Lalji Singh (5 July 1947 – 10 December 2017)
was an Indian scientist who worked in the field of
DNA fingerprinting technology in India and pioneer of
Assisted reproductive technology
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) includes medical procedures used primarily to address infertility. This subject involves procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and cryopreservation of ga ...
, where he was popularly known as the "Father of Indian DNA fingerprinting". Singh also worked in the areas of
molecular basis of sex determination,
wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation refers to the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats in order to maintain healthy wildlife species or populations and to restore, protect or enhance natural ecosystems. Major threats to wildlife include habita ...
forensics and
evolution and migration of humans. In 2004, he received the
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
in recognition of his contribution to Indian science and technology.
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 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
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (, IAST: ''Kośikīya evam āṇavik jīvavijñāna kendra'') or CCMB is an Indian fundamental biotechnology, life science research establishment located in Hyderabad that operates under the aegis ...
(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.
Early life and education
Lalji Singh was born and raised in a small village Kalwari in
Jaunpur District of
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
, India. His father, Suryanarayan Singh, was a farmer and used to serve as
head of the village. Singh underwent his primary education up to eighth standard at a government school in Kalwari. However, as there were no further education facilities in the village for senior classes, he was admitted at another school in the nearby village of Pratapganj from his village. After completing his 12th standard in the science group at school, he attended
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University (BHU), formerly Benares Hindu University, is a collegiate, central, and research university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, and founded in 1916. The university incorporated the Central Hindu College, ...
to pursue his graduation in
Zoology
Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...
and
cytogenetics
Cytogenetics is essentially a branch of genetics, but is also a part of cell biology/cytology (a subdivision of human anatomy), that is concerned with how the chromosomes relate to cell behaviour, particularly to their behaviour during mitosis an ...
.
University education

Singh obtained a
B.Sc. degree in 1964 from the
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University (BHU), formerly Benares Hindu University, is a collegiate, central, and research university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, and founded in 1916. The university incorporated the Central Hindu College, ...
(BHU). Singh scored the highest marks in his
Master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
class at BHU in 1966, and won the Banaras Hindu Gold Medal for standing first in order of merit. He was awarded a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) by the
University Grants Commission (India)
University Grants Commission (UGC; ISO: ''Viśvavidyālaya Anudāna Āyōga'') is a statutory body under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India. It was set up in accordance to the UGC Act 1956 and i ...
in 1966. Singh then worked on his doctoral research at the Banaras Hindu University receiving a degree in 1971, for his work on "Evolution of karyotypes in snakes" in the area of cytogenetics under the guidance of professor S.P. Ray Chaudhuri.
A summary of the findings from his doctoral research was published in ''Chromosoma''. Singh received the
INSA Medal for Young Scientists in 1974, for his research work in the field of cytogenetics.
Research career
In 1971–72, Singh worked as a research associate at the Department of Zoology,
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta, informally known as Calcutta University (), is a Public university, public State university (India), state university located in Kolkata, Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal, India. It has 151 affiliated undergraduate c ...
, and in April 1974, he was appointed as pool officer of
CSIR. In 1974, Singh received the
Commonwealth Fellowship to carry out research at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
, UK, where he worked until 1987.
During that time, Singh also worked as a guest scientist at the University of Calcutta, India, for a short period of time and visited the
Australian National University
The Australian National University (ANU) is a public university, public research university and member of the Group of Eight (Australian universities), Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton, A ...
in Canberra as a visiting fellow.
In June 1987, Singh returned to India and joined the
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (, IAST: ''Kośikīya evam āṇavik jīvavijñāna kendra'') or CCMB is an Indian fundamental biotechnology, life science research establishment located in Hyderabad that operates under the aegis ...
(CCMB) in Hyderabad, as a senior scientist. Singh developed and established the DNA fingerprinting technology for forensic investigation of crime and civil disputes.
In July 1998, Singh became the fourth director of the
CCMB, where he served until July 2009.
