The creation of Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology was a dream of Plant Pathologists of early seventies who were inspired by doyens such as Dr. N. Prasad and Dr. R. Prasad. For quite some time prior to 1969, a large number of researchers in the field of Mycology and Plant Pathology were feeling the necessity of an additional journal to publish their research findings without delay. This need was obviously due to an increase in the number of Agriculture Universities and Research Institutions in India after independence, and consequently there was an increased output of research on fundamental and applied aspects of Mycology and Plant Pathology. The idea to start a new journal of Plant Pathology with its head quarter at SKN College of Agriculture, Jobner, Rajasthan emerged during September, 1969 in an informal discussion of faculty members of Plant Pathology with late Dr. R. Prasad. Dr. Prasad shouldered this responsibility and issued a circular to about 200 researchers on 14 October, 1969 to gather the opinion for starting an additional society and publication of the Journal. The second circular was sent in December 1969 to plant pathologists all over India inviting them to become members of the Society. The Journal was finally titled as, “Indian journal of Mycology and Plant Pathology”. In response to the circular, 58 scientists sent their membership fee in 1970.
In managing the affairs of the society and its publication some problems were experienced during 1970 at Jobner being a village with no printing facilities. During the visit of Dr. R. Prasad to Udaipur, Dr. J.P. Jain suggested to locate the head quarter of the Society at Udaipur from where the publication of the Journal was also possible. In 1970 the Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology finally started functioning at Udaipur. An interim Editorial Board was framed and Late Dr. N. Prasad was requested to take the responsibilities of publication of the Journal as Chief Editor.
During the formative stage of the Society, academician and industrialist Late Shri P.P. Singhal, Founder of Pesticides India, Udaipur helped generously in various ways. He was the founder “Patron” of the Society and instituted an annual prestigious award “Pesticides India Award.”
The first issue of the Journal was released in December 1971. Till 1981, the Journal was published twice a year in January and July. In the Society General Body Meeting held at Pantnagar in February, 1982 the decision was taken to accelerate its periodicity to three times a year-April, August and December. Since then the Journal has been regularly published and is in wide circulation in India and abroad. The Society has also started publication of ISMPP News Letter from the year 1995. Dr. Y.L. Nene had been the Founder Editor of the News Letter. The Society endeavored for a new and unusual venture of taking the responsibility of beginning the publication of Annual Review of Plant Pathology from the year 2002.
The other activities of the Society include organizing Annual Conferences. The Society has sponsored in all 28 annual conferences till date covering almost all the states of India. Society successfully organized two Global Conferences at Udaipur in the year 1995 & 2005 and two Asian Congress in 2002 at University of Mysore, Mysore and in 2007 at Osmania University, Hyderaba. The awards include P.P. Singhal Memorial P.I.Industries Award, Y.L. Nene Outstanding Plant Pathology Teacher Award, Prof. H.C. Dube Outstainding Young Scientist Award, Smt. Guman Devi Verma Memorial Best Women Scientist Award and P.R. Verma Award for M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. In addition, it includes Presidential address, N. Prasad memorial lecture by eminent plant pathologists of the country and V. P. Bhide memorial lecture.
The Society has more than 1000 members, including annual members, life members and foreign members, institutions and libraries. The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has graded the Journal to “A” category in publication group. The Journal is abstracted by all the scientific agencies over the world.
The Society holds elections every year for the positions of President and Councillors (North, South, East and West). The Organizing Secretary for the annual conferences is nominated as Vice President for the ensuing year. Election to the offices of Secretary and Treasurer are held once in every 3 years.
The eminent scientists have served the Society in their capacities as Presidents and Secretaries of the Society sharing the responsibility of nurturing and nourishing the Society all through: