1,500 Caves, countless fungi: Review flags India’s underground life as biotech goldmine

Fungi could be growing quietly on the walls of India’s cave systems, a new review suggests. Scientists say these microscopic life forms may hold keys to new medicines, pollution cleanup and space survival.

Published in the Geomicrobiology Journal, the review Geomycology of Indian Caves by Dr Sujata Dabolkar, Government College Quepem, Goa, highlights fungal diversity in India’s 1,500+ known caves. Most remain unexplored.

Caves are dark, nutrient-poor and humid. Yet fungi like Aspergillus, Penicillium and Trichoderma thrive there by breaking down rocks and recycling minerals.

Researchers are most excited by medical potential. With antibiotic resistance rising, cave fungi’s chemical defences could inspire new drugs. They also produce enzymes that work under extreme conditions, useful for biotechnology.

Some species even tolerate high radiation and long periods without food — traits similar to conditions on Mars or Europa. Astrobiologists are now studying them for clues about life beyond Earth.

From Meghalaya’s limestone caves to Borra, Kotumsar and Deccan volcanic caves, each system hosts unique fungi. India’s underground remains one of its least explored scientific frontiers.