R. W. Alexander Jesudasan Explained

Honorific Prefix:	Professor
R. W. Alexander Jesudasan
Honorific Suffix:	D. Sc. (Madras)
Nationality:	Indian
Occupation:	Teaching
Period:	1950-2012
Known For:	Entomology
Professor
Boards:	President, Madras Science Forum,^[1] Secretary, MCC Alumni Association National Assessment and Accreditation Council Peer Team Member^[2] Member, The Senate, University of Madras^[3] President, AIACHE (2015-2017)^[4]
Awards:	Best Principal, All Indian Association for Christian Higher Education^[5] Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Award for Excellence 2010^[6] Maxim Gorky Life Time Achievement Award for Excellence^[7]
Education:	M. Sc. (Madras) Ph. D. (Madras) D. Sc. (Madras)
Alma Mater:	Guru Nanak College, Chennai^[8] Madras Christian College, Tambaram (Tamil Nadu)
Discipline:	Zoology
Sub Discipline:	Entomology
Workplaces:	Madras Christian College, Tambaram (Tamil Nadu),
Main Interests:	Peace Studies

R. W. Alexander Jesudasan is an Indian entomologist credited with the discovery of more than 60 species of whiteflies in South India. He was a prominent educationist and served as Principal of Madras Christian College (2009–2020) and have been part of many education-related committees including NAAC Peer Team.

Education, research and career

Alexander is an alumnus of Guru Nanak College, Chennai and Madras Christian College,^[9] prestigious institutions in Chennai, India. He joined as a professor in Department of Zoology, Madras Christian College in 1986, where he served until his retirement in 2020.

He took charge as the Principal of Madras Christian College in 2009, serving the college in that capacity for 11 years.

Considering his contributions to entomology, University of Madras Awarded Alexander DSc in 2010 in recognition of his “contributions to the knowledge of Indian whiteflies (aleyrodidae: Hemiptera: Insecta) with an emphasis on whitefly-ant interaction”.

Leadership and contributions

During his leadership, the college was ranked 10th (2018) and 13th (2019)^[10] in the colleges category of the National Institutional Ranking Framework. College was also repeatedly ranked the Best College in Chennai and featured among top five in various surveys, like the "India Today"^[11] and "The Week" survey.

He also took initiative for many programmes like Sharing Knowledge You Had Abroad (SKY) programme, Sport for All etc. His contributions to infrastructural development in the campus are also notable. He was instrumental in the establishment of various facilities like Indoor Stadium, modernized Science Laboratories, Modernization of Women's Lounge, Solar Power Plant, two new Women's Halls, modernization of Student Centre, Air-conditioning of Anderson Hall^[12] and Bishop Heber Chapel.

Contributions to entomology

See main article: List of whitefly species. Alexander is credited with the discovery many species of Whiteflies:^[13]

• Aleurocanthus: 9 Species
• Aleuroclava: 16 Species
• Aleurolobus: 11 Species
• Aleuropapillatus: 1 Species
• Cockerelliella: 1 Species
• Cohicaleyrodes: 1 Species
• Crenidorsum: 5 Species
• Dialeurodes: 1 Species
• Dialeurolonga: 2 Species
• Massilieurodes: 1 Species
• Pealius: 3 Species
• Rhachisphora: 2 Species
• Singhiella: 2 Species
• Singhius: 1 Species
• Tetraleurodes: 3 Species
• Zaphanera: 1 Species

See also

• Prof. Dr. M. Abel
• The Rev. John Anderson
• Very Rev. Dr. William Miller

Notes and References

1. News: M. Ramya . R W Alexander Jesudasan, principal of Madras Christian College, has been elected as president of the Madras Science Foundation . 1 June 2020 . The Times of India . en.
2. Web site: Visit of the NAAC Peer Team to St. Francis College: News by St. Francis College for Women, Begumpet, Hyderabad . 1 June 2020.
3. Web site: Senate . unom.ac.in . 1 June 2020.
4. Web site: AIACHE FOUNDERS & PRESIDENTS . www.aiache.co.in . 1 June 2020.
5. News: May 5 . M. Ramya . R W Alexander Jesudasan, principal of Madras Christian College, Chennai, won the Best Principal Award 2012, instituted by the All Indian Association for Christian Higher Education . 1 June 2020 . The Times of India . en.
6. News: Five chosen for Ambedkar Award . 1 June 2020 . The Hindu . 17 February 2011 . en-IN.
7. News: Sep 16 . M. Ramya . Principal of Madras Christian College in Chennai R W Alexander Jesudasan gets Maxim Gorky Life Time Achievement Award for excellence in scientific research and able administration . 1 June 2020 . The Times of India . en.
8. Web site: Alumni . Prominent . Alumni Association, Guru Nanak College . www.gurunanakcollege.edu.in . 1 June 2020.
9. News: A . Chitradeepa . World-class researcher and an able administrator . 1 June 2020 . The Hindu . 27 September 2010 . en-IN.
10. Web site: MHRD, National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) . www.nirfindia.org . 1 June 2020.
11. News: Best Arts Colleges 2018: List of Top Art Colleges 2018 in India . 1 June 2020 . www.indiatoday.in.
12. News: MCC to now charge students up to 20,000 a day to rent their halls for college events . 3 June 2020 . The New Indian Express.
13. Martin . Jon H. . Mound . Laurence A. . An annotated check list of the world's whiteflies (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) . Zootaxa . 3 June 2020 . 1–84 . en . 10.11646/zootaxa.1492.1.1 . 31 May 2007. 1492 . free .