During April 2006 to July 2015, Singh was awarded the J. C. Bose National Research Fellowship of India. He was also awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Fellowship of
CSIR in January 2010 to December 2014.
On 22 August 2009, Singh was appointed as the 25th Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India. During his three-year tenure as vice chancellor at
BHU, Singh took a 1 token salary from the university.
From 2014 Singh was associated with several academic and research organisations in various capacities. These included being a member of the Governing Board of
Indian Council of Agricultural Research
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India. It reports to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture. Th ...
(ICAR), New Delhi; chairman of the Research Advisory Council (RAC) of National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), Karnal; chairman of the RAC of Project Directorate on Poultry (PDP), Hyderabad; member of the advisory committee of Pharmacopeia Commission of India; chairman of the RAC of National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), Lucknow; member of the Board of Management of Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai and member of the Board of Governors of
Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research
Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) are a group of autonomous institutions established by the Government of India through the Ministry of Education for teaching and research in natural science and to provide collegi ...
(IISER) Mohali.
Singh also served as director of the Genome Foundation, a non-profit organization aiming to develop cheap molecular diagnostics for genetic disorders prevalent in rural India.
Singh published more than 230 research papers during his 45 years of research, and he had an
h-index
The ''h''-index is an author-level metric that measures both the productivity and citation impact of the publications, initially used for an individual scientist or scholar. The ''h''-index correlates with success indicators such as winning t ...
of 30.
Innovations and contributions to science and technology
DNA fingerprinting technology
During his early science career as a Masters student in 1968, Singh became interested in studying the cytogenetics of Indian snakes. During the 1970s, while studying the evolution of
sex chromosome
Sex chromosomes (also referred to as allosomes, heterotypical chromosome, gonosomes, heterochromosomes, or idiochromosomes) are chromosomes that
carry the genes that determine the sex of an individual. The human sex chromosomes are a typical pair ...
in a species of an Indian snake, the
banded krait, Singh and his colleagues identified a highly conserved repeated DNA sequences in the banded krait and other vertebrates, which they named the "Banded Krait Minor" (Bkm) sequences in 1980. These Bkm sequences were conserved across various species and were found to be polymorphic in humans.
In 1987 through 1988, while working in the
CCMB, Singh established that this Bkm-derived probe could be used to generate individual specific DNA Fingerprints of humans for forensic investigations; and in 1988, he used that probe for the first time to solve a case of parentage dispute in India. In 1991, Singh produced the first DNA fingerprinting based evidence in an Indian Court to settle a disputed paternity. This was followed by DNA fingerprinting based resolution of hundreds of civil and criminal cases, including cases such as the assassination case(s) of
Beant Singh and
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was an Indian statesman and pilot who served as the prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He took office after the Assassination of Indira Gandhi, assassination of his mother, then–prime ...
,
Naina Sahni Tandoor murder case,
Swami Premananda case,
Swami Shraddhananda case, and
Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case.
This established the DNA fingerprinting to be used as evidence in the legal system of India. Singh's work in this arena prompted the government of India's
Department of Biotechnology to form an autonomous institution, the
Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) in 1995, with the aim to provide DNA fingerprinting services to the country, especially for human identification purposes.
Singh's lifetime contributions for the development and establishment of indigenous
DNA Fingerprinting Technology in India were recognized and he has been called the "Father of DNA fingerprinting" in India.
Wildlife conservation and forensics

While serving as director of
CCMB, Singh realized an urgent need for assessment and conservation of the wildlife resources of India. To address that need, he conceptualized the
Laboratory for conservation of endangered species (LaCONES) in 1998. The foundation stone of this laboratory was laid by the Minister of Environment and Forests,
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
on 16 September 2001. On 2 February 2007, the laboratory was inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by then President of India
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
LaCONES serves as a research laboratory for the conservation and preservation of wildlife resources using advanced technological interventions; and also the "National Wildlife Forensic Cell" to provide wildlife identification services for the nation, based on the fundamental discovery of universal primer technology made by
Sunil Kumar Verma and Singh (2001).
