Dr. Bhagyalakshmi N, obtained her Ph. D. Degree from the University of Mysore on a thesis that completely dealt with plant tissue culture on the topic “In vitro regeneration in Pennisetum and Sorghum” addressing modes of in vitro regeneration. Subsequently she was awarded Post-Doctoral scholarship by DANIDA to work in “State Plant Pathology Laboratory, Lyngby, Denmark on Banana bunchy-top virus disease and freeing virus-infected banana plants by meristem culture”

Later she was awarded DST-scholarship of Australia to work on molecular probes to identify banana bunchy top disease where she worked to develop nucleic acid probes for labeling banana plants for their diseases-free nature, particularly for banana bunchy-top virus. During these research endeavors, Dr. Bhagyalakshmi worked on in vitro cultures of about 20 different plant species. After completing research associate tenure in 1986, she joined Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay to work in Plant Biotechnology Department to work on mass production of oil-palm plants by regeneration methods to obtain somaclonal variants. Later, in December 1993 she joined Plant Cell Biotechnology Department of CSIR-Central Food Technological Research as a “Senior Scientist” and contributed extensively to the development of both basic and applied research in Plant Biotechnology, which is evident from her 120 publications (with over 4000 citations in high impact factor journals of international reputations),17 patents, 4 processes of which one is transferred to industry. Her major contribution to the society was developing popular local endangered land-mark variety of banana, namely Nanjanagudu rasabale, was rescued by micropropagation and re-issuing the plants to interested farmers.