H. P. Gandhi Scientist
Hemendrakumar Prithivraj Gandhi (born 20 August 1920, Pratapgarh, Rajasthan; died 5 June 2008) was a pioneering Indian phycologist and diatomist. H P Gandhi did his primary and higher secondary schooling at Pratapgarh and obtained his intermediate degree from Agra . Later, he completed his Bachelors and Masters in Botany from the Wilson College, Mumbai in 1949, where he specialized in algae under the supervision of leading phycologist Prof. A Ella Gonzales.Gandhi joined as an assistant lecturer at Karnatak University (earlier known as Karnatak College), Dharwar in July 1949 and very soon he was transferred unceremoniously to M N College, Visnagar in Gujarat (August 1949), then to I Y College, Bombay (November 1949), and after another short time period he joined Rajaram College, Kolhapur after which he finally returned to Karnatak College (June 1951). With the bifurcation of Bombay Presidency, in 1956, Gandhi was again transferred to Gujarat . His keen interest in the subject made him to collect algal samples from all the possible places and habitats during these transfers, tours and botanical excursions. He retired, in the year 1980, from J.J. Science College, Gujarat from the office of Principal