National Botanical Research Institute: Best Time to Visit

For those who enjoy flowers, plants, and floral crafts, Lucknow’s National Botanical Research Institute is a paradise. The institute was established in 1978 under its current name. It boasts a 25-hectare garden, a herbarium, two laboratories, and a sizable library. 

Its garden also includes Sikandar Bagh, another well-known destination for tourists in Lucknow. It is one of India’s biggest botanical gardens. This institute’s mission is to investigate, propagate, conserve, and safeguard different Indian native plant species. It promises to be an interesting and educational experience to visit.

After the establishment of British control in India in 1858, additional land was added to the pre-existing Sikandar Bagh. Following the construction of a road through it, it was given the name Government Horticultural Garden. Eminent British horticulturists including Dr. J. Cameron and Mr. M. Ridley had senior positions in this institute.

National Botanical Research Institute: History

The National Botanic Gardens (NBG), which Professor Kailas Nath Kaul originally designed and established on behalf of the State of Uttar Pradesh, were taken over by the CSIR in 1953. In 1964, Dr. Triloki Nath Khoshoo came as the Assistant Director before quickly rising to the position of Director. Initially focused on research in the traditional botanical disciplines, the NBG continued to prioritise its applied and developmental research efforts in line with national requirements and priorities in the field of plant sciences.

Dr. Khoshoo’s tireless work allowed the institute to achieve its current status as the National Botanical Research Institute in 1978, reflecting the true nature and scope of its goals, functions, and R & D activities. Sikandar Bagh, a renowned and illustrious pleasure garden, is situated on the Institute’s grounds.

With time, the organisation’s operations grew to include flower shows, nurseries, investigations into various plant-related activities, etc. It was taken over by the CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) in 1953 and was then known as the National Botanical Gardens. The garden was further expanded to include a flower nursery, many fruit orchards, and lawns. The National Botanical Garden was renamed National Botanical Research Institute in 1978.

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National Botanical Research Institute: How to reach

The city of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is home to the National Botanical Research Institute. It is easily accessible because of its excellent rail, air, and road connections. It can be reached using this method best.

By Train

The Lucknow Junction Railway Station, which is the city’s main rail hub, is situated almost 4.4 kilometres away. The journey to the National Botanical Research Institute shouldn’t take you longer than 21 minutes, on average, and taxis and private vehicles are available at the train station.

By Air

Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is the name of Lucknow’s airport. About 19.2 kilometres away, about 50 minutes’ worth of driving, is where it is located. At the airport, there are taxis and private automobiles that you can hire.

By Road

Lucknow has easy access to all of India’s major cities, as well as those that are nearby, such as Agra (323 km), Jhansi (316 km), Kanpur (86 km), and Varanasi (280 km). You must take NH 27 if you’re travelling to Lucknow from Kanpur or Jhansi. Varanasi and Agra are connected to Lucknow by NH 30 and the Agra Lucknow Expressway, respectively.

National Botanical Research Institute: Best time to visit

Lucknow is home to the National Botanical Research Institute. Anyone who has been will confirm that it gets really hot there throughout the summer. It is so hot that it frequently reaches 42 °C. This does not imply that its visitors decrease during this time of year. There is no reason not to go there in the summer if you can handle the heat. 

However, the weather becomes very chilly, peaceful, and pleasant throughout the winter, which makes it ideal for sightseeing and exploring.

National Botanical Research Institute: Popular tourist destinations nearby

One of the top tourist attractions in the area is the National Botanical Research Institute, which you should see when visiting Lucknow. Other than this, the city is full of interesting historical and cultural sites that are great for touring and investigation. Here are a few examples.

•       Railway Station in Charbagh
•       Saadat Ali Khan and Khurshid Zadi’s tombs
•       the Vidhan Bhawan
•       Yahiyaganj Gurudwara
•       Temple of Dilkusha Jain
•       Aliganj Buddha Temple’s Lord Hanuman Temple
•       Shaheed Smarak
•       La Martiniere

National Botanical Research Institute: NBRI’s accomplishments

•       Los Banos Variegata-Jayanthi is a brand-new bougainvillaea variety created by NBRI.
•       A pest-resistant cultivar of cotton has been created by the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow in an effort to combat whiteflies.
•       Different Ministries/Departments of the Government of India and the United Nations have acknowledged NBRI as a prominent institute and referral centre in topics relating to CBD, traditional knowledge, and intellectual property rights.
•       CSIR-TKDL and ILDIS are two of the prominent plant resource databases and network programmes that NBRI is currently in charge of coordinating.
•       According to the National Biodiversity Authority’s guidelines and the Biological Diversity Act of 2002, the Institute has received recognition from the Indian government as one of the national repositories for Indian flora.

National Botanical Research Institute: What is it known for?

Plant systematics and biodiversity, conservation biology, environmental biology, horticulture and floriculture, plant-microbial interactions, plant biotechnology and genetic engineering, bioinformatics, plant diversity databases, and biopharming are a few of the strategically important areas of plant sciences that the NBRI conducts basic and applied R&D programmes in.

Biotechnology, bioinformatics, plant biodiversity, and interactions between plants and microbes are all areas of expertise for CSIR-NBRI.

The institute is renowned for its excellent contributions to enhancing our understanding of the diversity of plants found in India, particularly in the development of biotech and microbial technologies, herbal products, and plant databases that are competitive on a global scale.

Through training and capacity building in floriculture, agro-techniques, and cultivation of locally adapted plant resources for herb gardens and kitchen gardens, sodic land management, bioremediation of wastelands, organic farming, and utilisation of bio-inoculants for increased crop growth and yield, CSIR-NBRI also supports plant-people centric outreach and extension activities aimed at rural development and the empowerment of rural women and farmers.

Every November and January, the National Botanical Research Institute hosts two flower displays that are well-known. These are planned with the intention of encouraging garden enthusiasts, academics, horticulturists, scientists, and the general public to cultivate decorative plants. In addition to learning about numerous flower and plant species, visitors to these displays can buy seeds or young plants for planting. 

Adding to this, a number of exhibitions, and awareness-raising events are planned on the topics of flower dehydration and the creation and display of diverse floral crafts. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Lucknow is this location because of the diverse array of flora there as well as the historical significance associated with it.

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