The first DNA-based test for establishing the species identity of an unknown biological sample pertaining to a case of wildlife crime, was conducted in that laboratory in 2000. Since then, the laboratory has undertaken thousands of such cases on a routine basis for the entire country and has revitalized the field of wildlife forensics.
The laboratory recorded a major success in the
Assisted reproductive technology
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) includes medical procedures used primarily to address infertility. This subject involves procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and cryopreservation of ga ...
(ART) of wild animals, when the world's first successful
artificial insemination
Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment ...
of an in estrus induced
spotted deer, by non-surgical intra-vaginal insemination done in the laboratory, led to the birth of a live fawn on 14 March 2006. This achievement was further followed by an
artificial insemination
Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment ...
(AI) assisted birth of an Indian
blackbuck
The blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''), also known as the Indian antelope, is a medium-sized antelope native to India and Nepal. It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources.
It stands up to high at the sh ...
fawn in August 2007. These were the first reports in the world of such successful
AI of wild animals.
On the World Heritage Day in 2013, the LaCONES campus was recognized as a "Heritage Monument" by the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture (Intach) for its notable architecture and design.
Molecular basis of sex determination
In 1982, Singh and his colleagues discovered that a tiny portion of the short arm of sex-determining
Y chromosome
The Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes in therian mammals and other organisms. Along with the X chromosome, it is part of the XY sex-determination system, in which the Y is the sex-determining chromosome because the presence of the ...
was necessary and sufficient to convert a female mouse to male. This fundamental discovery provided a new concept of
Chromosomal translocation
In genetics, chromosome translocation is a phenomenon that results in unusual rearrangement of chromosomes. This includes "balanced" and "unbalanced" translocation, with three main types: "reciprocal", "nonreciprocal" and "Robertsonian" transloc ...
of sex-determining region from Y chromosome to
X chromosome
The X chromosome is one of the two sex chromosomes in many organisms, including mammals, and is found in both males and females. It is a part of the XY sex-determination system and XO sex-determination system. The X chromosome was named for its u ...
s causing
sex reversal in mice. These findings later became the foundation for the discovery of a similar phenomenon of
sex reversal in humans.
DNA-based molecular diagnostics
Until 1998, India did not have an adequate facility for diagnosis of
genetic disorder
A genetic disorder is a health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome. It can be caused by a mutation in a single gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic) or by a chromosome abnormality. Although polygenic disorders ...
s, prevalent in the country. The fundamental research carried out by Singh and his colleagues in that area, led to conceptualization and establishment of the first DNA based diagnostic laboratory in the country. The lab later evolved into a separate institute, the
Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in Hyderabad, India to provide advanced DNA based molecular diagnostics services for the nation.
Novel insights into evolution and migration of humans
The fundamental DNA-based research carried out by Singh and his colleagues on
primitive tribes including the tribal population of the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India comprising 572 islands, of which only 38 are inhabited. The islands are grouped into two main clusters: the northern Andaman Islands and the southern Nicobar Islands, separated by a ...
, provided critical insights into the evolution and migration of humans, suggesting the out of Africa route of modern humans about 60,000 years ago to the
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands () are an archipelago, made up of 200 islands, in the northeastern Indian Ocean about southwest off the coasts of Myanmar's Ayeyarwady Region. Together with the Nicobar Islands to their south, the Andamans serve as a mari ...
. These findings have furthered the scientific community's understanding of the
origin of man in terms of evolution and migration from place to place.
Genome Foundation
In 2004, Singh founded a non-profit research and service organization, the Genome Foundation, with the aim of diagnosing and treating
genetic disorder
A genetic disorder is a health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome. It can be caused by a mutation in a single gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic) or by a chromosome abnormality. Although polygenic disorders ...
affecting the Indian population, in particular the under-privileged people residing in rural India, with the participation and voluntary services of scientists and professionals.
