2024-01-10 by Bakul Piplani
IndiaAsksWhy meets Dr Mukesh Lodha
Listen to the full episode, here
“I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world”
Who doesn’t remember these opening lines from the song ‘What a Wonderful World’! Well, isn’t it a fact that the world would be less beautiful without green plants and their colourful flowers? Did you know there are about 4,00,000 known species of flowering plants in the world? In this episode of IndiaAsksWhy, two curious young listeners, Anushka and Hamsini, join Utsuka and Jigyasa as they drift into the colourful world of flowering plants! Together they discover the answers to questions like why and how flowers bloom and where they get their beautiful colours and fragrances from! They are joined on this journey by Dr. Mukesh Lodha, a plant scientist at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, who throws light on the complex process of flowering and the tiny molecules involved in it.
During his journey as a plant scientist, Dr. Lodha worked with very different plant systems, from the microscopic single-cellular algae Chlamydomonas to the mustard family plant called Arabidopsis. At CCMB, Dr. Lodha and his team of young scientists study the processes that are involved in the growth and development of plants, such as flowering. In their lab, they grow plants in chambers and rooms with a controlled environment where they maintain regular temperature and light-dark cycles. They then extract and study tiny molecules called proteins, DNA, and RNA from these plants at different times. Often, they use fancy machines to set up chemical reactions with these molecules in tiny tubes.
Did we tell you that Dr. Lodha was the first scientist in his family? What’s more, he had never met a scientist till he completed school, and so, like many of our young listeners, he didn’t know what being a scientist is truly like! Curious to know more about his journey and what inspired him to become a plant scientist? He shares that having spent his childhood in a small village, away from all forms of information about the happenings in the world, he was captivated and inspired by his father’s garden of flowering plants. Eventually, he took up a B.Sc. in plant sciences and an M.Sc. in botany before beginning his research career in plant development, slowly discovering his interests and carving his own unique career path. Inspiring, isn’t it? He says it was like a roller-coaster ride, full of ups and downs, but that he enjoyed the journey that took him to where he is today.
That brings us to the most awaited part of our chat with a scientist, their message for our young listeners and readers, and Dr. Lodha has some very important messages to share. He emphasizes that every person is unique and will have a unique career trajectory. So, young students like you should give their best and focus on learning as much as possible without the pressure to become something very early in life. From his own experience, he highlights the importance of discovering your interests and passions on the journey. For budding scientists, he stresses the importance of being curious, asking questions, and learning without being afraid of the difficulties along the path.
So, stay curious and listen to Utsuka and Jigyasa as they, along with Anushka and Hamsini, chat with Dr. Mukesh Lodha about his research on flowering plants! Leave your messages and questions on our website, and we’ll be happy to take them up! :)
References:
- Shreya Dasgupta. (2016) How many plant species are there in the world? Scientists now have an answer. Available at https://news.mongabay.com/2016/05/many-plants-world-scientists-may-now-answer/
- Joseph Howlett. (2023) Nearly half of the world’s flowering plants face the threat of extinction, study says. Available at https://news.mongabay.com/2023/12/nearly-half-of-the-worlds-flowering-plants-face-the-threat-of-extinction-study-says/
- Shakunthala Natarajan. (2023) Why do flowers bloom? IndiaAsksWhy. Available at https://www.indiaaskswhy.org/blog/2024-01-03-why-and-how-flowers-bloom/
- Mukesh Lodha | CSIR - Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology. Available at https://www.ccmb.res.in/Research/Research-Groups/Mukesh-Lodha
