The global plant science community as well as the agricultural scientists over the world are excitedly discussing over the ‘Perspective’ entitled, "Revisiting the foundation era of plant genomics with a commentary on the pioneering contributions of Prof. Chittaranjan Kole" published recently in the journal, ‘The Plant Genome’ (Plant Genome. 2026;19:e70276. https:// doi.org/10.1002/ tpg2. 70276) that enumerates the pioneering contributions of Prof. Chittaranjan Kole to the foundation of 'plant genomics' during the 1980s and 1990s. Publication of a whole article in an international journal is a rare feat for a scientist, and only a few scientists like Prof. Kole deserve it!
This article has been contributed by 24 scientists of three generations from as many as 12 countries covering Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and North America. It is overwhelming to find many pioneering scientists including Prof. Jinfa Zhang, Director of School of Agriculture, Tennessee Tech, USA; Dr. Jauhar Ali, Principal Scientist - Research Unit Leader - Hybrid Rice Technology for Industry, Head - Hybrid Rice Development Consortium (HRDC), and Project Leader and Coordinator for Asia & East South Asia - Green Super Rice (GSR), International Rice Research Institute, The Philippines; Prof. Robert Henry, former Director and Emeritus Professor of Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Australia; Prof. Prof. Yong Pyo Lim, President of Human friendly Agricultural Research Institute, South Korea; Prof. Ferdinando Branca from the University of Catania and Chair of the Division on Vegetable, Roots and Tubers of International Society of Horticultural Science,; and many eminent scientists including Dr. Madhugiri Nageswara-Rao from United States Department of Agriculture, Prof. Renate Horn from the Rostock University, Germany and Dr. Olga Danilevskaya from DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, Iowa, USA (she also happens to be the wife of Dr. EV Ananiev, the Guru of Prof. Kole on plant molecular genetics and biotechnology).
These scientists have critically reviewed the contributions of Prof. Kole to plant molecular evolution, genetics, genomics and breeding using various model and crop plants, some of which, according to them, are first in the world and most are first as an Indian scientist. They went even one step further to reconfirm his recognition as "the Father of Plant Genomics in India".
The tribute also narrated his pioneering works done on agri-nanotechnology at Clemson University, USA, and plant proteomics in India, along with outstanding works done on plant genomics in India and USA. It also briefs on his works as the Founder President of two international consortia - International Climate Resilient Crop Genomics Consortium and International Phytomedomics and Nutriomics Consortium, and the Genome India International, and also his great academic contributions by publishing over 200 books.
The authors have elegantly depicted the multifaceted legendary scientist and the discovery of novel molecular concepts and innovative strategies of plant sciences by his teams in Russia, India, and the USA, and the impact of his research on the transformation of traditional agriculture to high-tech precision breeding that will ensure food, health, nutrition, energy, and environmental security to the entire world!
