Vasant Ramji Khanolkar, Indian pathologist (Quetta, Pakistan 13 April 1895 – 29 October 1978)

Authored over 100 scientific papers and 3 books

World famous for his work on racial distribution of blood groups especially the Rh group 

The racial distribution of the blood groups. J. Anthrop. Soc. 1:110-33, 1945

With B. Suryabai. Cancer in relation to usages. Three new types in India. Arch. Pathol. 40:351-61, 1945

Developed Khanolkar reaction for ketosteroids 

With A.S. Krishnamurthi, C.D. Bagul & M.B. Sahasrabudhe. A new method of histochemical localization of corticoids. Indian J. Pathol. Bacteriol. 1:84-9, 1958

Developed Khanolkar concentration test for Mycobacterium leprae 

With K. Rajalakshmi. A method for the concentration of acid-fast bacilli in skin biopsies from leprosy patients. Leprosy in India 24:47-61, 1952 

Method of taking biopsy for histological examination. Lepr. Rev. 22:83-5,

Isolated a new strain of Mycobacterium leprae

First proposed the presence of Mycobacterium leprae within axons (1955) and established its mode of dispersion (neural leprosy)

With Cochrane suggested the term dimorphous leprosy (1956)