Dr. Narendra Tuteja, Distinguished Plant Molecular Biologist, Former Group Leader, Plant Molecular Biology, ICGEB New Delhi has passed away at the age of 71.
New Delhi, Sep. 08, 2026: A condolence meeting was held at ICGEB, New Delhi, in remembrance of the late Dr. Narendra Tuteja, distinguished scientist, former Group Leader and member of the ICGEB scientific community. The gathering brought together colleagues, scientists, Group Leaders, former students and friends to honour his life, scientific contributions and enduring legacy.
The meeting opened with remarks by Dr. Jitendra Thakur, who spoke about Dr. Tuteja’s scientific achievements and contributions to plant biotechnology, highlighting the significance of his work and his association with ICGEB.
Dr. Pawan Malhotra shared his memories of Dr. Tuteja. Dr. Ramesh V. Sonti, Director, ICGEB New Delhi, along with former colleagues and senior scientists, including Dr. Sudhir K. Sopory, Dr. Shiva Reddy, Dr. Naveen Khanna , Dr. Suresh Nair, and Dr. S. Leelavathi, shared their memories and paid tribute to Dr. Tuteja. Dr. Shahid Jameel and Dr. Renu Tuteja also joined the meeting online.
A particularly poignant part of the meeting was the participation of several of Dr. Tuteja’s former students, who spoke fondly of their teacher and mentor. Their recollections highlighted his influence not only as a scientist but also as an educator and guide whose mentorship left a lasting impression.
The meeting concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Neel Sarovar Bhavesh, who reflected on Dr. Tuteja’s contributions to science and the lasting memories he leaves behind.
The gathering was a heartfelt tribute to a respected scientist, colleague, mentor and teacher. While the scientific community mourns his passing, Dr. Narendra Tuteja’s contributions to research and his enduring impact as a mentor and teacher will continue to be remembered by generations of scientists.
Dr. Narendra Tuteja and his association with ICGEB
Dr. Tuteja’s scientific career at ICGEB spans from 1988 to 2015: seven years in Trieste, Italy, followed by twenty years at ICGEB New Delhi, India.
His chronology, fellowships and honours have been documented by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences and The World Academy of Sciences. His research in Trieste includes the 1990 characterisation of a DNA helicase from human cells and the 1994 identification of human DNA helicase II as the Ku autoantigen. He was a close collaborator of former ICGEB Director, Prof. Arturo Falaschi.
Dr. Tuteja joined ICGEB New Delhi in February 1995 as a Scientist and subsequently became Group Leader of the Plant Molecular Biology Group, a position he held until his retirement on 31 January 2015. Through his scientific contributions and dedicated work, he played an important role in advancing plant molecular biology research. Dr. Tuteja did pioneering work on plant helicases and their role in plant development and stress tolerance. His work included the influential study of PDH45 and s’salt-tolerant plants and later research on stress-tolerant rice.
He is consistently ranked among the “World’s 2% Top Scientists” for career-long citations (Stanford/Elsevier Data Repository), together with ICGEB scientists Dr. Lawrence Banks, Dr. Emanuele Buratti, Dr. Sneh Lata Singla Pareek, Dr. Renu Tuteja and Dr. Sudhir Sopory.
The ICGEB community extends its heartfelt condolences to his wife, Dr. Renu Tuteja, his two sons, his extended family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and had the pleasure of working with him.
