Guwahati, June 13 -- Reported by Sandeep Sarma

Guwahati: A fruit long cherished in Assamese households for its tangy flavour is now drawing increasing scientific attention, thanks to the pioneering work of retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer and botanist Jatindra Sarma. His extensive research on Garcinia species, popularly known as thekera or thoikora, has helped uncover their ecological, medicinal and economic importance.

Sarma, a former Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, has dedicated years to studying the diverse Garcinia species found across Assam and the Northeast. Through a combination of field surveys, taxonomic research, ethnobotanical documentation and chemical studies, he has si...