'Unsung Hero': Anand Mahindra Pays Tribute To The Woman Who Made India A Sugarcane Powerhouse
Botanist Dr Janaki Ammal played a key role in reshaping India’s sugarcane industry through cross-breeding techniques.
While India’s progress in agriculture and science is widely acknowledged, the individuals driving these advances often remain in the shadows. Among them is the late Dr Janaki Ammal, the botanist whose innovations reshaped the country’s sugarcane industry.
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra took to X to praise her contributions to the sugarcane industry and the country.
“India is the world’s 2nd-largest sugarcane producer. But the woman who made it possible slipped into the footnotes of our history. Hers is an extraordinary story of courage, ambition and service. She is an outstanding role model for all young Indian women,” Mahindra posted on X.
“Yet how many children today could name her in a GK quiz? Unsung heroes, especially women scientists, should not remain unsung,” he added.
Despite playing a vital role in India’s agricultural history, much of her legacy remains unknown to young learners as Dr Janaki Ammal doesn't feature in school books.
The post generated several reactions.
One user said, “Recognising the remarkable contributions of scientists like Dr Janaki Ammal is the real measure of progress. Her story shows how the talent of women can drive transformative change for the nation.”
Another wrote, “The forgotten Indian icon who deserves to be remembered. Her work continues to shape Indian agriculture even today.”
Dr Janaki Ammal was born in a middle-class family on Nov. 4, 1897, in Tellichery, Kerala.
After schooling in Thalassery, Ammal secured a bachelor’s degree at Queen Mary’s College, Madras, and a master’s from Presidency College. In an age when Indian women’s access to higher education was limited, she was granted the Barbour Scholarship to attend the University of Michigan.
Focusing on cytology, she made history in 1931 as the first Indian woman to earn a doctorate in Botany.
Upon her return to India, she took up a position at the Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore, where she collaborated with CA Barber. Her work centred on creating hybrid varieties, notably the intergeneric cross SG 63–32, which played a vital role in advancing sugarcane farming, as per Mathrubhumi.
During that period, India’s sugarcane crops were characterised by low sugar content and relied heavily on imports from Papua New Guinea. Ammal’s pioneering hybrid cross-breeding efforts resulted in sweeter, higher-yielding sugarcane varieties adapted to Indian conditions. Her innovation helped shift India from a sugarcane importer to a major global producer.
