Born at Malabar on 25^th August, 1899; B.A. (Hons.) in Botany from the Presidency College, Madras, obtaining the first rank in the University examination and winning the Pulney Andy Gold Medal in 1920. He took his M.A. degree in 1922. 

He joined the staff of the mycology section of the Agricultural Research Institute, Coimbatore in 1920. He was engaged in various research activities in the same section until he retired in 1954 as Professor of Plant Pathology and Government Mycologist. During this period he devoted special attention to studies on the genera Pythium, Phytophthora, Colletotrichum and the rusts. The successful production of ergot of rye o the Nilgiris during the Second World War was mainly due to his sustained work. In addition to research he was engaged in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. 

After retiring from Coimbatore he joined the Rubber Board Kottayam as Pathologist in 1955. While he was there he investigated some new diseases and established efficient methods of control of most of the diseases affecting the rubber tree. In 1964 he left the Rubber Board and is at present the Director of the Institute for the Advancement of Science, Manipal. In collaboration with the doctors at the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, he is engaged in the study of mycoses occurring in that area. 

He became a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, in 1948. He has over 85 papers to his credit. A monograph, on diseases of millets has been published by the ICAR.