Varanasi/Lucknow: Eminent scientist and 'Father of DNA fingerprinting in India' Lalji Singh, 70, passed away following a massive heart attack while on his way to Delhi late on Sunday.
"He complained of chest pain when he reached the Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport to board a flight to Delhi. He was taken to the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Trauma Centre but he could not be saved," O P Upadhyaya, chief medical superintendent of the Sunder Lal hospital in the BHU, said.
Singh, the 25th vice-chancellor of the BHU, hailed from neighboring Jaunpur district's Kalvari village. He was an alumnus of the BHU and completed his BSc, MSc and PhD from there. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath condoled Singh's death.
"Lalji Singh was the father of DNA fingerprinting. The country has lost a great educationist and scientist in his death," he said.
Singh was also a recipient of the Padma Shri. He joined the BHU in 1962 after completing his intermediate from a school in his native district. Singh, the founder of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), also served as its director.
He was the officer-on-special-duty (OSD) at the Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) in Hyderabad between 1995-1999.
Singh also founded various institutes and laboratories that included the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), Genome Foundation, that aims to diagnose and treat genetic disorders affecting the underprivileged people, especially in rural India.
