Abstract
Right from the beginning, genetics has been an international venture, with international networks involving the collaboration of scientists across continents. Janaki Ammal’s career illustrates this. This paper traces her scientific path by situating it in the context of her relationships with J. B. S. Haldane and C. D. Darlington.
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Notes
Thiyas were toddy tappers by caste occupation historically and considered a lower caste in the Hindu caste hierarchy.
One sister E. K. Sumitra’s married life was exceedingly unhappy and she was fed up of the reckless and wild ways of her husband. E. K. Sumitra’s diary, personal copy.
Ammal to Darlington, 11 August 1978, Darlington Papers held at the Bodleian (hereafter DP).
Gavan Tredoux, Two Geneticists: J.B.S. Haldane and C.D. Darlington, http://galton.org/reviews/tredoux-2000-pinc-haldane- darlington.html. Originally published in PINC, April 2000. http://www.cycad.com/cgi-bin/pine/apr2000/articles/tredoux- haldane-darlington.html.
On the role of mathematical models as a framework for population genetics and dispute between Haldane the evolutionist Ernest Mayr, see Rao and Nanjundiah 2010.
Darlington to Fisher, 17th May 1946 DP.
The Journal of Genetics is one of the oldest English language journals in genetics, founded by W. Bateson and R. C. Punnett in 1910 and later edited by J. B. S. Haldane. See article by Rao (2017).
Ammal to Haldane, Haldane Papers 3/1/1/2/43.
Haldane to Darlington, Haldane Papers, 3rd October 1955.
She was referring to the physical anthropologist Eileen Mcfarlane.
Ammal to Darlington, DP, 3rd June 1961.
Haldane to Ammal, 30th December 1960, DP.
A good summary of his Indian period is to be found in Rao (2015).
Haldane Papers, 1946-07-25.
Haldane Papers, 1951-08-20.
Haldane Papers, 1952-08-04.
Darlington’s diaries, DP.
Haldane’s private research followed Darwin’s botanical work. He saw Darwin’s botany as his most original work. It included research into insectivorous plants, climbing plants, sexuality in plants and inbreeding in plants. He expected to find increased interdependence between plant species in areas of dense tropical flora, Dronamraju, ‘Perspectives, JBS Haldane’s last years: his life and work in India, 1957–1964’, Genetics, May 2010.
Ammal to Darlington, 19th February 1960, DP.
The fast was undertaken to protest the fact that two researchers from the US information service not being allowed to visit him. See Ammal to Darlington, enclosing the newspaper cutting, 19th February 1960, DP.
Ammal to B. L. Burtt, 12 October 1974, RBGE, see also Damodaran (2013).
Ammal to Darlington, 9 November 1979, DP.
Ammal to Pio Kollar, 16 January 1976, DP.
Ammal to Darlington, 29 May 1931, DP.
Ammal to Darlington, 14 November 1931, DP.
Harman (p. 85) mentions Ammal in his book dismissing her as one of many women Darlington had affairs with at this time that included another colleague Eileen Erlanson.
Ammal to Darlington, See Letters dated 10 August 1934, 31 October 1934, 22 November 1934. The 10 August letter was addressed as ‘dearest Cyril; and signed of as ‘yours passionately’. Ammal to Darlington, DP.
Darlington Diaries, 5.x.35.
Abir-Am and Outram 1987, see chap. 9–11 section 2 on the careers of mathematician Sofia Koral Evisham, physicist Marie Curie, astronomer, Cecelia Payne Gaponschkin.
Ammal to Darlington, 31 October 1934, DP.
Ammal to Margaret Upcott, 30th August 1938, DP.
Saccharum/zea cross, Nature, 1938.
Ammal to Darlington, 8 August 1938, DP.
T. S. Venkatraman (1884–1963) from 1912 to 1942 head of the Sugarcane Breeding Institute (knighted by the British in 1942).
John Russell to Darlington, 10 May 1937, DP.
Darlington to John Russell, 13 May 1937, DP.
Ammal to Darlington, 3 June 1961, DP.
Haldane to Ammal, 30th December 1960, DP.
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