G. Ravikanth

Fellow

Education

  • Ph.D.: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore- 560065, April 2004
  • Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Agriculture: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore- 560065, August 1999
  • Bachelor of Science (Forestry): Forestry College, Ponnompet, South Kodagu -571216 November 1996

Research Interests

  • Conservation Genetics
  • Species Recovery
  • Bioprospecting

Experience

  • November 2008 - till now
    Fellow,
    Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore
  • Jan 2004 - October 2009
    Post Doc Fellow,
    Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore
  • August 2001 to December 2003
    Senior Research Fellow,
    University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560065

Training courses attended

  1. 'DNA based marker technologies and its application in Plant Biology' at Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), Oct 3rd - 13, 2001, New Delhi.
  2. 'Methods in Molecular Ecology' at Centre for DNA fingerprinting and diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad, 18-30 Sep, 2006

Membership and other positions

Awards
  1. Awarded Senior Research Fellow from Indian Council of Agricultural Research for Ph.D. Program
  2. Awarded Silver award for the project 'Conservation of the Myristica Swamps - the highly threatened and unique ecosystem in the Western Ghats, India' by British Petroleum (BP), United Kingdom
Grants received for research
  • Conservation of the Myristica Swamps - the highly threatened and unique ecosystem in the Western Ghats, India, Funded by British Petroleum (BP), United Kingdom (2003-2004, Co-Investigator)
  • Species Recovery program for medicinal plants species in the human-dominated forest landscapes in the Western Ghats, India: towards a concerted approach for the conservation of red listed medicinal plant species. Funded by Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), (2005-2007 Co-Investigator)
  • Measuring the extent of and studying the genetic basis of outbreeding depression in critically endangered tree species: Implications for conservation. Funded by Department of Science and Technology (DST-Young Scientist) (2006-2009, Principal Investigator)
  • Species recovery plan for Semecarpus kathalekanensis: a critically endangered fresh-water swamp species of the Western Ghats. Funded by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi. 2006-2009
  • Recovery of two critically endangered plant species Hubbardia heptaneuron and Ceropegia fantastica, of Western Ghats through the application of biotechnological tools. Funded by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi. 2006-2011
  • DNA bar coding of Rattans and Phyllanthus: For developing fingerprints, resolving taxonomy and securing IPRs. Funded by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi. 2007-2010
  • Genetic variability of Jatropha curcus in few selected populations in India. Funded by Mission Biofuels India Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai. 2007
  • Biotechnological Interventions for conservation and utilization of forest resources. Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi. 2010-2013
  • Development and demonstration of sustainable methods of harvesting of Nothapodytes nimmoniana under different agro-forestry systems for optimizing the production of Campthothecin and related high value metabolites. Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi. 2010-2013

