Prof. Mitali Mukerji earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, in 1997. Prior to joining academia at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur in 2021, she served as a Chief Scientist at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, where she led the Genomics and Molecular Medicine department. She currently serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at IIT Jodhpur and is an affiliate faculty at the School of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.

Prof. Mukerji’s research is at the intersection of genomics, precision medicine, and traditional Indian medicine. She is globally recognized for pioneering the field of “Ayurgenomics,” which integrates Ayurvedic principles of phenotypic classification with modern genomics to identify molecular correlates for personalized health. Her work is motivated by "contemporizing Ayurveda" through the discovery of biomarkers for disease susceptibility, understanding human adaptations to extreme environments, and tracing mutational histories. She served as the convenor of the Indian Genome Variation Consortium (IGVC), which provided the first comprehensive genetic landscape of Indian populations.

A distinguished proponent of transdisciplinary research, Prof. Mukerji leads the AYURTECH Centre of Excellence at IIT Jodhpur, where she spearheads the convergence of Ayurveda, AI, and multi-omics to deliver evidence-based, data-driven healthcare solutions. She also coordinates the "Thar DESIGNS" initiative, exploring human adaptation and ecosystem phenomics in the Thar Desert. Her contributions to science have been recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Medical Sciences, and the National Young Woman Bioscientist Award.

She serves on several national and international boards, including the International Consortium on Human Phenomics, and is an elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, India. With over 120 publications in high-impact journals such as Nature Genetics and PNAS, Prof. Mukerji’s leadership integrates cutting-edge genomics, artificial intelligence, and traditional knowledge to shape the future of integrative precision medicine.

Dr. Pankaj Bhardwaj is a medical doctor with an MBBS and MD in Community Medicine and currently serves as Director of the ICMR-National Institute for Implementation Research on Non-Communicable Diseases, Jodhpur. Prior to this role, he was Professor of Community Medicine & Family Medicine and Head of the School of Public Health at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur. He has also served as Dean Research and Vice Dean Research at AIIMS Jodhpur.

Dr. Bhardwaj’s work lies at the intersection of implementation research, health policy, and population health. His research is motivated by strengthening health systems to effectively prevent and manage non-communicable diseases (NCDs), tobacco-related harm, geriatric conditions, and vaccine-preventable diseases. A central focus of his work is translating epidemiological evidence into scalable policy and programmatic interventions that improve public health outcomes in India and other low- and middle-income settings.

Over the past decade, he has authored more than 200 PubMed-indexed publications and has a high citation impact across major academic databases. He has led numerous large-scale, multi-centric, and policy-oriented research projects funded by national and international agencies, including ICMR, WHO, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and other global partners. His projects span health workforce strengthening, hypertension control, tobacco control policy, NCD screening through point-of-care models, HIV surveillance, dementia care, vaccine trials, and integrative approaches to cognitive impairment.

Dr. Bhardwaj is a Fellow of multiple national and international academies, including the National Academy of Medical Sciences (FAMS), and serves on editorial boards of reputed journals. His work emphasizes operationalizing research into practice, generating real-world evidence, and building sustainable, implementation-ready health interventions. Through interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches, his group aims to address critical gaps in public health delivery, enhance policy translation, and strengthen India’s response to emerging and chronic health challenges.

Prof. (Vaidya) Govind Sahay Shukla earned his Ayurvedacharya (B.A.M.S.) from the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur, in 1994, followed by an Ayurveda Vachaspati (M.D. Ayurveda) from M.M.M. Govt. Ayurveda College, Udaipur (University of Rajasthan), in 1998. With an illustrious career spanning over 26 years in academics and administration—including 17 years as a Professor and 8 years as a Principal—he currently serves as the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Rajasthan Ayurveda University (DSRRAU), Jodhpur.

Prof. Shukla’s research lies at the intersection of traditional Ayurvedic scholarship, drug standardization, and institutional governance. His work is motivated by the scientific validation of Ayurveda and the modernization of Ayurvedic education and clinical practice. He has previously served as the Head of the Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana and Director of the Drug Testing Laboratory at DSRRAU, where he focused on the quality control and pharmacological evaluation of traditional formulations. He has guided 29 postgraduate and Ph.D. scholars and has authored three books alongside over 60 research papers in reputed national and international journals.

A staunch proponent of interdisciplinary innovation and collaborative research, Prof. Shukla has successfully established 11 MoUs with leading national and international institutions, including high-impact research projects in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur. These initiatives focus on providing the computational and biological evidence needed to integrate ancient Ayurvedic principles with contemporary medical findings.

He serves on numerous prestigious national committees, including roles as the National President of Vishwa Ayurved Parishad and member of the NCISM Syllabus Committee (New Delhi). He has been nominated to the Board of Management of several universities and has served as Chairman of the Central Scientific Committee, CCIM. In recognition of his exemplary service, he has received multiple honors, including being named one of “The Legends – Guardians of Ayurveda” by the India Today Group. Prof. Shukla’s leadership integrates profound scholarship with dynamic administrative vision to advance the global development of Ayurveda.

Dr. Amit Goyal earned his MBBS from JLN Medical College, Ajmer (University of Rajasthan), followed by MS in Otorhinolaryngology from MGM Medical College, Indore, and DNB from the National Board of Examinations, New Delhi. He completed his senior residency training at Maharaja Agrasen Medical College, Agroha, and at SGPGIMS Lucknow. He currently serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur.

