Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education

The Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education (FBAE) is based in Bangalore, India. A good indication of its influence and effectiveness as a lobby group is the way in which the Government of India, in countering Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Supreme Court of India, has drawn on submissions from the FBAE in arguing both against a GM moratorium, in general, and in defending GM mustard field trials conducted by the University of Delhi, in particular.

The FBAE describes itself as "non-profit, grass-root, Society formed to support sustainable development through biotechnology, by promoting biotechnology awareness and education."

FBAE's self-description as "grass-root" is, however, at odds with its close links with major biotechnology business interests.

According to information on its website, the formation of the Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education (FBAE) was founded in Bangalore, India on January 18, 2001. The press conference was addressed by Dr Shanthu Shantharam, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington, and Dr C. Kameswara Rao, Executive Secretary of the FBAE.

Kameswara Rao's background

Dr Kameswara Rao is the former head of the Botany Department at Bangalore University and a "Consultant, Biotechnology & Medicinal Plants". On a Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship and a Royal Society and Nuffield Foundation bursary, Rao worked on the computer applications in plant systematics at the Natural History Museum, London and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Shanthu Shantharam's background

Dr Shantharam served as a Branch Chief of the USDA office of Biotechnology Regulatory Services in Washington DC for over 14 years, and worked as a visiting biotechnology advisor to the World Bank in the mid 1990s. He was a visiting research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington DC from 2001 to 2002. He took up employment with Syngenta - the world's largest agricultural biotechnology corporation - in March 2001, within just weeks of the launch of the FBAE. And by June of that year he was representing Syngenta at the Biotechnology Industry Organisation's annual convention in the USA (Biotechnology on Parade: BIO 2001 San Diego, CA June 24–27, 2001).

At the Inaugural Workshop of the FBAE, held on January 18 2001 in Bangalore, India, Dr Shantharam became a member of the FBAE Steering Committee established 'to guide the Foundation through the further course of action'. In FBAE's 2001 press release announcing the inauguration of FBAE he is listed as: 'Dr S Shantharam, Basel, Switzerland'. Basel is where Syngenta International has its headquarters, but until as late as 2006 the FBAE website did not appear to have anywhere identified Dr Shantharam as an employee of Syngenta.

As well as being one of the two people who announced the formation of the FBAE at the press conference, Dr Shantharam also gave the 'presidential address' at the FBAE’s inaugural workshop. The FBAE has also undertaken contractual work for Syngenta, according to its first annual report.

While employed by Syngenta (March 2001-June 2003), Dr Shantharam was head of Stakeholder Relations and Technology Communications. He also served as their Biotechnology Regulatory Compliance Manager, and led Syngenta’s communications efforts for its Golden Rice and Rice Genome projects.

Dr Shantharam has also, since July 1 2003, been a senior advisor to the Sehgal Family Foundation . The Founder and Chairman of the Foundation is Dr. Suri Sehgal, the Founder and Chairman of Proagro Seed Company Ltd., India - the company that first sought to commercialise GM mustard in India.

The President of the FBAE is identified as:

Dr Sharan Angadi Occupation: Dy. General Manager, 47 yrs, Nunhems Seeds India Pvt. Ltd.

Dr Angadi was on FBAE's initial Steering Committee and was also FBAE's first Vice President (see 'Office Bearers' in FBAE's first annual report)

Nunhems Seeds is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer CropScience, the agricultural-biotechnology subsidiary of the German based pharmaceutical and chemical giant Bayer AG.

Dr. Angadi was previously deputy general manager - research for Nunhems Proagro Seeds. The Proagro group, which comprises Proagro Seed Company and Hybrid Rice International and Nunhems Seeds, are all part of the activities of Bayer CropScience in India.

ProAgro sought to commercialise GM mustard in India. This GM mustard incorporated the controversial barnase and barstar genes as part of a 'proprietary know-how of its German parent, Bayer CropScience'. (Why is Proagro's product controversial?) The same construct is also part of the the University of Delhi GM mustard.

Both Dr Angadi and Dr Shantharam were on the FBAE's initial Steering Committee, as was Dr Villoo Patell, the CEO of the well-known Indian biotechnology firm Avesthagen.

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