Born in an India at the cusp of
independence to modest parents in the village of Kalwari in Jaunpur district in
Uttar Pradesh Professor Lalji Singh became synonymous to the words DNA
Fingerprinting to a generation of Indians. Lalji (as he used to be called) and
CCMB (the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology) became household names
when DNA fingerprinting was used to identify the victims and nail the criminals
in the assassination case of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the
gruesome Naina Sahni Tandoor murder case in the 1990s. Today, DNA evidence is
admissible in the courts and is used routinely in such cases as the Dadri
lynching or the N D Tiwari paternity suit all due to the efforts of Lalji Singh.
Lalji earned a PhD from the Banaras
Hindu University in 1971 studying the chromosomal differences between male and
female snakes. He went on to identify a region of DNA that was coined the Banded Krait minor (Bkm) and discovered
that the region of DNA was present in almost all species he could test and that
the GATA repeat sequence of letters in this DNA has the ability to
differentiate between species and even individuals of the same species! This
meant that by using the Bkm region in the DNA one could distinguish between
individuals and find similarities between parents and their children. For
Lalji, DNA fingerprinting was not just a technique to use but a lifelong
passion. In the initial days of presenting DNA Fingerprinting evidence in legal
cases he faced stiff resistance. He campaigned incessantly for use of modern
scientific methods, appeared in courts regularly and testified not just on the particular
case but also for the need and importance of using DNA fingerprinting. His
efforts paid off and now DNA evidence is routinely used in criminal and civil
cases in the country. Recognizing the growing need for expertise in genetic
diagnostics and identification, Department of Biotechnology in 1995 established
the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) in Hyderabad under the
leadership of Lalji Singh.
He became the Director of CCMB in
1998 as the world was entering the era of genomics (the study of the complete
DNA content of a cell). He introduced new state-of-the-art technologies and
instruments into the institute. Lalji brought with him his unique style of
leadership. He put in his more than hundred per cent effort and expected the
same of everyone. He ran the institute like a tight ship and personally pushed
each cog in the wheel to strive for their best. While he pushed CCMB to enter
the modern age, he also continued his interest in using DNA fingerprinting to
find differences and similarities between species using the Bkm DNA. He spearheaded an effort to
bring modern genetic tools to improve conservation of endangered species and
prevention of illegal trading in wildlife products. This led to the establishment
of the only dedicated Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES)
in the country that is doing path-breaking work in the field of wildlife forensics
and conservation of important wildlife species. His tireless efforts in the
field of genetics and genomics was recognized by the Government of India, when
he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2004.
During his final years at CCMB he
continued his interests by initiating genomic studies to understand the complex
origins of population groups in India. These studies revealed the genetic
footprints of the early human migration from Africa to Asia and onward. His
journey came full circle as he moved back to Banaras Hindu University as the
Vice Chancellor in 2009. During his time there he started a Masters course in
Forensic Science at the BHU. After his tenure as the VC he headed back to Hyderabad
to continue his efforts at bringing science to the public through his Genome
Foundation. Almost as if to say goodbye to the city that taught him all his
tools, Lalji went back to Varanasi in his final hours.
On his passing we have lost an
eminent scientist, an able administrator and an institution builder, who
encouraged and inspired all those around him to excel. As recipients of the
privilege of having been associated with him, we can say his legacy in areas of
biology, forensics, law and conservation will all live on, as he left his DNA
fingerprints wherever he went.
Chetana Sachidanandan earned her PhD from CCMB and is currently a
scientist at CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi.
K Thangaraj
is a scientist at CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad.
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