Dr. Rekha R. Warrier is Scientist-G, heading the Chemistry and Bioprospecting Division and co-ordinating the Environment Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelhood Programme (EIACP) at the ICFRE-Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, India. She has put in more than 25 years in the field of Forest Biotechnology and is currently serving as Head of the group in Plant Tissue Culture. She has been working on different aspects of medicinal plants and their productivity, specifically, in the field of metabolite production. Some of her major activities include tissue culture facility for commercial production of plants and in vitro production of secondary metabolites through transformation, genetic improvement of medicinal trees and participation in extension and training programs for foresters, research staff, students, and farmers. She has to her credit several research papers and books/chapters. She is the Chair of the Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources (APFORGEN), the Assistant National Country Co-ordinator of the APFORGEN and Liaison to the Central Secretariat of International Society of Tropical Foresters. She is a member of the IUCN SSC Western Ghats Plant Specialist Group and Seed Conservation Specialist Group. Dr. Geeta Joshi is Scientist-G and Assistant Director General (Media and Extension) at the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, India. She has 25 years of research experience related to seed collection, handling, germination, storage, standardization of protocol for mass production of quality planting material in tree species. Dr. Joshi has also worked on seed-related aspects of threatened and endangered tree species in the Western Ghats, the propagation and cultivation of bamboo, and the morphological and genetic diversity of Teak and Melia dubia. Dr. Joshi has published several research papers, books, and chapters. She was involved in the production of quality planting material for end users, and was associated with conducting trainings for farmers, State Forest Departments, plantation companies, and NGOs on seed handling, nursery, and plantation technology. Dr. Joshi is currently coordinating the extension of ICFRE research findings to various stakeholders. Dr. Arun Kumar A.N. is Scientist-G in the Silviculture and Forest Management Division at the Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bengaluru, India, and has more than 25 years of experience in forestry research. His research interest is in documenting growth and variability in different timber species such as Indian Sandalwood, Red Sanders, Teak, Hardwickia binata, Chloroxylon swietenia, Dalbergia latifolia, Melia dubia, etc. He has been involved in establishing clonal, seedling seed orchards, and progeny trials of sandalwood, teak, and Melia dubia. As a Project Investigator, Dr. Arun has carried out various research projects and published several research papers, along with multiple books and book chapters. He has been providing scientific input on promoting tree cultivation and is invited to deliver lectures in various forums. He was also an organizing member in conducting national and international conferences. Presently, he is a member of the Sandalwood Development Committee, constituted by the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), a premier policy think tank of the Government of India.
