Dr. Saligram Sinha was born on 14th February, 1913 at Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. After his early education at Jaunpur he obtained M.Sc. degree in Botany from Lucknow University in the year 1937 with distinction. For his Doctorate he worked under the guidance of an eminent Plant Pathologist, Dr. S. N. Das Gupta on `Storage Diseases of Mango', and was honoured with `Birbal Sahni Award' for his research excellence. After serving as Lecturer in Botany Department of Lucknow University, he joined Agra College, Agra, as Reader in Botany in 1945, wherein he took over as Professor and Head of the Department in 1950. He was elevated to the Office of the Principal of the College in 1970, the post he held till his retirement in 1973. Since then he was associated with the Department of Botany, Kumaon University, Nainital as Retired Scientist on an assignment from the University Grants Commission. He was also appointed as Scientific Advisor to the University's Mushroom Cultivation Project. He breathed his last on the 22nd June, 1979 getting into eternal sleep in the 'Sleepy Hollow', his residence at Nainital. 

Dr. Sinha remained as an active scientist and as naturalist throughout his life ever since he undertook botanical studies at Lucknow. He made several botanical excursions to various parts of the country, right from Nilgiri Hills in the south to Pindari Glacier, Bageshwari and Panchachuli in the North. He was always charmed with Great Himalayas for their richness of botanical flora and scenic beauty. He published a number of research papers and review articles in the field of plant patho­logy. Dr. Sinha held many a office of eminence in various scientific organisations including the office of elected President of Indian Phytopathological Society in 1963. President of Botanical Session of Indian Science Congress and Vice-President ofthe Association of Seed Pathologists of India. He was honoured by Indian Phyto­pathological Society for being invited to deliver the 13th Mundkur Memorial Lecture in 1976. 

Dr. Sinha was invited by the Danish Government Institute of Seed Pathology, Copenhagen, Denmark in 1969. He also visited Netherland, Germany, U. K., France. Italy and some other countries of Europe.In 1971.he attended a symposium on `Ecology of leaf surface' at New Castle-upon-Tyne. 

Dr. Sinha was an excellent administrator, planner and organiser. He organised a training programme in Seed Pathology in January 1967 and an All India Symposium on Teaching of Mycology and Plant Pathology in December 1967 besides holding a session each at Agra during the two International Symposia organised by IPS. Dr. Sinha will always be remembered for his contributions in the field of fungal taxonomy, rusts of gram and bajra, phytoalexine. seed pathology, aerobiology. phyllosphere flora, fruit rots and many more. 

Dr. Sinha was an excellent educator and commanded immense respect from his students who have diverged to various centres of research in India as well as abroad. He possessed great affection, dedication and concern in the upliftment of his students. Even a few minutes before he left for his heavenly abode he was busy in checking up the thesis write-up of one of his students. 

Dr. Sinha has left behind his wife, two sons, two daughters and a large number of students and friends to mourn his death. With his death the scientific community has lost a dedicated scientist, a naturalist and a devoted teacher. This is an irrepair­able loss to the discipline of Plant Pathology.