named in his
honour, Dendrocalamus somdevai, being a discovery to the science
was mainly on account of its floral structure as dissected and
illustrated by him.
Till his last few days despite his fragile health he kept him
updated on the floristics and taxonomic botany of the country
and out side. I found him totally transformed into the elements
of botany. He used to say often that he loves to live closer to
nature, even after his death. His attachment with the subject of
botany and nature was supernatural. Right are the words of a
proverb go "God does His biggest works through that person who
does not care about taking credit". His magnus opus lies in his
strength and spirit with which he developed a unique collection
and treatise on significant species and instills inspiration to
follow and impart his principles and teachings.
Sachin (Dr. Sas. Biswas)
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