Abstract
Dr. Ram P. Rastogi May 1, 1924 - January 18, 2021
We are saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Ram Prakash Rastogi, with whom I was lucky enough to work during 1976‐1980 for my PhD and from whom I learned natural product chemistry. In addition to an extensive chemical investigation of Cedrus deodara, we published the first review article about Carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy of flavonoids, Heterocycles, 16, 2181‐2236 (1981), the first publication on this subject having being reported in 1974. A review entitled “NMR spectroscopy in the structural elucidation of oligosaccharides and glycosides” Phytochemistry, 31, 3307‐3330 (1992) was dedicated to his 69th Birthday. The last time when I talked to him was July 5, 2020, on the occasion of “Guru Purnima,” and I was fortunate to receive his blessings.
Dr. Rastogi selected a research career and joined the Chemistry Division of the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) at Lucknow, India, in 1945. He continued working there in different capacities and retired in 1984 as Dy. Director. In this long span of 39 years, he was involved in the chemical investigation of indigenous medicinal plants for drug development as Project Leader at CDRI, Lucknow, and as Coordinator of the All-India CSIR Coordinated Program of Drug Development from Natural Resources. Although Dr. Rastogi superannuated in May 1984, he continued working at CDRI as Emeritus Scientist till 1998, and compiled six volumes of Compendium of Indian Medicinal Plants for the period 1960 to 1995. These reference volumes, each around 700 pages, include complete pharmacognosy, chemical, biological, pharmacological, and clinical investigations reported in the literature during this period.
Dr. Rastogi became an internationally recognized chemist and made a major contribution to the development of phytochemistry, and not only in terms of his original research. He will be remembered for his thorough work and scholarly documentation on Indian medicinal plants as a source of lead compounds for drug discovery.