Father of DNA fingerprints Prof Lalji Singh passes away

VARANASI: DNA Scientist and former BHU VC Prof Lalji Singh passed away on Sunday. He was 70. He held the position of BHU VC from August 22, 2011 to August 22, 2014. He is considered to be father of DNA fingerprints, who worked in the area of molecular basis of sex determination, wildlife conservation, forensics and evolution and migration of humans.

According to chief medical superintendent of SSL hospital of BHU OP Upadhyaya, Prof Lalji Singh had visited his Kalvari village in Jaunpur district in UP recently and to go to Delhi, he had reached LBS International Airport Babatpur in Varanasi where he reported some complication and was rushed to the trauma centre of BHU.

Before his arrival at trauma centre of BHU all preparation had been made to handle his case, Upadhyaya said, adding, but he could not be saved. It is suspected that he died of cardiac arrest.

Singh founded various institutes and laboratories in India, including the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in 1995, Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) in 1998, and Genome Foundation in 2004, aiming to diagnose and treat genetic disorders affecting the Indian population, in particular the under-privileged people residing in rural India.

Singh also served as the 25th Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Chairman of Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi from August 2011 to August 2014. Before his term as Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University, he also served as director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) from May 1998 to July 2009 and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad, India in 1995-1999.