Complete Publications

PUBLICATIONS IN JOURNALS
  1. Ravikanth, G., R.C. Sumangala, L. Naveen Kumar, B.T. Ramesha, R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah, R. Uma Shaanker. 2010. Isolation and characterization of ten microsatellite markers in Semecarpus kathalekanensis, an endangered tree species in the Western Ghats, India'. Molecular Ecology Resources (Accepted)
  2. Srirama R, U. Senthilkumar, G. Ravikanth, Sreejayan N, Gurumurthy B.R, Shivanna, M.B, M. Sanjappa, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2010. Assessing species admixtures in raw drug trade of Phyllanthus, a hepato-protective plant using molecular tools. Journal of Ethno pharmacology 10.1016/j.jep.2010.04.042
  3. Gurudatt, P.S., V. Priti, S. Shweta, B.T. Ramesha, G. Ravikanth, R. Vasudeva, T. Amna, S. Deepika, K.N. Ganeshaiah, R. Uma Shaanker, S. Puri and N. Qazi. 2010. Attenuation of camptothecin production and negative relation between hyphal biomass and camptothecin content in endophytic fungal strains isolated from Nothapodytes nimmoniana Grahm (Icacinaceae). Current Science 98 (8): 1006-1009
  4. Hemmilä, S., P. Mohana Kumara, G. Ravikanth, S. Gustafsson, R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah, R. Uma Shaanker and M. Lascoux. 2010. Development of eleven microsatellite markers in the red-listed tree species Myristica malabarica. Conservation Genetic Resources DOI 10.1007/s12686-010-9212-7
  5. Hemmilä S, M. Lascoux, P. Mohana Kumara, N. Sreejayan, R. Vasudeva, G. Ravikanth, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2010. Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci in the endangered tree species Dysoxylum malabaricum. Molecular Ecology Resources (2010) 10(2): 404-408 (http://tomato.biol.trinity.edu/manuscripts/10-2/mer-09-0405.pdf)
  6. Singh, Shweta., Sebastian Zuehlke, B.T. Ramesha, V. Priti, P. Mohana Kumar, G. Ravikanth, Michael Spiteller, R. Vasudeva, R. Uma Shaanker. 2010. Endophytic fungal strains of Fusarium solani, from Apodytes dimidiata E. Mey. ex Arn (Icacinaceae) produce camptothecin, 10-hydroxycamptothecin and 9-methoxycamptothecin. Phytochemistry 71: 117-122
  7. Mohana Kumara, P., N. Sreejayan, V. Priti, B.T. Ramesha, G. Ravikanth, K.N. Ganeshaiah, R. Vasudeva, J. Mohan, T. Santhoshkumar, M.P Dutt, R. Viswakarma, R. Uma Shaanker. 2009 Dysoxylum binectariferum Hook.f (Meliaceae), a rich source of rohitukine. Fitoterapia 81(2):145-148.
  8. Priti, V., B.T. Ramesha, Shweta Singh, G. Ravikanth, K.N. Ganeshaiah, T.S. Suryanarayanan and R. Uma Shaanker. 2009. How promising are endophytic fungi as alternative sources of plant secondary metabolites? Current Science Vol 97 (4): 477-478
  9. Raghavendra, R., Priti Vaidyanathan, H.K. Swathi, B.T. Ramesha, G. Ravikanth, K.N. Ganeshaiah, A. Srikrishna and R. Uma Shaanker. 2009. Prospecting for alternate sources of shikimic acid, a precursor of Tamiflu, a bird-flu drug. Current Science, Vol 96 (6): 771-772
  10. Sumangala R.C., L. Naveen Kumar, B.T. Ramesha, R. Uma Shaanker, K.N. Ganeshaiah and G. Ravikanth. 2009. Development of micro satellite markers for a critically endangered species, Ceropegia fantastica from the Western Ghats, India. Conservation Genetics 10(6): 1825-1827
  11. Ramesha, B.T., R. Srirama, G. Ravikanth, K.V. Ravishankar, S. Dayanandan, N. Sreejayan, R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R.U. Shaanker. (2009) Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci in Nothapodytes nimmoniana, a medicinally important tree from the Western Ghats, India. Molecular Ecology Resources, 9(1):365-367.
  12. Srirama R, Ramesha B. T , Ravikanth G, Ganeshaiah K. N and Uma Shaanker R, 2008. Are plants with anti-cancer activity resistant to crown gall?: a test of hypothesis. Current Science, 95 (10): 1407-1408
  13. Ravikanth, G., M. Nageswara Rao, B.S. Deepali Singh, Chaluvaraju, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2008. Contrasting spatial patterns of distribution of genetic diversity in two important bamboo species in the central Western Ghats, India. Journal of Bamboo and Rattan Vol.7 (1&2) : 41-52
