The conservation planning of Rhododendrons of Eastern Himalaya was underkaen by Sudipto Chatterjee who received the Whitley Associate Award in 2009 from Whitley Fund for Nature, UK. The study could contribute to Redlisting of Rhododendrons of Eastern Himalaya by the Botanic Garden Conservation International UK. The planning process involved expertise from IUCN Nepal, Botanical Survey of India, GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Ecology and Development,State Forests Departments in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, University of Delhi, WWF-India, State Forest Research Institute, Arunachal Pradesh and Kunming Institute of Botany, China. State level consultation was held at North East Regional Institute of Science and Technology, Nirjuli, Arunachal Pradesh. Part of the study was conducted by Sudipto Chatterjee at Royal Botanical Garden, Kew, London, during International Course for Plant Conservation Techniques in 2001. Prof H.Y Mohan Ram , Fellow of Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi delivered the key note address during the Conservation Planning.