Dr. Goyal’s research lies at the intersection of otology, head and neck oncology, and medical innovation. His work is motivated by advancing the science of hearing and deafness, improving cochlear implant outcomes, and developing novel surgical and assistive technologies. He has led and collaborated on projects spanning genetics and epidemiology of hearing loss, newborn hearing screening, tumor markers in head and neck cancers, stem cell culture from olfactory epithelium, and electrophysiological studies in speech rehabilitation.

A strong proponent of translational research and intellectual property development, Dr. Goyal has filed six patent applications, with two patents granted and products successfully commercialized in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur. His innovations, including the “Modified Tracheostomy Tube” and “Language Agnostic Talking Gloves,” have received international recognition, including selection at the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation annual meeting.

He serves on multiple national and international committees, including roles within the American Academy of Otolaryngology, and has contributed extensively to academic leadership, innovation policy, and surgical device development programs. With over 150 publications and significant citation impact, Dr. Goyal’s work integrates clinical excellence, biomedical innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance patient-centered care in otolaryngology and head–neck surgery.

Prof. Arindam Maitra earned his Ph.D. in Virology and Genetics in 2000 from the Department of Microbiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He currently serves as Associate Director and Professor at the BRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani, where he leads large-scale genomic research initiatives and shapes the institute's strategic research direction.

Prof. Maitra’s research lies at the intersection of human genomics, infectious diseases, and complex trait genetics. His work is motivated by understanding how genetic variation shapes susceptibility to disease, immune diversity, and population-specific health outcomes. A central theme of his research is the integration of multi-omics datasets to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying critical health conditions, including preterm birth, cancer, and viral infections.

He has played pivotal leadership roles in national and international genomic consortia, notably serving as the Coordinator of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). He is also the Project Coordinator and Principal Investigator of the International Cancer Genome Consortium–India (ICGC) project and the Principal Investigator of the Asian Immune Diversity Atlas (AIDA). His methodology combines genome-wide association studies (GWAS), single-cell transcriptomics, and integrative multi-omics approaches to dissect disease biology at both population and cellular resolution.

With over 6,500 citations and an H-index of 31, Prof. Maitra has published extensively in leading international journals such as Cell, The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia, Cancer Science, and iScience. His contributions to genomics have been recognized through prestigious honors, including the Takashi Kurimura Award for HIV research and the Grand Challenge India Award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and BIRAC. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and large-scale genomic infrastructure, Prof. Maitra’s work aims to advance precision medicine by linking genetic diversity and immune biology within diverse populations.

Prof. Asif Ekbal earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from Jadavpur University, followed by two years of postdoctoral research at Heidelberg University, Germany, and the University of Trento, Italy. He currently serves as a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna. Since joining the institute in 2011, he has held various academic leadership positions and has been instrumental in shaping the university's research direction in artificial intelligence.

Prof. Ekbal’s research lies at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Applied Machine Learning. His work is motivated by the development of sophisticated computational models that enable machines to understand and process human language across diverse domains, including healthcare, social media, and low-resource languages. Over the last two decades, he has made significant contributions to the field, authoring approximately 300 papers in top-tier conferences such as AAAI, IJCAI, ACL, and EMNLP, as well as prestigious journals like Computational Linguistics and IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing.

A strong proponent of industry-academia collaboration and government-driven innovation, Prof. Ekbal has led numerous sponsored research projects funded by global leaders such as Samsung, LG, Flipkart, Accenture, and Elsevier. He has also spearheaded critical projects for government agencies, including MeiTY, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and IMPRINT. His leadership extends to the international scientific community, where he serves as the Secretary of the NLP Association of India and a member of the AI Standardization Committee for the Government of India.

He holds several prominent editorial roles, including Associate Editor of ACM Transactions on Asian and Low-resource Language Information Processing and Editorial Board member for Computer Speech and Language and Sadhana. His excellence in research and innovation has been recognized through prestigious honors, including the "Best Innovative Project Award" from the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), the "Visvesvaraya Young Faculty Research Fellowship," and the "JSPS Invitation Fellowship" from the Government of Japan.

Prof. Ajay Agarwal earned his Ph.D. in Microelectronics from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He currently serves as a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur, where he is also affiliated with the Centre of MedTech and the Centre for AIoT and Applications. Previously, he served as Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI), Pilani, and held prestigious research and academic positions at the Institute of Microelectronics, Singapore, the National University of Singapore, and Nanyang Technological University.

Prof. Agarwal’s research lies at the intersection of nanotechnology, MEMS, microfluidics, and microsensor systems. His work is motivated by the development of scalable, intelligent sensing platforms that integrate microelectronics with data-driven systems for healthcare, environmental monitoring, and Industry 4.0. A central theme of his research is bridging advanced semiconductor technologies with applied biomedical solutions to create real-world, interdisciplinary innovations.

A prolific contributor to the field, Prof. Agarwal has authored approximately 310 research publications, delivered over 110 invited or keynote talks, and holds 40 patents. He has supervised 19 Ph.D. scholars and continues to mentor researchers in the emerging areas of smart sensor technologies. His commitment to translational engineering is reflected in his roles as Director of the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI) and Sahasra Semiconductors, and as the founding Director of Sarbit Innovations.

His contributions have been recognized through numerous prestigious honors, including the CSIR Technology Award for Innovation and the National Technology Award from Singapore. Through semiconductor innovation and AI-enabled sensing systems, Prof. Agarwal’s research aims to advance next-generation electronic technologies that support healthcare, sustainability, and intelligent infrastructure at scale.

Dr. Balakumaran Chandrasekar earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, followed by a Master’s degree in Plant Sciences from the University of Bonn, Germany, supported by the prestigious ‘Scholarship Plus-Award’ from the German government. He conducted his doctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Germany, and the University of Oxford, UK, earning his Ph.D. in 2017. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering (BSBE) at the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur.

