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This is a preliminary report of the rare earth metal abundances in certain Pan-African granitoids of Karbi Hills, Assam, North East India. Higher abundance of rare earth metals is apparently related to the mineralogical abundance of certain key rare earth element (REE)-bearing accessory minerals like allanite, xenotime, bastnaesite, apatite, zircon and monazite. The bulk chemistry of the granitoids suggests their A-type, calcium-deficient but alkali-rich, anomalous, anorogenic, within-plate granitoid character. Textural variants considered for the present study are: (1) porphyritic to sub-porphyritic, medium to fine-grained, mylonitized grey and pink-coloured granitoids of the Panbari-Geleki area in northern Karbi Hills, and (2) the non-porphyritic, medium to fine-grained granitoids of Kathalguri area in northwestern Karbi Hills. Compositionally, the plutons are granitic to granodioritic in composition. The study reveals that the grey porphyritic granitoids are poor in REE, but the pink porphyry/sub-porphyry variety is enriched in REE. The pink granitoids show richness in La (average 1086 ppm) and Ce (average 2329 ppm) in particular. The average LREE content in the nonporphyritic Kathalguri granitoids is 607.46 ppm, but their HREE content is slightly higher (average 26.50 ppm) than normal granitoids. Chondrite normalized LREE-HREE profile and ratios of CeN/YbN, LaN/YbN, LaN/SmN and TbN/YbN of individual plutons indicate co-magmatic derivation of magmatic masses from the lower crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keshab Chandra Sarma (1898-1973) was one of the distinguished mycologist in the field of tea research and had notable contributions on various phyto-pathological aspects of tea diseases. He achieved domain knowledge in the identification of significant tea pathogens prevalent in tea plantations of North East India. Although Sarma started his career as a part-time researcher in a premier tea research institute in NE India, due to some sterling qualities like sharpness, intelligence, sincerity, devotion to duty and the capacity to learn and formulate novel ideas despite the lack of a formal higher education, he earned his reputation as tea mycologist during 1950s. Throughout his career, Sarma had published a number of research notes, invited lectures, articles and scientific reports. His comprehensive memorandum on 'Diseases of tea and ancillary crops of North East India' is highly valued by the tea-growing communities throughout the world. Under the joint guidance of renowned mycologists A. C. Tunstall and V. Agnihothrudu, Sarma flourished and became a leading scientist in the field of tea pathology and plant protection. Identification of tea diseases in relation to environment and development of effective strategies in disease management were the related areas of his research. This note is an effort to highlight the scientific contributions of Sarma towards tea research and development, for the benefit of present and future generations in biological sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]