Known as ‘Ant Man of India’, Punjabi Univ prof elected fellow of Indian National Science Academy

Notably, Bharti is the third scientist from Punjabi University to receive this prestigious honour. Previously, Prof. SS Bir in 1981 and Prof. MS Saini in 2007 were elected Fellows of the Indian Science Academies.

This recognition was conferred on Bharti for his contributions to the fields of systematics and evolutionary biology.

Bharti noted that the Indian National Science Academy, in its citation, acknowledged his work, stating: “Prof Himender Bharti’s interdisciplinary work on ant systematics, ecology and evolution, going well beyond delineation of new species, has changed thinking in the field. His studies have led to novel insights into evolutionary trends in high-altitude Himalayan ant species and also in the use of ants as indicators of ecosystem health and biodiversity trends.”

Vice-Chancellor Dr Jagdeep Singh congratulated Bharti on this achievement, stating, “Being elected a Fellow by a prestigious institution like the Indian National Science Academy is a matter of pride in itself and reflects the calibre of the university’s faculty”.