Niraj Rai
Dr. Niraj Rai is an Indian molecular biologist working at CSIR- CCMB, Hyderabad, India. He obtained his PhD from CCMB in 2014 under supervision of Dr. K. Thangaraj of CCMB[1][2] and Dr. Marta Mirazon Lahr of University of Cambridge.[3] He was visiting research Fellow at University of Cambridge during 2008 to 2009 and trained in 3D morphometrics and ancient DNA technology. He is the first scientist who established ancient DNA research in India. For his contribution in a new and novel research, he received young scientist award from Indian Society of Human Genetics for the year of 2011. He is the first molecular biologist who has successfully extracted the DNA from Neolithic Hominid remains in INDIA.
He carried out ancient DNA analysis on remains of Queen of Georgia, Ketevan the Martyr human bone remains excavated from the St. Augustine convent by sequencing and genotyping of the Mitochondrial DNA. The investigations of the remains revealed an unusual mtDNA haplogroup U1b, which is absent in India, but present in Georgia and surrounding regions. Since the genetic analysis corroborates archaeological and literary evidence, it is likely that the excavated bone belongs to Queen of Georgia, Ketevan the Martyr.
He is the first researchers who scientifically linked the Roman trading in South West of India through ancient DNA analysis from skeletal remains found at Pattanam port, Kerala.[4][5]
Furthermore, he showed that European Roma (Gypsy Population) are descendent from the Indian untouchable caste population.[6]
Media coverage[edit]
The Hindu: Ancient bone relic in Goa church might be of Queen Ketevan of Georgia[7]
The Hindu (Special correspondent): Bone relic in Goa church might be from Georgian Queen: DNA study[8]
Indian Express: 400-year-old Bone Relic Found in Goa Might be of Georgian Queen's: CCMB [9]
Business Line: Is the bone relic in Goan church that of Queen of Georgia?[10]
The Statesman: Remains of Georgian queen in Goa[11]
The Times of India: 10 years on, Old Goa relic traced to Queen Ketevan[12]
Catholic Bishops conference of India: Is the bone relic in Goan church that of Queen of Georgia?[13]
The Pioneer: Quantum leap in crime investigation[14]
Past Horizons: Search for the relics of martyr Queen Ketevan[15]
Tatkal News.com: Bone relic excavated from Goa likely to be of Georgian queen[16]
Indian Today: Goa's georgian connection[17]
World News.com: Ancient Bone Relic in Goa Church Might Be Of Queen Ketevan Of Georgia[18]
Yahoo News: 'Lost' Remains of Martyred Georgian Queen Unearthed[19]
The Times of India: Queen's relics in Old Goa can promote spiritual tourism[20]
Live Sciences: Lost Remains of Martyred Georgian Queen Unearthed[21]
References[edit]
- ↑ "CCMB : Our People". Ccmb.res.in. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "Niraj Rai - Google Scholar Citations". Scholar.google.co.in. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies". Human-evol.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ A. Srivathsan. "Pattanam antiquity authenticated by radiocarbon dating". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ A. Srivathsan. "Another bit of Pattanam puzzle found". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "PLOS ONE: The Phylogeography of Y-Chromosome Haplogroup H1a1a-M82 Reveals the Likely Indian Origin of the European Romani Populations". Plosone.org. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ Y. Mallikarjun. "Ancient bone relic in Goa church might be of Queen Ketevan of Georgia". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "Bone relic in Goa church might be from Georgian Queen: DNA study". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "400-year-old Bone Relic Found in Goa Might be of Georgian Queen's: CCMB". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ M. Somasekhar. "Is the bone relic in Goan church that of Queen of Georgia?". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "The Statesman: Remains of Georgian queen in Goa". Thestatesman.net. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ [1][dead link]
- ↑ "Catholic Bishops' Conference of India". Cbci.in. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "The Pioneer". Dailypioneer.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ [2][dead link]
- ↑ ":: Tatkal News ::". Tatkalnews.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "Playing the green card". Indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "Ancient bone relic in Goa church might be of Queen Ketevan of Georgia". World News. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "'Lost' Remains of Martyred Georgian Queen Unearthed". Yahoo News. 11 January 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ [3][dead link]
- ↑ "'Lost' Remains of Martyred Georgian Queen Unearthed". LiveScience.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
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