About Dr. Sarat Chandra Misra
From Civil Engineering to pioneering Orchidology — a lifetime dedicated to science, discovery, and conservation.
India’s Eminent Orchidologist & Conservation Visionary
Born on 3 September 1940 in Odisha, Dr. Sarat Chandra Misra began his distinguished career as a Civil Engineer and later superannuated as Chief Engineer, Government of Odisha. Despite his engineering profession, his extraordinary passion for orchids transformed him into one of India’s most respected self-trained Orchidologists.
Since 1968, Dr. Misra has devoted over five decades to the study of Floristics, Taxonomy, Ecology, Phenology, and Conservation Biology of Indian orchids. His extensive fieldwork across Odisha, Similipal, Tamil Nadu, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands revolutionized orchid documentation in India.
His groundbreaking contributions include the discovery of 14 new orchid species/subspecies, establishment of one new genus and one new sub-tribe, and expansion of documented Indian orchid species from 1141 to 1484.
Beyond science, Dr. Misra is also a rare Botanical Artist, having created more than 2,500 scientific illustrations preserved in botanical archives, making him a unique figure in both research and scientific art.