Dr. Chandrasekar’s research lies at the intersection of Chemical Glycobiology, Plant-Microbe Interactions, and Glycomics. His work is motivated by understanding the complex molecular dialogues at the cell wall interface, specifically dissecting the functional roles of polysaccharides. His research group utilizes advanced glycomics approaches to explore how these carbohydrate structures influence biological recognition and defense mechanisms.

A distinguished researcher in the field of glycobiology, Dr. Chandrasekar has held significant academic positions across Europe, including postdoctoral research at the University of Düsseldorf and a prestigious CEPLAS fellowship at the University of Cologne, where he pursued independent research. His work bridges fundamental plant biology with chemical biology to uncover new insights into biological systems.

Through the lens of chemical glycobiology and system-level molecular analysis, Dr. Chandrasekar’s research aims to advance our understanding of how complex sugars regulate life processes, contributing to broader innovations in biotechnology and agricultural sciences.

Following the established template for your session speakers, here is the biosketch for Dr. Bharat Padhar:

Dr. Bharat Padhar earned his BAMS from Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, followed by an M.D. in Kayachikitsa (Internal Medicine) from the same prestigious institution. He subsequently completed his Ph.D. in Kayachikitsa, focusing on advanced Ayurvedic clinical interventions. He currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Kayachikitsa at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jodhpur, where he is instrumental in integrating Ayurvedic clinical services within a tertiary care setting.

Dr. Padhar’s research lies at the intersection of Ayurvedic Internal Medicine, Evidence-Based Clinician Practice, and Integrative Health. His work is motivated by the scientific validation of traditional Ayurvedic treatments for chronic lifestyle disorders. A central theme of his research is the clinical application of Panchakarma and internal medications in managing metabolic syndromes, neurological disorders, and autoimmune conditions, ensuring that traditional protocols meet contemporary medical standards.

A dedicated academician and clinician, Dr. Padhar has published numerous research papers in national and international peer-reviewed journals. He is actively involved in interdisciplinary research projects at AIIMS Jodhpur, aiming to provide a holistic "Integrative Medicine" model that combines the strengths of Ayurveda and Allopathy. His expertise extends to clinical trial design and the development of standardized treatment protocols for complex diseases, making him a key figure in the mainstreaming of Ayush systems.

Through his leadership at AIIMS Jodhpur, Dr. Padhar is committed to fostering a research environment where ancient medical wisdom is translated into accessible, evidence-based healthcare. His work focuses on improving patient outcomes through personalized Ayurvedic regimens, contributing significantly to the national mission of pluralistic healthcare delivery.

Dr. Bikash Santra earned his B.Sc. in Mathematics from Vidyasagar University in 2007, followed by an M.Sc. in Information Science from West Bengal University of Technology (2010), an M.Tech. in Information Technology from IIEST Shibpur (2016), and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Kolkata in 2021. Prior to his current role, he served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, where he conducted advanced research in medical imaging. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the School of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur, where he leads the Machine and Medical Vision Group (MMVG).

Dr. Santra’s research lies at the intersection of Computer Vision, Medical Image Analysis, and Deep Learning. His work is motivated by developing sophisticated machine learning models to solve complex visual recognition problems, ranging from automatic product identification in retail to high-precision medical diagnostics. A central theme of his research is the application of deep learning for anatomical location-guided genetic cluster identification and weakly supervised object detection in clinical CT scans.

A strong proponent of interdisciplinary innovation, Dr. Santra is a Co-Principal Investigator on several high-impact projects, including "Vision in Plant Phenomics" and "MRI Quality Enhancement," funded by TIH iHub Drishti and IIT Jodhpur. His research has received significant international recognition, including the prestigious Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE 2024) from the NIH, USA, and the NIH Intramural Postdoc Fellowship. Earlier in his career, he was a finalist for the Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (2020) and received multiple "Young IT Professional" awards.

He serves the scientific community through teaching courses on deep learning operations (DL-Ops) and machine learning, and his research has been featured in major outlets such as The Telegraph. With a growing publication record in top-tier journals and conferences like * Pattern Recognition*, Image and Vision Computing, and RSNA, Dr. Santra’s work integrates cutting-edge artificial intelligence with practical biomedical and commercial applications to advance the field of machine vision.

Dr. Dhiraj Agarwal earned his Ph.D. in Health Science from Savitribai Phule Pune University, following his postgraduate studies at the Interdisciplinary School of Health Science. He began his professional career in 2007 at the Vadu Rural Health Program, KEM Hospital Research Centre (VRHP, KEMHRC). He currently serves as a Senior Public Health Researcher at the VRHP and the Community Health Research Unit, KEM Hospital Research Centre, and is a recognized Ph.D. supervisor at Savitribai Phule Pune University.

Dr. Agarwal’s research lies at the intersection of Interdisciplinary Health Science, Respiratory Health, and Community-Based Studies. His work is motivated by improving public health outcomes through epidemiological surveys, effectiveness trials, and implementation studies. A central theme of his research is the exploration of lung disease diagnosis and treatment within rural communities. He was awarded a prestigious NIHR-RESPIRE Post-Doctoral Fellowship and an NIHR-ISARIC Fellowship, during which he investigated the potential of digital health interventions for healthcare providers in community settings.

A distinguished expert in mixed-methods research, Dr. Agarwal has contributed to over 40 research studies and published 90 articles in peer-reviewed journals. He currently serves as the Principal Investigator for the Vadu Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Vadu HDSS). His leadership extends to academic mentorship, where he currently guides nine Ph.D. candidates and actively mentors both graduate and undergraduate students.

