HC Javaraya
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HC Javaraya (1889-1946) was an Indian horticulturist who was the first Indian superintendent at the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens in Bangalore.[1] He also set up the Fruit Research Station in Hessarghatta, which is now the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research.[2]
HC Javaraya was born in Madikeri, Kodagu district, and his schooling was at St Joseph's European High School, Bangalore and Central High School, Madikere.[3] He then joined Central College, Bangalore where he pursued a degree in Arts.[4] In 1913, he completed his formal education in agriculture from the Coimbatore Agricultural College.[4] Soon after graduating, he married his wife Nagamma, who hailed from a village in Hassan district.[4] On 18 July 1913, he joined the Mysore Horticultural Society as assistant superintendent, where he worked under Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel.[5] In the late 1910s, Javaraya went on to train at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.[6]
In the early 1930s, Javaraya came back to India. Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel, who was then the superintendent of Lal Bagh, recommended Javaraya as his 'worthy successor'.[5] In 1934, Javaraya was appointed as the senior marketing officer at the newly formed Agricultural Produce Department of Greater India. During his time there, he helped start the Agmark certification mark.[5] As part of his duties as the director of horticulture, he was entrusted with managing the Brindavan Gardens and the Royal Fruit Orchard, 'Madhuvana'.[5]