Manmohan Attavar ( 12 July 1932 - 12 December 2017) was an Indian horticulturist, plant breeder, writer and the founder of Indo American Hybrid Seeds (IAHS), an organization engaged in scientific plant breeding and horticulture. He founded the enterprise in 1965 and the organization, headquartered in

Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

, has grown to include 9 regional centres across India. He has served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the

Ministry of Commerce A ministry of trade and industry, ministry of commerce, ministry of commerce and industry or variations is a ministry that is concerned with a nation's trade, industry and commerce. Notable examples are: List *Algeria: Ministry of Industry and ...

and the Federation of International Seedsmen, Switzerland and has been a director of the National Horticultural Board. He has co-authored a book, ''Floriculture : technology, trades, and trends'', which was published by Oxford and IBH Publishing House in 1994. Attavar is a recipient of several awards such as Dr. M. H. Marigowda National Award, APEDA Award, Golden Jubilee International Award of the International Chrysanthemum Society, California and ISF Award. The Government of Karnataka awarded him the Rajyotsava Prashasthi in 1991. 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 ...

, the fourth highest civilian award from the Government of India in 1998 for his contributions to the field of Horticulture. Attavar was married to Mamtha who has since died, leaving him with their two children. Subsequent to her death, he donated a women's theatre block to ''CSI Lombard Memorial Hospital'', Udupi and the hospital has named the facility as ''Martha Mamatha Attavar Memorial Block''.

References

Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering Scientists from Karnataka Indian horticulturists Recipients of the Rajyotsava Award 1991 Plant breeding 2017 deaths 20th-century Indian biologists 1932 births {{India-botanist-stub