Mudraraksasa: The Signet Ring

Dr. Ramesh Chandra is currently Principal Scientist & Head. Crop Improvement & Production Division at Central Institute for Sub Tropical Horticulture, Lucknow. He has over 30 years of experience in micropropagation, in vitro conservation & molecular biology of potato, mango, guava, papaya, litchi etc. he was instrumental in initiating & shaping potato biotechnology at Central Potato Research Institute. Shimla and initiated biotechnology research at CISH, Lucknow. Dr. Chandra has undergone tissue culture and molecular biology training at Peru, Phillippines and China as visiting scientist. He worked with John Dodds, Tissue Culture Specialist of International Potato Centre, Lima, Peru on potato micropropagation and in vitro germplasm management. He has almost 125 research publications including a book on Comprehensive Potato Biotechnology to his credit. Dr. Chandra has traveled widely and participated in various national and international conference. He is a life member of many scientific societies and fellow of Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding. He has successfully completed research projects funded by DBT, UPDASP, NATP and running five research projects funded by different agencies.

Vishakadatta, an eminent dramatist, introduces himself as the grandson of the Vassal king Vateshvaradatta, son of king Bhaskaradatta in the introductory section of his play Mudrarakshasa. He is credited with another play called Devichanragupta which deals with the Huna invasion during the reign of Chandragupta. A fine scholar Vishakdatta had a good command of metres and figures of speech and was well acquainted with dramaturgy, logic, astrology, and philosophy. His dramatic art and knowledge of Arthashastra are evenly balanced in Mudrarakshasa. He broke fresh ground in Sanskrit drama and gained fame with this play only.