  14. Ramesha, B.T., T. Amna, G. Ravikanth, Rajesh P. Gunaga, R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah, R. Uma Shaanker, K. Khajuria, S.C. Puri and G.N. Qazi, 2008. Prospecting for Camptothecines from Nothapodytes nimmoniana in theWestern Ghats, South India: Identification of High-Yielding Sources of Camptothecin and New Families of Camptothecines. Journal of Chromatographic Science,46:362-368
  15. Nageswara Rao M., B.T. Ramesha, G. Ravikanth, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2007. Cross- Species amplification of coconut microsatellite markers in rattans. Silvae Genetica 56,6,282-286
  16. Aravind K., G. Ravikanth, R. Uma Shaanker, K. Chandrashekara, A.R.V Kumar, and K.N. Ganeshaiah,. 2007. DNA Barcoding: An Exercise in Futility or Utility? Current Science 92(9): 1213-1216
  17. Suhas S., B.T. Ramesha, G. Ravikanth, Rajesh P. Gunaga, R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2007. Chemical profiling of Nothapodytes nimmoniana populations in the Western Ghats, India for anti-cancer compound, camptothecin ?Current Science 92 (8): 1142-1148
  18. Ramesha. B.T., G.Ravikanth, M. Nageswara Rao, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2007. Genetic structure of rattan, Calamus thwaitesii in core, and buffer and peripheral regions of three protected areas at central Western Ghats, India: Do protected areas serve as refugia for genetic resources of economically important plants? Journal of Genetics 86 (1): 9-18
  19. Aravind N.A., Bhausaheb Tambat, G. Ravikanth, R. Uma Shaanker and K.N. Ganeshaiah. 2007 Patterns of species discovery in Western Ghats. Journal of Biosciences 32(4):781-790
  20. Lyngdoh, N., SantoshS. Hantode, B.T. Ramesha, M. Nageswara Rao, G. Ravikanth, Narayani Barve, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2005 Rattan species richness and population genetic structure of Calamus flagellum in North-Eastern Himalaya, India. Journal of Bamboo and Rattans 4(3):293-307
  21. Bhausaheb, Tambat., G, Rajanikanth, G. Ravikanth, R. Uma Shaanker, K.N. Ganeshaiah and C.G. Kushallappa. 2005. Seedling mortality in two Vulnerable tree species in the sacred groves of Western Ghats, south India. Current Science 88 (3): 350-352
  22. Ravikanth, G., R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2004. Molecular analysis of Semecarpus kathalekanensis (Anacardiaceae) - a newly described species from the Myristica swamps of Western Ghats, India. The Indian Forester 130 (1): 101-104.
  23. Ravikanth,G., K.N Ganeshaiah and R.Uma Shaanker. 2002. Identification of hot spots of species richness and genetic variability in rattans: an approach using geographical information systems (GIS) and molecular tools. Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter 132: 17:21.
  24. Ravikanth, G. 2001. IF- A case of richness in poverty. Current Science, Vol 80 (2): 116
  25. Ravikanth,G., R. Uma Shaanker and K.N. Ganeshaiah. 2000. Conservation Status of forests in India: a cause for worry? Journal of Indian Institute Science 80(6): 591-600.
AS CHAPTER IN BOOKS
  1. Ravikanth, G., M. Nageswara Rao, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2009. Genetic diversity of NTFP species: issues and implications. Pp.53-64 In: Non-Timber Forest Products Conservation, Management and Policies. R. Uma Shaanker, Ankila J. Hiremath, Gladwin C. Joseph and Nitin Rai(eds). Published by Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore and Forestry Research Support Program for Asia and the Pacific, Food and Agriculture Organisation, Bangkok.
  2. Uma Shaanker, R., B.T. Ramesha, G. Ravikanth, R. Gunaga, R. Vasudeva and K.N. Ganeshaiah. 2008. Chemical Profiling of Nothapodytes nimmoniana for Camptothecin, an Important Anticancer Alkaloid: Toward the Development of a Sustainable Production System. Pp 197-213. In Bioactive Molecules and Medicinal Plants. Ramawat K.G., Merillon J.M. (eds.) Springer Publishing, UK
  3. Uma Shaanker, R., K.N. Ganeshaiah, M. Nageswara Rao and G. Ravikanth. 2002, Forest gene banks - a new integrated approach for the conservation of forest tree genetic resources, pp 229-235, In: Managing Plant Genetic Resources, Engels, J.M.M., A.H.D. Brown, and M.T. Jackson. (eds), CABI Publishing, Nosworthy. Wallingford. Oxon. UK
