Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee Papers, 1955-82 | University of Illinois Archives

Series 1: Personal, 1956-2019

This series includes Govindjee's curriculum vitas, as well as his academic records, awards, and materials related to doctoral coursework at the University of Illinois, including his thesis: "Effect of Combining Two Wavelengths of Light on the Photosynthesis of Algae". Also included are several biographical accounts, an interview by Joy Block, and a retirement scrapbook. This series is arranged chronologically, with the CVs listed first.

Series 2: Rajni Govindjee, 1953-1969

This series contains Rajni Govindjee’s correspondence, academic records, research data, and lecture notes. Rajni Govindjee’s lab books are of particular interest and contain research data and notes from her collaborations with Robert Emerson and Eugene Rabinowitch. This series is arranged alphabetically.

Series 3: Correspondence, 1950-2008

This series comprises personal and professional correspondence. This series is divided into four subseries based on Govindjee’s original arrangement. The first subseries contains correspondence related to Robert Emerson, Eugene Rabinowitch, and Govindjee’s research laboratory at the University of Illinois in the 1950s and 1960s. Thus, this subseries includes correspondence by Emerson and Rabinowitch as well as Govindjee. The second subseries comprises Govindjee’s personal and professional correspondence with friends, graduate students, associates, collaborators, academic organizations, and publishers in the 1960s and early 1970s. Subseries three includes Govindjee’s correspondence with graduate students, and research associates, and collaborators from the late 1960s through the 1970s. The fourth subseries comprises Govindjee’s general correspondence. This series is arranged alphabetically.

Series 4: Research Notebooks and Data, 1937-2007

This series comprises research data, analytics, notes, and lab books relating to Govindjee’s study of photosynthesis. This series is divided into three subseries. The first contains research data and analytics from Govindjee’s laboratory experiments, the earliest of which he conducted with Robert Emerson, Eugene Rabinowitch, and Rajni Govindjee. Thus, some folders may contain Emerson’s, Rabinowitch’s, or Rajni Govindjee’s research data and notes. Items in this subseries are listed in chronological order by year and alphabetically therein. The second subseries includes Govindjee’s research notebooks, conference and meeting notebooks, and lab books, arranged chronologically. The third subseries comprises graduate students’ and research associates’ lab books, chronologically arranged.

Series 5: Subject Files, 1948-2016

This series includes publication drafts, figures and tables, notes, outlines, overheads, posters, reference books and pamphlets for lab work, and research files. Some research data is included in these folders. This series also contains materials relating to Govindjee’s overseas research trips and sabbaticals, visiting scholar lectures, collaborations with other scholars, teaching photosynthesis over the internet, and academic appointments. This series also contains copies of signatures from Adolf von Harnack's guest book—including signatures of Nobel laureates and Adolf Hitler. This series begins with sabbatical folders and annual reports binders put together by Govindjee. Those are listed first and arranged chronologically. The series also includes a card index of laboratory equipment and material suppliers: this is listed after the annual report binders. The rest of the series is arranged alphabetically.

Series 6: Grants, 1963-2012

This series contains grant and fellowship applications, correspondence, and reports relating to Govindjee's research, arranged alphabetically by grant funder and chronologically therein.

Series 7: Conferences and Presentations, 1957-2019

This series includes conference and workshop papers, presentation outlines, notes, and correspondence. The folder on the International Genetics Congress in New Delhi includes a photo of Govindjee with Indira Gandhi. This series is arranged chronologically.

Series 8: International Society of Photosynthesis Research, 1990-2001

This series comprises correspondence, drafts, meeting notes, and agendas relating to the International Society of Photosynthesis Research, of which Govindjee was a member of both the executive committee and the publication committee. This series is arranged chronologically.

Series 9: Teaching Materials, 1958-2007

This series includes Govindjee's syllabi, handouts, lecture notes, lab notes, and assignments, for courses taught at the University of Illinois. The series is arranged by course number and chronologically therein. Folders not associated with a specific course are listed chronologically at the end of the series.

Series 10: Research on the History of Photosynthesis, 1938-2011

This series contains correspondence, drafts, and research files related to the history of photosynthesis research. This series is arranged alphabetically.

Series 11: Publications, 1955-2019

The series contains books, articles, and reviews authored and co-authored by Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee. Govindjee's articles and reviews are listed first, followed by Rajni Govindjee's articles, and finally Govindjee's books. This series is arranged chronologically, based on the publication lists provided on Govindjee's website. These publication lists include links to pdf versions of Govindjee's articles.

Publications 1955 – 1993: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/pubschron.html

Publications 1994 – 2020s: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/pubschron.html

Series 12: Slides, Lantern Slides, and Photographs, 1950-2000

This series includes slides, lantern slide, photographs, and negatives of Govindjee's presentations, research (including the Emerson Effect), events, colleagues, family, and friends. This series is arranged by category and alphabetically therein.