He is a frequent contributor to international scientific platforms, including the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS). Through his expertise in project management and fieldwork supervision, Dr. Agarwal’s research aims to advance primary care and digital health accessibility, bridging the gap between clinical research and community-level healthcare delivery.

Dr. Dhiraj Dhotre earned his B.Sc. in Microbiology from Ahmednagar College (University of Pune), followed by an M.Sc. in Bioinformatics from the Savitribai Phule Pune University. He subsequently completed his Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, focusing on computational biology and microbial genomics. He currently serves as a Scientist 'E' at the BRIC-National Centre for Cell Science, Pune. With over 14 years of research experience, he previously served as a Project Scientist at the National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR) and as a Senior Research Scientist at Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd.

Dr. Dhotre’s research lies at the intersection of Human Microbiome, Computational Biology, and Microbial Genomics. His work is motivated by understanding the role of the gut microbiome in health and disease, particularly its implications for the gut-brain axis, gastrointestinal disorders, and metabolic conditions. A central theme of his research is the development of population-specific microbial signatures for the Indian population to improve personalized health interventions.

A leading figure in national genomic initiatives, Dr. Dhotre serves as a Principal Investigator for the Indian Human Microbiome Initiative and represents NCCS in the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). He has spearheaded the development of several computational tools and web servers, such as ProbioPred and MicFunPred, which facilitate functional predictions from microbial sequence data. His group's work focuses on utilizing multi-omics and bioinformatics to dissect the metabolic potential of microbes and their influence on host physiology.

With over 60 research articles and 6 book chapters, Dr. Dhotre has published extensively in prestigious journals such as Biomedicines and Genomics. His contributions have been recognized with honors including the Regional Young Investigators’ Meeting Grant (RYIM Pune) from IndiaBioscience. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and advanced metagenomics, Dr. Dhotre’s research aims to advance precision medicine by uncovering the complex interactions between the human microbiome and systemic health.

Prof. (Dr.) Dinesh Chandra Sharma earned his BAMS (1998), M.D. (2004), and Ph.D. (2010) in Kriya Sharir (Ayurvedic Physiology) from University of Rajasthan. He currently serves as Professor and Head of the Post Graduate Department of Kriya Sharir at the Post Graduate Institute of Ayurved, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Rajasthan Ayurved University.

With over two decades of academic and clinical experience, Dr. Sharma has held progressive positions including Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and now Professor & Head of Department. His academic career has been dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of Ayurvedic physiology and mentoring postgraduate scholars in Kriya Sharir.

Dr. Sharma’s research lies at the intersection of classical Ayurvedic concepts and integrative biomedical science. His work is motivated by fundamental questions: how can core Ayurvedic constructs such as Tridosha, Dhatu, Agni, Strotas, Nidra, Mana, Ojas, and Nadi be interpreted within measurable, contemporary scientific frameworks? How can Prakriti be correlated with genomic markers, Agni with metabolomic and enzymatic activity, and Kriya Kala with biological rhythms and systems biology?

His research group focuses on building objective and standardized methodologies to validate Ayurvedic physiological principles using integrative approaches, including genomics, metabolomics, and mind–body interaction studies. He has authored 127 national and international publications and has completed and is currently leading multiple research projects.

Dr. Sharma’s long-term vision is to strengthen the evidence base of Ayurveda by translating classical physiological doctrines into scientifically robust, reproducible, and integrative models that contribute to personalized and preventive healthcare systems.

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at IIT Jodhpur. I have also served as a Research Assistant Professor at the Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, USA from 2019 to 2022. I am a recipient of Pelotonia Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Ohio State University, USA. 

The focus of my research group is to develop diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and drug targets for lung cancer using multi-omics approaches. We also perform drug testing in clinically relevant patient-derived xenografts in humanized mouse models and tumor organoids. 

In one of our projects, we are developing induced-Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)-derived lung organoids for studying the molecular mechanisms of silica dust-induced Silicosis disease, which is an occupational hazard for sandstone miners in the local area.

We also perform drug repurposing studies to identify drug combinations capable of improving the efficacy of existing chemotherapies and immunotherapies for drug-resistant lung cancer patients. My previous research showed that tumor-associated macrophages can be activated against breast and lung cancers. This research has potential to develop novel immune-based therapies for cancer patients. The long term goal of my research is to improve the health status of lung cancer and Silicosis patients.

Dr. Divya Saxena earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee in 2017. She completed her postdoctoral research at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2018–2021), where she subsequently served as a Research Assistant Professor for four years. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the School of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur.

Dr. Saxena’s research lies at the intersection of Generative AI, Foundation Models, and Data-Efficient Learning. Their work is motivated by developing AI systems that are adaptive, sustainable, and engineered for practical deployment in resource-constrained environments. A central theme of her research is bridging foundational innovation in Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) with real-world applications in healthcare diagnostics, manufacturing, and smart urban environments.

A prominent contributor to the global AI community, Dr. Saxena is an IEEE Senior Member and serves as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Internet of Things Journal (IoT-J). Her research has been published in top-tier journals and conferences including IEEE TPAMI, NeurIPS, WACV, and IEEE TKDE. She has received several prestigious accolades, including the Best Paper Award at ISDIA 2025 and the Long-Term Service Award from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She is also a frequent invited speaker and tutorial lead at international venues such as IEEE PerCom and DASFAA.

Through interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to societal impact, Dr. Saxena’s research aims to create robust, inclusive, and accessible AI technologies. By pioneering methods for parameter-efficient adaptation and continual learning, her work ensures that advanced foundation models can be effectively utilized across diverse domains to benefit both industry and local communities.