  4. Ravikanth, G., K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2001. Mapping genetic diversity of rattans in Central Western Ghats: Identification of hot-spots of variability for in situ conservation. pp 69-83, In: Forest genetic resources: Status, threats and conservation strategies, Uma Shaanker, R., K.N. Ganeshaiah and K.S. Bawa (eds), Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.
  5. Cheluvaraju, Deepali Singh, B.S., M. Nageswara Rao, G. Ravikanth, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2001. Conservation of Bamboo Genetic Resources in Western Ghats: Status, Threats and Strategies, pp 99-113, In: Forest genetic resources: Status, threats and conservation strategies, Uma Shaanker, R., K.N. Ganeshaiah and K.S. Bawa (eds), Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd
  6. Uma Shaanker.R., K.N. Ganeshaiah, M. Nageswara Rao and G. Ravikanth. 2001. A new approach to conservation of genetic resources of forest trees: promise and processes. pp 263-271. In: Forest genetic resources: Status, threats and conservation strategies, Uma Shaanker, R., K.N. Ganeshaiah and K.S. Bawa. (eds), Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd
IN PROCEEDINGS
  1. Ravikanth, G., R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2010. Garcinia Forest Gene Banks: an alternative approach for the conservation of Garcinia Genetic Resources of the Western Ghats. Pp. 80-86. In Proceedings of the National Symposium on Garcinia Genetic Resources: Linking Diversity, Livelihood and Management. Vasudeva R, Janagoudar B.S, Reddy B.M.C, Sthapit Bhuwon and Singh H.P (eds), Published by College of Forestry , Sirsi, India.
  2. Nageswara Rao, M., G. Ravikanth, K.N. Ganeshaiah, T.S. Rathore and R. Uma Shaanker. 2007. Assessing threats and identifying the ecological niche of sandal resources to identify 'hot-spots' for in-situ conservation in Southern India Pp 23-31. In Proceedings of National Seminar on Conservation, Improvement, Cultivation and Management of Sandal. Suresh Gairola, T.S Rathore, Geetha Joshi, A.N. Arun Kumar and Pankaj K. Aggarwal (eds.)Published by Wood Science and Technology Institute, Bangalore, India
  3. Uma Shaanker.R., K.N. Ganeshaiah, M. Nageswara Rao and G. Ravikanth. 2003. Genetic diversity of NTFP species: issues and implications. In: Proceedings of the conference on 'Policies, Management, Utilization and Conservation of Non-Timber Forest Producta(NTFP's) in the south Asia Region. Ankila J. Hiremath, Gladwin C. Joseph and R. Uma Shaanker (Eds). Published by Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore and Forestry Research Support Program for Asia and the Pacific, Food and Agriculture Organisation, Bangkok.
  4. R. Vasudeva, H.B. Raghu, P.G. Suraj, G. Ravikanth, R. Uma Shaanker and K.N. Ganeshaiah. 2003. Can we restore critically endangered tree species of the Western Ghats through recovery plans? In: Proceedings of the workshop on Conservation and Research needs of the Rare, Endangered and Threathened (RET) tree species in Kerala part of the Western Ghats. Jose Kallarackal, K. Swarupanandan and J.K. Sharma (Eds). Published by Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur, Kerala.
  5. Tambat. B.S, Channamallikarjuna, G. Rajanikanth, G. Ravikanth, R. Uma Shaanker and K.N. Ganeshaiah. 2001. Biological Diversity and Invasion: Testing the invasion theory, pp 121-124 (Supplement -1), In: Proceedings of International Conference on Tropical Ecosystems: Structure, Diversity, and Human Welfare. Ganeshaiah, K.N., Uma Shaanker, R. and Bawa, K.S. (eds), Oxford and IBH Publications, New Delhi
  6. Tambat. B.S, Channamallikarjuna, G. Rajanikanth, G. Ravikanth, C.G Kushallappa, R. Uma Shaanker and K.N. Ganeshaiah. 2001, Fragment sizes and diversity of species assemblages in sholas and sacred groves: are small fragments any worth pp 314--316, In: Proceedings of International Conference on Tropical Ecosystems: Structure, Diversity, and Human Welfare. Ganeshaiah, K.N., Uma Shaanker, R. and Bawa, K.S. (eds), Oxford and IBH Publications, New Delhi.
POPULAR ARTICLES
  • Ravikanth G. 2010. Kathala Kupadelli iruwa sasyake belakina bedagu. Vijaya Karnataka (Vigana Lavalavike) 16th Feb 2010, Page 3.

CONTACT

Phone: 091-080-23635555 (110)
Email: gravikanth@atree.org, gravikanth@gmail.com
Fax: 091-080-23530070