Govindjee (1933- ) was a graduate fellow, Fulbright scholar, and research assistant at the University of Illinois from 1956-1960, became an assistant professor of botany in 1961, associate professor of botany and biophysics in 1965, professor of plant biology and biophysics in 1969, and retired as professor emeritus of biophysics, biochemistry, and plant biology in 1999. Govindjee is internationally recognized for his work on photosynthesis. While at the University of Illinois, he also served as Associate Head of Botany (1973-1974), Acting Head of Botany (1974-1975), and Chairman of Biophysics (1977-1978).

Govindjee was born October 24, 1933, in Allahabad, India. He uses only the name "Govindjee," as his father, being an Arya Samajist, did not believe in the Indian Caste system, and did not use the family's last name, which would have signified their caste. Though Govindjee historically used only one name and was naturalized as a United States citizen with one name (1972), he legally changed his name to "Govindjee Govindjee" in 2018.

Rajni Govindjee (1935-) ­­was not hired at the University of Illinois due to nepotism rules that would not allow spouses of usually male faculty to obtain faculty positions. Her publications and research are all that remain of her work on photobiology. More on Rajni Govindjee can be found in the article "Brighter than the Sun" by Thomas G. Ebrey, which can be read on Govindjee's website: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/Rajni_Govindjee_BrighterThanTheSunRajniGovindj.pdf

Govindjee received his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biology (1952) and his Master of Science (1954) in botany/plant physiology from the University of Allahabad, where he met Rajni Varma. Govindjee worked as a lecturer (1954-1956) at the University of Allahabad, and both Govindjee and Rajni Varma came to the United States separately during the 1950's and married on October 24^th, 1957; they have two children: Anita and Sanjay. Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee received their PhDs from the University of Illinois (1960 and 1961), where they studied under Robert Emerson and Eugene Rabinowitch – both important photosynthesis researchers. Govindjee was a member of the University of Illinois faculty from 1956 through 1999, and still works as a professor emeritus. He also has been a visiting scientist at the Research Institute of Advanced Studies, Martin Marietta Labs (1962), the Carnegie Institute of Washington, Stanford (1963-1979), Laboratoire de Photosynthese, Gif-Sur-Yvette (1968-1976), Technical University, West Berlin (1968; 1976), Bhabha Atomic Energy Research Center, Bombay (1968; 1976), NRC, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Athens (1968; 1976), Department of Biophysics, State University, Leiden (1976), Solar Energy Research Group, RIKEN, Japan (1984), Agricultural University, Wageningen (1984), and Department of Phototrophic Microorganisms, Institute of Microbiology, Czech Republic (2009; 2011). Govindjee has been a visiting professor at Washington University, St. Louis, MO (2000), Institute of Physical Biology, University of S. Bohemia, Czech Republic (2002), Jawaharlal Nehru, India University (2003-2008; 2012; 2015-2019), and Ravenshaw University, India (2014).

Govindjee has done immense work in the field of photosynthesis – specifically in regard to the function of Photosystem II. In 1960, Govindjee showed the role of chlorophyll a in Photosystem II. Govindjee pioneered the first picosecond measurements of Photosystem I (1978) and Photosystem II (1989). He also established the unique role of bicarbonate in electron and proton transport in Photosystem II, created the first comprehensive theory of thermoluminescence in algae and plants, and has shown how prompt and delayed fluorescence of chlorophyll a can be used as a signature of various reactions in photosynthesis.  A list of Govindjee's early research discoveries can be found in Box 1/folder 1: curriculum vitas.

Govindjee's many awards and honors include: University of Illinois Fellow and Fulbright Scholar from India (1953), elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (1976), University of Illinois School of Life Sciences Distinguished Lecture Award (1978), elected as a Fellow and Life Member of the National Academy of Sciences, India (1979), elected President of the American Society for Photobiology (1981), the Arnold O. Beckman Research Award from the University of Illinois (1989), the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award from the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research (2006), the Communication Award of the International Society of Photosynthesis Research (2007), the Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Illinois (2008), the Dr. B.M. Johri Memorial Award of the Society for Plant Research, India (2016), and elected as the Pravasi Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India (2018).

Govindjee's curriculum vitae can be found on his website: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/g/CurriculumVitae.html

The following sources have been preserved in the Wayback Machinehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govindjee

https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/

https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/CelebratingGov20yrsRetiredLife_Stirbet_et_al.pdf

https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/Rajni_Govindjee_BrighterThanTheSunRajniGovindj.pdf

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/govindjee-rajni-confluence-photosynthesis-dr-ravi-sharma