Patanjali’s botanical drive: 1,000 specimens preserved

Haridwar: The Patanjali Research Foundation (PRF) is expanding its botanical research and conservation efforts across India, with scientists documenting plant diversity in several states and preserving specimens for future research.

PRF scientists have recorded more than 100 new plant records from different regions, including Haryana, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal. More than 1,000 plant specimens have been preserved in the Patanjali herbarium.

PRF scientists conducted a detailed survey of the flora at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, documenting 620 plant species. Two books—Flora of Rashtrapati Bhavan and Medicinal Plants of Rashtrapati Bhavan—were released by President Droupadi Murmu in November 2025. A checklist of Delhi’s flora was also published.

PRF’s botanical work has contributed to identifying and documenting new plant diversity, including Campanula densiciliata. Surveys have also covered Himalayan and northeastern regions, including Arunachal Pradesh. Work on Flora of Haridwar is currently underway.

Under Acharya Balkrishna’s guidance, PRF scientists have been conducting plant surveys across diverse ecosystems. Their work includes documenting plants used by tribal communities and surveys along the Ganga under the Namami Gange programme, from Gomukh to Gangasagar. PRF says its botanical research is aimed not only at scientific documentation but also at biodiversity conservation, medicinal plant identification, environmental studies and creating a knowledge base for future generations.

The foundation has also contributed plant records to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s digital databases, extending the reach of its botanical documentation beyond India.