Prof. (Dr.) Harish Kumar Singhal earned his BAMS from CSJM University, Kanpur, followed by an M.D. in Kaumarbhritaya (Ayurvedic Pediatrics) from the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur. He subsequently completed his Ph.D. in Kaumarbhritaya from the Postgraduate Institute of Ayurveda, DSRRAU, Jodhpur. He currently serves as the Professor & Head of the P.G. Department of Kaumarbhritaya at Dr. S. R. Rajasthan Ayurved University (DSRRAU), Jodhpur.

Prof. Singhal’s research lies at the intersection of Ayurvedic Pediatrics (Kaumarbhritaya), Behavioral Neuroscience, and Respiratory Health. His work is motivated by integrating traditional Ayurvedic wisdom with modern clinical parameters to address pediatric conditions. A central theme of his research is the management of complex childhood disorders, ranging from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and behavioral issues to nutritional deficiencies like Balsosha (Marasmus) and chronic respiratory ailments.

A prolific academic and administrator, Prof. Singhal serves as the University IT In-Charge and Coordinator for IQAC at DSRRAU. He has authored 10 books and over 100 research papers in peer-reviewed journals. His leadership in digital initiatives is evidenced by his role as Nodal Officer for over 32 university web portals and his extensive public outreach through digital media. He has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Best Teacher Award and the Utkrishta Seva Samman (2026) for his excellence in Ayurvedic education and service.

Through his commitment to evidence-based Ayurveda, Prof. Singhal has led research projects funded by CCRAS and DSRRAU. His work focuses on validating traditional formulations for pediatric care, ensuring they meet modern scientific standards while remaining rooted in ancient principles. His long-term goal is to standardize Ayurvedic pediatric protocols for global adoption in mainstream healthcare.

Dr. Ishaan Gupta earned his dual degree (B.E. in Computer Science and M.Sc. in Biology) from BITS Pilani in 2010. He completed his Ph.D. from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL Heidelberg) in 2014, graduating magna cum laude. Following his doctoral training, he pursued postdoctoral research at EMBL and subsequently at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Weill Cornell Medicine, where he expanded his expertise in genomics and computational biology.

Dr. Gupta joined the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) as Assistant Professor in 2019 and is currently Associate Faculty at the School of Artificial Intelligence. His research lies at the intersection of genomics, artificial intelligence, and systems biology. He is motivated by fundamental questions in genome science: how can large-scale genomic and single-cell data be computationally modeled to understand genetic diversity, host–pathogen interactions, and disease trajectories? How can AI-driven methods enable scalable, precise, and affordable omics-based diagnostics?

His group develops computational and graph-based learning frameworks for single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, pathogen evolution modeling, mitochondrial genomics, and integrative multi-omics analysis. He has contributed to national initiatives such as the GenomeIndia project and has published extensively in leading journals including Nature Genetics, PNAS, Nucleic Acids Research, and npj Systems Biology and Applications.

Dr. Gupta has led 13 sponsored research projects with cumulative funding exceeding ₹5.6 crore and has mentored multiple Ph.D., M.Tech., and undergraduate researchers. His teaching portfolio includes Bioinformatics, Genomics & Proteomics, and newly developed courses in Data Analytics in Biotechnology and AI for Computational Biology.

Through interdisciplinary collaboration and AI-enabled methodologies, his research aims to bridge computational innovation with biological insight, advancing precision genomics, digital pathology, and data-driven biomedical discovery.

Dr. Manoj Khokhar earned his B. Pharm. from the Rajasthan University of Health Science, followed by an M.Sc. in Biochemistry from the Central University of Rajasthan. He completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Biochemistry at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jodhpur in 2023. He currently serves as a Senior Resident in the Department of Biochemistry at AIIMS Jodhpur.

Dr. Khokhar’s research lies at the intersection of Clinical Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, and Diabetic Nephropathy. His work is motivated by advancing translational innovation within clinical diagnostics and medical technology. A central theme of his research is the exploration of molecular networks, microRNAs, and biomarkers—such as GDF-15 and miR-21—to better understand and diagnose complex conditions like type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

A prolific researcher and innovator, Dr. Khokhar has authored more than 40 international publications in esteemed journals, including The Lancet, Lancet Neurology, and ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science. He holds three published national patents for medical devices, including a vial holder assembly and a decapping apparatus. His contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards, such as the "Global Investigator Award" (South Korea, 2021) and the "ACBI Young Scientist Bursary Award" (2019).

He is an active member of international scientific bodies, including the Royal Society of Biology (London) and the American Society for Cell Biology. Beyond his research, he is deeply involved in teaching medical and paramedical students and serves as a reviewer for leading journals like PLOS One and Frontiers in Genetics. Through his work in clinical diagnostics and digital health, Dr. Khokhar aims to advance personalized medicine and improve patient care standards.

Dr. Nitin Kochar earned his BAMS and MD in Kayachikitsa from the University of Mumbai in 1995, securing the highest marks in his university. He completed his internship and residency in rural and public hospitals in Mumbai, Maharashtra. During his undergraduate training, he also contributed to the Government of India’s SET (Survey, Education and Treatment) program for leprosy eradication, organized by the Ackworth Leprosy Hospital.

Dr. Kochar’s work lies at the interface of classical Ayurveda and modern clinical research. He has been actively involved in clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of Curcumin, Ashwagandha, and Cannabis at the Tata Memorial Hospital. He has served as Honorary Ayurveda Consultant in the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at KEM Hospital, run by the Government of Maharashtra, and continues to serve as Honorary Consultant at the Health Centre of the University of Mumbai.

In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Kochar has contributed extensively to teaching and academic engagement. He has been associated as Honorary Teaching Faculty with the Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS), a joint initiative of the University of Mumbai and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. He has also served as Honorary Consultant at Smt. KGMP Ayurveda College and Punarvasu Hospital, Mumbai.

