Dr. Lalji Singh was born in the small village of Kalwari in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh on 5th July 1947, to a farmer and head of village, Suryanarayan Singh. With no higher education facilities in his village, Lalji strived for an education early on, travelling to a nearby village to complete his schooling and joining the reputed Banaras Hindu University. After completing his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from BHU, Lalji was admitted for his PhD in the same university.

Chillies are an indispensable  part of the Indian platter and contribute heavily to our economy since India is a leading producer of chillies. A threat facing the chilli farmers is the fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum truncatum that affects the yield of the crop. In a new study, scientists have explored the mechanism behind the fungal disease, how the fungus actually attacks the plant and fruits and have also studied the genotype of the causative agents. This study, the researchers believe, can help develop mitigation plans and save farmers from an impending crop loss.