Death
Lalji Singh died in
Varanasi
Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
, India following a heart attack on 10 December 2017 at the age of 70. He complained of chest pain when he reached the
Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport
Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport is an international airport serving Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located at Babatpur, northwest of Varanasi. Formerly known as Varanasi Airport, it was officially renamed after Lal Bahadur Shastri, the ...
to board a flight for
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
. He was taken to the
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Trauma Centre from there but he could not be saved.
Books by Singh
* ''You Deserve, We Conserve'' () (2007)
* ''Scientoonic tell-tale of Genome and DNA'' ( (2007)
* ''DNA Fingerprinting: the Witness within'' (), (2012)
* ''My travails in the Witness Box'' (), (2012)
Awards and honors
, Singh holds fellowships from several Indian and Foreign academies. These include:
* Fellow of
Indian Academy of Sciences
The Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore was founded by Indian Physicist and List of Nobel laureates, Nobel Laureate Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, C. V. Raman, and was registered as a society on 27 April 1934. Inaugurated on 31 July 1934, it ...
(FASc), (elected in 1989)
* Fellow of
The National Academy of Sciences, India (FNASc), (elected in 1991)
* Fellow of
Indian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy (INSA) is a national academy in New Delhi
New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three b ...
(FNA) (elected in 1993)
* Fellow of Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences (elected in 2000)
* Fellow of
National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (FAAS) (elected in 2001)
* Fellow of
National Academy of Medical Sciences (FAMS) (elected in 2002)
* Fellow of
Third World Academy of Sciences (FTWAS) (elected in 2002)
Some of the notable awards conferred to Singh are as follows:
*
Indian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy (INSA) is a national academy in New Delhi
New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three b ...
Medal for Young Scientists, (1974)
*
Commonwealth Fellowship, (1974–1976)
*
CSIR Technology Award (Twice: 1992 and 2008; The 2008 Award was jointly conferred to
Verma and Singh),
*
Ranbaxy
Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited was an Indian multinational pharmaceutical company that was incorporated in India in 1961 and remained an entity until 2014. The company went public in 1973. Ownership of Ranbaxy changed twice over the course of its ...
research Award (1994)
* Goyal Prize in Life Sciences (2000)
* Vigyan Gaurav Award (2003)
*
FICCI Award (2002–03)
* The New Millennium Plaques of Honour, (2002), for services in the field of biological sciences from the Prime Minister of India at the 89th Session of the
Indian Science Congress.
* JC Bos National Fellowship (2006)
*
CSIR Bhatnagar Fellowship (2009)
*
NRDC Meritorious Invention Award (2009), jointly conferred to
Verma and Singh),
* Biospectrum Life Time Achievement Award (2011).
* The
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
, (2004), in recognition of his contributions to Indian science and technology.
Singh has also been awarded "Honorary D.Sc. degree" by six Universities including the
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University (BHU), formerly Benares Hindu University, is a collegiate, central, and research university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, and founded in 1916. The university incorporated the Central Hindu College, ...
.
Selected publications
* Chromosomes and classification of the snakes of the family Boidae
* Sex Chromosome associated satellite DNA: Evolution and conservation
* Sex reversal in the mouse (Mus musculus) is caused by a recurrent nonreciprocal crossover involving the X and an aberrant Y chromosome
* The conserved nucleotide sequences of Bkm, including those, which define Sxr in the mouse, are transcribed
* Bkm sequences are polymorphic in humans and are clustered in pericentric regions of various acrocentric chromosomes including the Y
* DNA profiling and its applications
* Novel universal primers establish identity of an enormous number of animal species for forensic application
* Reconstructing the origin of Andaman Islanders
* A common MYBPC3 (cardiac myosin binding protein C) variant associated with cardiomyopathies in South Asia
* Ancient human genomes suggest three ancestral populations for present day Europeans
References
External links
At length personal interview of Lalji Singh*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Lalji
1947 births
2017 deaths
20th-century Indian zoologists
Scientists from Uttar Pradesh
Vice-chancellors of Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University alumni
People from Jaunpur district
Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering
Fellows of the National Academy of Medical Sciences
People from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
Indian geneticists