Dr. Kochar’s research and professional interests focus on applying Ayurvedic principles to chronic diseases, oncology support care, and plant-based nutrition frameworks. He has presented case studies and the clinical application of Ayurvedic principles at national and international forums and has co-authored books on Ayurveda, including perspectives on plant-based vegan diets. His work seeks to bridge traditional Ayurvedic knowledge systems with evidence-based clinical practice and contemporary biomedical research.

Dr. Mona Duggal earned her MBBS and MD from prestigious Indian medical institutions, followed by a Master of Health Science (MHS) and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Medical Informatics from Yale University, USA. A distinguished clinician-scientist with over two decades of experience, she currently serves as Scientist-G and Director of the ICMR–National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Data Science (NIRDHDS), New Delhi. Prior to her leadership at ICMR, she held a faculty position as an Associate Research Scientist at Yale University, where she focused on health services research and medical informatics.

Dr. Duggal’s research lies at the intersection of Medical Informatics, Epidemiology, and Public Health Policy. Her work is motivated by the use of digital health technologies to improve maternal and child health, enhance disease surveillance, and optimize clinical trial analytics. A central theme of her research is "contemporizing" traditional healthcare systems through AI-enabled solutions, such as the MeSSSSage initiative (Maa Shishu Swasthya Sahayak Samooh), which uses mHealth tools to provide virtual social support and health education to perinatal women in resource-limited settings.

Under her strategic leadership, NIRDHDS (formerly NIMS) has undergone a transformative shift toward a patient-centered digital health vision. She spearheads initiatives to build robust national data infrastructures, develop ethical AI protocols, and foster cross-disciplinary collaborations with global entities like HealthAI and IndiaAI. Her work is defined by a continuous adaptive learning framework, ensuring that AI models—ranging from cancer screening to diabetic retinopathy—are validated and refined through real-world deployment to ensure inclusive and equitable health delivery.

With an extensive publication record in leading journals such as The Lancet, Frontiers in Public Health, and Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA), Dr. Duggal is a recognized authority in health systems strengthening. She frequently serves on national and international expert committees, advising on responsible AI adoption and digital health transformation. Her career integrates clinical excellence with cutting-edge data science to position India at the forefront of the global digital health landscape.

Prof. Nar Singh Chauhan earned his Ph.D. in 2010 from the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in association with Savitribai Phule Pune University. He completed his Master’s degree in Biochemistry with a Gold Medal from Maharshi Dayanand University, where he currently serves as Professor in the Department of Biochemistry.

Prof. Chauhan’s research lies at the intersection of microbiology, metagenomics, and host–microbiome interactions. His work is motivated by fundamental questions about how microbial communities shape human health, agricultural productivity, and environmental sustainability. What is the functional role of microbiome diversity in regulating host physiology? How can microbial genomics inform precision agriculture, personalized therapeutics, and integrative health solutions?

His research group integrates wet-lab experimentation with computational and bioinformatic approaches to study microbial diversity, functional potential, and microbe–host interactions. Using next-generation sequencing technologies, molecular diagnostics, and systems-level microbiome analysis, his work advances translational microbiome science across human health and environmental applications.

Prof. Chauhan has authored 87 research publications, holds an H-index of 35, and has led 12 major research projects funded by national and international agencies including CSIR, DBT, UGC, the Rockefeller Foundation, FIND (USA), and Northwestern University (USA). He has edited six academic books with international publishers and holds a patent. His contributions to research and mentorship include guiding multiple Ph.D. scholars and postgraduate research projects.

Recognized among the top 2% of scientists worldwide (as per Stanford-Elsevier citation indicators), Prof. Chauhan’s long-term research vision is to translate microbiome science into scalable solutions for sustainable development, precision medicine, and integrative biological systems.

Neha is an Associate Professor at the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at IIT Jodhpur. Her lab is interested in understanding the cross-talk between bacterial and human amyloids and their consequences on the progression of human neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Jain did an MSc in Industrial Microbiology at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, and a PhD in Molecular Biophysics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali (IISER Mohali). Following her PhD, she joined Prof. Matthew Chapman at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as a postdoctoral research fellow. She is a recipient of the Early Career Research Award, ASM-IUSSTF Visiting Fellowship, IBRO Collaborative Research grant, and International Mobility grant. In 2024, she was selected as an EMBO Global Investigator and an INSA Young Associate. She has been appointed as a member of the Early Career Review Board in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Neha is very active in science outreach and has conducted several science awareness workshops in rural areas of Rajasthan through IndiaBioscience Outreach Grant Awards and IBRO Diversity grant. Her research will contribute to a better understanding of the amyloid disease progression and will open avenues for targeted drug delivery in the future.

Naveen Varshneya is the Founder and Lead Researcher at Saanjh, based at the IIT Jodhpur Research Park. He holds a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology.

Over the past sixteen years (2009–2025), Naveen has led an independent research programme focused on developing a state-level regulatory framework for integrative physiology. Grounded in Indian Knowledge Systems—including Prahar science, Swar Yog, and the Yog Sutra of Maharishi Patanjali—his work articulates Sleep–Breath–Desire (SBD) as a primary regulatory triad governing psychophysiological restoration. His framework positions meditation not merely as a practice, but as a regulatory state (Yog Nidra) central to biophysical recovery across distress, disorder, and disease.

His research is motivated by a fundamental question: how can fragmented physiological systems—cardiovascular, endocrine, neurological—be understood within a unified regulatory architecture that enables restoration rather than symptomatic management? Drawing on an empirical corpus of 190 multimodal, scan-verified longitudinal cases comprising over 20,000 hours of structured observation, his work documents repeatable patterns of regulatory breakdown and recovery across diverse conditions.

