Smita Raskar

Since i was kid i was crazy lover of every green plant both flowering and non flowering

so obviously i have studied Botany in my MSc

My first choice for career was to become Plant Taxonomist but destiny made me teacher,

for few years i went on only teaching Biology

Some one said love never dies it can be overlapped so it happened to me

my love for plants which was overlapped,emerged out on one day

My urge for studying plant made me search some knowledgeable site on internet & that lead me to this group

Amazing Eflora of India… Amazing friends Scientist , Great Experts

It was sort of U turn in my life, I have started studying plants purchased floras, started going through eflora every day

It was like dawn in my life, days become brighter ..though it was late to start in life

I thought better late than never so i have started again

When i was in F Y B Sc one day while roaming around in forest I found Pecteilis gigantea,

it was identified by my teacher who told me it is an orchid from that day i fall in love with orchids

so when i have started again i wish to study orchids in detail,

On eflora i found Genius Orchidologist Pankaj, my guide for orchid, he is inspiration

I got chance to go on field with him and to see his amazing collection

he also explained how different orchids are identified and lot more about his collection

Also i read his scientific papers I have got chance to explore with genius Navendu, he knows each and every plant

Then i got chance to go for flower hunting tour with great plant taxonomist Gurucharan Sir, Nidhan and Balkar

Gurucharan is a real guru, it feels like going with my loving teacher, he explains identifying charaters of plants on field

also it feels like being with caring Dad with him , Nidhan and Balkar call me orchid expert though i am not expert

Both of them like to see and share my happiness whenever we found orchid on tour

Also i got chance to meet Manudev, Manu as i call him is expert in Aerisaema

but he has lots of knowledge about orchids too

I have got to see Dinesh’s amazing collection ,though never get a chance to see him, he is also inspiration to me

My life become beautiful with these friends, all are my best friends

My bored stagnant life was changed in beautiful, enthusiasm returned into my life again as i have started studying

searching plants especially orchids

I got to see so many flowers, plants from different parts of India and few from other countries

I could interact with so many experts and plant lover ALL DUE TO Eflora

Most beautiful thing is Garg Sir asked me if i will like to be Moderator i have happily agreed

I am grateful to all

Thanks Dinesh for such wonderful group

Thank you Eflora

My Best Wishes for our group