With reference to ‘Red Sanders’, sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements.

1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India.

2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest areas of South India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct answer is 1 only.

Let us analyze each statement carefully to understand why only Statement 1 is correct.

Statement 1: "It is a tree species found in a part of South India." — ✓ CORRECT

Red Sanders, scientifically known as Pterocarpus santalinus, is indeed a tree species that is endemic — meaning it grows naturally and exclusively — in a specific and narrow geographical region of South India. It is predominantly found in the Eastern Ghats, particularly in the Nallamala Hills and surrounding forest areas of Andhra Pradesh. The phrase "a part of South India" is very precise and accurate. Red Sanders does not grow across the entirety of South India, but only within this restricted zone of the southern Eastern Ghats. This makes Statement 1 factually correct.

Red Sanders is highly valued for its deep red heartwood, which is used in making musical instruments, furniture, and traditional medicine. Due to its high commercial value, it has been subject to widespread illegal smuggling and poaching, which is why it often appears "in the news."

Statement 2: "It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest areas of South India." — ✗ INCORRECT

This statement is factually wrong on a crucial ecological point. Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) does not grow in tropical rain forests. It is found in tropical dry deciduous forests — a very different type of ecosystem characterized by seasonal rainfall and a dry period during which trees shed their leaves. The tropical rainforests of South India (such as those in the Western Ghats — the Shola forests) have entirely different characteristic tree species.

Associating Red Sanders with "tropical rain forest areas" is therefore ecologically incorrect. The tree thrives in rocky, scrubby, and dry terrain, not in the dense, high-rainfall rainforest environment. This makes Statement 2 wrong.

Summary:

- Statement 1 → Correct (Red Sanders is endemic to a specific part of South India — the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh)
- Statement 2 → Incorrect (It belongs to tropical dry deciduous forests, NOT tropical rain forests)

Therefore, the answer is 1 only.