Mandar N. Datar is currently working as a Scientist at Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India. He had his Ph.D. from the Botanical Survey of India, Pune, and has to his credit ten books (three in Marathi) and more than 65 research papers in reputed scientific journals. He is a Nominated Member of the IUCN SSC-Western Ghats Plant Specialist Group and a recognized Ph.D. Guide of Savitribai Phule Pune University. He has received research grants from various national funding agencies. He runs a YouTube channel named "Plants, People and Poetry" and writes extensively in magazines and newspapers to disseminate scientific knowledge. An algae species, 'Stauroneis datarii' is named to recognize his contribution to plant diversity.