During her career, Dr. Chitaley received numerous awards and honors. Among those were the Medal for excellence in paleobotanical research and lifetime achievement award from the Birbal-Savitri Sahni Foundation in Lucknow, India and the The Cleveland Museum of Natural History's Jared Potter Kirtland Award for outstanding achievement in a field of natural science.
Upon being hired by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in 1980, at the age of 62, Dr. Chitaley instituted the museum's department of Paleobotany. And now, she has completed 31 years of dedicated service to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Paleobotany.
The most remarkable fact concerning Dr. Chitaley's career is that her time in Cleveland was really her "second" career! After earning her Ph.D. in Botany (Paleobotany), at the University of Reading, in England, she had a 28-year career at the Institute of Science, Nagpur and Bombay, India, where she was department head, professor of botany, and supervisor of Ph.D. students. During her "first" career in India, her research efforts centered upon the Upper Cretaceous Flora of the Deccan Intertrappeans of India. As a result of her intensive study of these fossils, Dr. Chitaley gained an exceptional understanding of the Upper Cretaceous forest of the Madhya Pradeah.
In July of 1982, Dr. Chitaley, founded "The Fossil Society" which was made up of fossil collectors and enthusiasts who went on field trips together and held their meetings at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
In March of 1997, some members of the Fossil Society formed a new club called the "North Coast Fossil Club".
Despite the fact that the North Coast Fossil Club (NCFC) was independent from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Dr. Chitaley continued her very generous support.
Her financial support made possible the NCFC annual Chitaley Paleobotany Presentation and Award meeting. Held every December, members of the NCFC compete by making presentations on any paleobotanical subject with the winner being awarded a fossil specimen.
Also through the generosity of Dr. Chitaley, the North Coast Fossil Club sponsors its annual Devonian Plant Fossil Competition. All members of the NCFC are invited to participate in the competition by bringing their best Devonian plant fossils to the February meeting. The winners of the annual Devonian Plant Fossil Competition are presented the Gerling-Reich Award.
The membership of the North Coast Fossil Club wishes to extend to Dr. Chitaley a sincere and heartfelt "Thank You" for her generosity and support throughout the years. We also wish for her all the happiness and blessings that retirement has to offer.
And though she may be retired, it is certain that her kindness will never be forgotten.
