Dr Mandar Datar has been working in the field of plant taxonomy for the last 24 years. He works as a scientist in the Biodiversity and Paleobiology group of Agharkar Research Institute. He is also a nominated Member of the IUCN SSC-Western Ghats Plant Specialist Group. In addition, he works as a member of the ‘Grassland and Fodder study group’ constituted by the Government of Maharashtra.
After pursuing his MSc in plant taxonomy from Pune University, Dr Datar received a Research Fellowship from the Ministry of Environment and Forests and climate change (MOEFCC) between 2001 and 2004. For his PhD, he worked in the Botanical Survey of India on Flora of Bhagwan Mahavir (Mollem) National Park, Goa, and received his degree in 2007 from Pune University. BSI later published the same work in the form of a book.
Dr Datar is also involved in popularizing science among non academic audiences by giving talks, writing books and articles in local newspapers and magazines, and conducting a “Certificate course in Home Gardening” organized by MACS.