In collaboration with IIT Jodhpur, he is working toward subjecting this framework to interdisciplinary scientific scrutiny across biosciences, neuroscience, and psychology. His current research focus includes building AI-enabled, population-scale delivery systems for integrative health restoration through patient-centric digital platforms.

Prior to his research career, Naveen built large-scale digital infrastructure systems across India, Switzerland, Singapore, and the United States. As Founder of Mobile Mantra, he developed India’s first SMS-based exam results platform and led SaaS-based public service and citizen-engagement systems, demonstrating expertise in scalable technology architecture.

Through books such as Meditation – The Cure and digital platforms including Saanjh, his work seeks to translate traditional regulatory sciences into structured, testable, and scalable models. His broader goal is to bridge Indian knowledge systems, modern biomedical science, and AI-enabled health technologies to create integrated, evidence-informed pathways for population health restoration.

Dr. Yadav obtained his first academic degree in 2009 as Bachelor of Engineering in Biotechnology from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. He then moved to Germany, where he spent nearly eight years pursuing advanced studies. In 2012, he completed his Master of Science in Life Science Informatics from the University of Bonn, Germany. Following this, he obtained his Doctoral Degree in Statistical Genomics from the University of Kiel, Germany, in 2015, with funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Since December 2024, Dr. Yadav has been working as an Associate Professor in the Bioscience & Bioengineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur. Prior to this, from June 2019 to December 2024, he served as an Assistant Professor at IIT Jodhpur. He is also an affiliated faculty member at the School of Artificial Intelligence & Data Science at IIT Jodhpur. Before joining IIT Jodhpur, Dr. Yadav worked as a Senior Data Scientist at Reliance Jio, Hyderabad, India, and as a Research Scientist at DuPont, Hyderabad, India. From November 2016 to July 2018, he worked as a Postdoctoral Scientist at the renowned German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, Germany. Additionally, in 2012, he served as a Research Assistant at the Helmholtz Research Center, Munich, Germany.

Dr. Yadav's primary research interests include statistical genetics, personalized healthcare, multi-omics, and the application of deep learning in multi-omics data analysis. With over 10 years of experience in genome-wide gene-environment interaction studies, method development, and integrated multi-omics data analysis, he has made significant contributions to these fields. He is currently serving as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the Genome India project, funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, where he has been actively involved in various aspects of the analysis of Indian genomes, with a particular focus on gene-environment interactions. Additionally, he is leading an ICMR Intermediate Project aimed at identifying gene-environment and polygenic risk score-environment interactions in the Indian population to improve risk stratification for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Dr. Yadav has extensive experience in developing statistical methods for gene-environment interaction studies. During his time at DKFZ, he worked on drawing statistical inferences from multiple myeloma cancer datasets collected from hospitals in Germany and the UK. At the Helmholtz Center, Munich, he contributed to the development of machine learning algorithms for quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. His research has been published in several peer-reviewed international journals, and he has contributed to numerous international conferences, seminars, and workshops. Dr. Yadav also serves as an invited review editor for the International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries and Frontiers in Genetics.

Dr. Yadav has received several prestigious awards and fellowships throughout his career. He was awarded an undergraduate scholarship from Panjab University to pursue his Bachelor of Engineering degree. He was also granted the German Research Foundation (DFG) Fellowship to complete his doctoral studies and later received the Deutsche Krebshilfe Postdoctoral Fellowship. In 2018, Dr. Yadav was honored with the INSPIRE Faculty Award by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA). The following year, in 2019, he received the “Returning Expert” Award from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ). In 2023, he was awarded a Travel Award by the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) to present his research at the HCA Asia meeting. That same year, his project was selected for the Scientific High-Level Visiting Fellowship (SSHN) by the French Institute in India, Embassy of France. Outside of his academic achievements, Dr. Yadav is also passionate about sports. In 2023, he earned a Gold Medal in Volleyball as the team captain at the Inter-IIT Staff Sports Meet held at IIT Gandhinagar. In 2025, Dr. Yadav was selected as a Senior Individual Member of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE).

Dr. Pragyan Acharya earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, followed by extensive postdoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA. A distinguished scientist in the field of molecular medicine, she currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at AIIMS Jodhpur. Her career is marked by a deep commitment to unraveling the molecular complexities of metabolic and infectious diseases.

Dr. Acharya’s research lies at the intersection of Clinical Biochemistry, Molecular Immunology, and Metabolic Disorders. Her work is motivated by understanding the cellular and molecular pathways that drive disease progression, with a particular focus on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and its progression to NASH. A central theme of her research is identifying molecular signatures and biomarkers that can lead to early diagnosis and targeted therapeutic interventions.

A prominent academic leader at AIIMS Jodhpur, Dr. Acharya has been instrumental in establishing advanced research facilities and mentoring the next generation of clinical biochemists. Her research has been published in high-impact international journals, reflecting her expertise in signal transduction and protein chemistry. She has received numerous accolades for her contributions to medical research, including prestigious fellowships and grants that support her work in translating bench-side discoveries into bedside applications.

Through her interdisciplinary approach, Dr. Acharya’s research aims to bridge the gap between basic molecular biology and clinical practice. By investigating the cross-talk between metabolic pathways and the immune system, her work provides the foundational insights necessary to develop precision medicine strategies for complex chronic conditions.

