Gurcharan Singh- Story of efloraofindia to celebrate 15 years of its completion on 17.6.22:
Two things changed my life style: a digital camera presented by my son, and my joining indiantreepix in 2007 (thanks to Dr. Janamurty who introduced me to this group (from TAXACOM, where I used to send my photographs)). It has changed my lifestyle. I am looking forward to visiting more and more places. I was lucky to plan visits to Western Himalayas along with Nidhan ji, Balkar ji and other members to capture a large number of plants. While in California, I have photographed plants in thousands (but upload only those which are relevant to our Flora), the most recent trip to California and Toronto in 2019 was most productive with capture of nearly 9000 images.
Why I love Efloraofindia?
I have asked myself many times why do I feel so involved with the efloraofindia group and love interacting? I found the following answers:
1. I love the group because it has given me a good reason to keep busy after retirement (I felt involved even before formal retirement), so that I don’t have to think about how I should spend my time.
I love the group because it has given me a reason to restudy, catalogue, digitise my herbarium collection of more than 10,000 specimens, which were lying unattended due to my busy teaching schedule. I would be uploading these as a virtual herbarium.
2. I love this group because it has now given me a zeal and plan to visit as many places as possible. More important, visiting these places in different months so that I am able to find, photograph and have new plants to report in the group. Adding these to my publications would be a bonus for me.
3. I love this group because of our prominent members Garg ji (who in spite of being the owner of the group, has never given the impression of authority), Dinesh ji (the architect of its great advancement), Satish Phadke ji (the great strength of the group), Vijayasankar ji, Shrikant ji, Nayan ji, Nidhan ji, Balkar ji, Prashant ji, Tabish ji, Pravin ji, Devendra ji and Promila ji (the great experts, who don’t allow any plant to go unidentified, and at the same time are great examples of high morality and great humility, the examples to be followed by our youngsters.
4. I love this group for plant lovers Neil ji, Yazdy ji, who own a huge collection of plants in their estates and never hesitate to share these. I salute Neil ji for his great knowledge of plants.
5. I love the group for members like Nalini ji, Madhuri ji, Padmini ji, Aarti ji, Rashida ji, Pankaj Oudyia ji, Anand ji, our story telling group, who never miss an occasion to add spice to the information, and never allow the discussion to lose its interest. Mani ji and Antaryamy have added flavor to these interactions by their frequent Hindi couplets.
6. I love the group for its young experts Pankaj ji, Mahadeswara ji, Giby ji, Rajdeo ji, Muthu ji, Smita ji, Ritesh ji, Mayur ji, Manudev ji, Raghu ji, Shantanu ji for their great expertise, love for plants and never hesitating to share their point of view, although maintaining the high standards of communication. They are the future of the group. Snehal ji, I am happy, is learning it fast. Others who interact less frequently, and I am able to recollect their names may please excuse me.
7. I love Tanay (the only person I don’t attach ji) the most, because this young fellow who has such a great knowledge of plants from every part of India/World at this young age has attained the high level of maturity after joining this group.
8. Our new active members Alok ji, Puttaraju ji and others are enriching our database and gradually adjusting to the group norms.
9. The most important thing why I love this group is that “in spite of some occasional sharp exchanges, members of this group love each other so much that no one is allowed to leave the group easily. There were occasions when some important members like Dinesh ji, Tanay or Rashida ji wanted to leave the group for some unpleasant episode, but all of us really saw that they didn’t leave. Similarly Pankaj ji left the group temporarily because I wrote something to Tanay about the norms of the group. Tanay became my best friend (or my favourite) from that day, but Pankaj ji left the group, to rejoin after some time on requests from the members. I was the one who suggested his return to the moderator group again. That is the beauty and strength of the group. Incidentally Tanay and Pankaj are only two members in the group for whom I have dropped suffix ji, perhaps being so dear to me.
Published at
Gurcharan Singh- Story of efloraofindia to celebrate 15 years of its completion on 17.6.22
Posted it in efloraofindia Facebook page and in Indian Flora Facebook group.
Pl. give it wide publicity in Social media, by postimg it in your profile/ groups/ Instagram etc.
Thank you for the lessons of life, your kind words and enlightening us with the knowledge of Indian flora and abroad.
Thank you very much Gurcharan Sir…!!
The very first thing which I loved about eFI was the fact that I can now share the same platform with you..I was unaware of any other names at that time..
When it all grew further, I really could not believe that I am going in field with such a passionate and renowned personality… you have really contributed a lot to field Botany, salutes..🙏🙏
Very well written and thanks for remembering all of us.
Good and informative story