Prof. R.N. Tandon, the guiding force of science in general and botany in particular, breathed his last on December 18, 1999 at his residence in NOIDA near New Delhi. In his death, the country has lost a great intellectual and well wisher of science. Although arthritis restricted his mobility during the last few years, he remained mentally alert till the end. On the eventful day, he had his usual bath and prayers, which had become his routine as he was not able to go to temples, and died unnoticed while praying with a book of prayer in one hand and reading glasses in another. Thus came a very peaceful end of a long, fruitful and highly sat­isfying, life of Prof. R.N. Tandon. 

Born on November 27, 1903 in Shikohabad, a small industrial town near Agra, he had his education at Allahabad. In 1927 he obtained M.Sc. degree from Allahabad University standing first in order of merit. Based on his outstanding performance, he was inducted into the faculty of the Botany Department in Allahabad University in the same year. Early in his student career he came in close touch with Prof Dudgeon and Prof Julian H. Mitter, who had a lasting influence on Prof Tandon's career in science. It was under Dr. Mitter's guidance that Prof. Tandon developed interest in fungi and the diseases of plants. Throughout his active scien­tific career, he worked at Allahabad University and retired in 1965 as Professor and Head of Botany De­partment. He established a strong school for fundamental pathology at the University of Allahabad by his active research and meaningful leadership in nutritional studies of fungi, particularly leaf spot diseases and diseases in storage. 

In 1937, Prof. Tandon went to the Imperial College, London, to work on the physiology of fungi under the guidance of Prof. W. Brown, FRS, and earned a Ph.D. degree from the London University in 1939. On his return to Allahabad University, he continued his inter­est in physiology of fungi and understanding the bio­chemical changes in hosts due to post harvest diseases of fruits and vegetables. Prof. Tandon studied fungal taxonomy and fungal flora of different regions of the country, and prepared an exhaustive list of fungi found in the plains and hilly regions of Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states. His studies on fungal diseases, especially those responsible for causing damage to crop plants and fruit trees, yielded useful results. He studied the physiology and nutrition of different strains and species of a large number of pathogenic genera of fungi causing storage diseases of fruits and vegetables and leaf spot diseases. These studies, not only led to a better understanding of the life processes of the organisms, but also established that the classification of fungi, based on nutritional requirement is not correct as even closely related species show marked differences in their nutritional requirements. He also developed strategies for the management of a large number of economically important plant diseases. 

Prof. Tandon was a Fellow of all the three science academies - the Indian National Science Academy, the National Academy of Sciences, India and the Indian Academy of Sciences - and also of the National Acad­emy of Agricultural Sciences. He was the President of the National Academy of Sciences, India and the Botany Section of the 54th session of the Indian Science Con­gress. He was very closely associated with the Indian Phytopathological Society and was its President in 1966. Under his guidance the first ever International Sympo­sium on Plant Pathology was held at New Delhi in 1966 which brought to focus the good work of Indian plant pathologists and put the Indian Plant Pathology on the World Map. 

Prof. Tandon had handsome personality and was always impeccably dressed with matching politeness and courtesy, which won the admiration of anyone who had the opportunity of meeting him. Punctuality was the hallmark of Prof. Tandon, which he maintained till the last. All his students learnt that an appointment at a particular time with Prof. Tandon had to be fulfilled to the minute. He was well known for expressing his views freely and independently, and was always averse, to any pressure on his personal judgement which was always fair. 

Prof. Tandon was a strict disciplinarian and a pas­sionate follower of ethics in science and day-to-day life. He loved his students and children alike. He always showed them the right path, and did not hesitate in reprimanding them for any wrong doing. He is survived by four highly distinguished sons­Shri. B.N. Tandon, Prof. (Dr.) P.N. Tandon, Shri A.N. Tandon and Shri G.N. Tandon, five grand children, a large number of relatives, friends and students who all are greatly proud that they had the benefit of having Prof. R.N. Tandon as a parent, a colleague, an associate and a teacher.