Dr. Pranjal Protim Borah is an Assistant Professor at the School of Design, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur, India. He holds a B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering and an M.Tech. with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence. He earned his Ph.D. in Design, focusing on accessible gesture-based interactions for flexible smartphones that enable users with blindness or low vision to draw primitive geometric shapes. With over ten years of academic and research experience, he has actively contributed to diverse areas, including interaction techniques for emerging technologies, tangible and haptic user interfaces, multi-sensory UX design, aging and accessibility, rehabilitation, inclusive design, interactive computing, and machine learning (ML). Beyond research, he finds joy in painting, sculpting, photography, and gardening.

Dr. Rajendra Nagar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, India. He received his B.Tech. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur in 2013 and his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar in 2019. He was awarded a gold medal for the best academic performance in B.Tech. Electrical Engineering at IIT Jodhpur in 2013. He received the NCC 2019 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award, as well as the Best Ph.D. Thesis Research Award at IIT Gandhinagar, 2019. His research interests include 3D Computer Vision, Digital Geometry Processing, and Multidimensional Signal Processing on 3D Shapes

Dr. Raviraj Vankayala is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, where his research involves the development of multifunctional nanostructures for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in tackling various diseases. Dr. Vankayala completed his  B. Sc and M. Sc in Chemistry from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from National Tsing Hua University (2012), Taiwan and his postdoctoral studies were performed at National Tsing Hua University (2015) and University of California Riverside (2017), USA. He worked as a Chief Technology Officer at Radoptics LLC (2017-2019) for the development of biomimetic nanoconstructs for imaging and therapeutic applications of cancer and vascular diseases. He has secured an Outstanding Researcher Award for his contributions in the field of Nanobiotechnology by IIT Jodhpur for the year 2021. He also secured the prestigious DBT Ramalingaswami biomedical fellowship for the year 2018-2019. He served as a Guest Editor for various special issues in the MDPI and Frontiers journals. He is currently serving as an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Drug Delivery journal and as an editorial board member for the Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group) and Particle (John Wiley & Sons) journals. He has secured the prestigious 2024 Rising Stars in Biological, Medicinal, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry by the American Chemical Society.

Prof. (Dr.) Ravindra Shukla earned his MBBS and MD in General Medicine from the SMS Medical College, Jaipur. A distinguished clinician-academician with decades of experience, he currently serves as the Executive Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jodhpur. Prior to this leadership role, he served as a Senior Professor and Head of the Department of Medicine at SMS Medical College and as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS), Jaipur.

Prof. Shukla’s expertise lies at the intersection of Clinical Medicine, Medical Education, and Healthcare Administration. His career is motivated by enhancing the quality of tertiary healthcare delivery and establishing robust medical education frameworks in India. A central theme of his leadership is the integration of advanced diagnostic technologies with compassionate patient care to address the rising burden of non-communicable and infectious diseases.

Under his leadership at AIIMS Jodhpur, Prof. Shukla has spearheaded numerous initiatives to strengthen institutional research capacity and clinical excellence. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP, Edinburgh) and the Indian College of Physicians (FICP). He has been a pivotal figure in state-level health policy, serving as a member of various government advisory committees on medical education and public health. His research contributions span a wide range of topics in internal medicine, with a particular focus on metabolic disorders and clinical epidemiology.

Through his commitment to academic rigor and administrative innovation, Prof. Shukla is driving AIIMS Jodhpur to become a global leader in medical research and patient-centric care. His vision focuses on fostering interdisciplinary collaborations that bring together clinicians, scientists, and technologists to solve the most pressing health challenges facing the nation.

Dr. Renu Singh is working as Research Officer (Ayu.) at Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Head Quarters, New Delhi. She has graduated (B.A.M.S.) from State Ayurvedic College, Lucknow. She completed her M.D.(Ayu.) in 2004 and Ph.D (Ayu.) in 2008 in the specialty of Basic Principles (Siddhant Darshan) from Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP. She has done Diploma in Yoga from Yoga Sadhana Kendra, BHU, Varanasi in 2003. She has served as Service Senior Resident, in the Dept. of Siddhant Darshan (Formerly Basic principles), IMS, BHU, Varanasi for 03 years (14.10.2005 to13.10.2008). She has worked as Assistant Professor for one & half years at private Ayurvedic Colleges in the Department of Basic Principles.

 She joined Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences in October 2009 as Research Officer (Ayu.) at Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Jammu. Presently she is working as Research Officer (Ayu.) at CCRAS Hqrs. She is having more than 18 years of research and teaching experience in the field of Fundamental & Clinical research. She has published more than 25 research articles in peer reviewed journals and contributed in more than15 books/chapters.

She has worked in more than 25 Fundamental and Clinical Project as Nodal Officer/ Investigator.   She has been recognized as a Ph.D. Co-Supervisor in the speciality of ‘Samhita -Siddhanta’ under the Faculty of Ayurvedic Sciences and designated as an Adjunctfaculty in the Department of Samhita Siddhanta (Basic Principles), Mahatma Gandhi Ayurveda College, Hospital & Research Center, Salod (H), Wardha. She is member of Review Board of Journal of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences & Associate editor of CCRAS Newsletter and CCRAS Bulletin.

Dr. Rakesh Narayanan V earned his B.A.M.S. in 2009 from the Government Ayurveda College, Kannur, followed by an M.D. (Ayurveda) in Sharir Rachana in 2013 and a Ph.D. in Sharir Rachana in 2017 from the National Institute of Ayurveda. He currently serves as Research Officer (Ayurveda) at the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS).

Dr. Narayanan’s research lies at the intersection of Ayurvedic anatomy, literary research, and knowledge standardization. His work is motivated by the systematic revival, retrieval, and scientific organization of classical Ayurvedic knowledge from manuscripts and traditional texts, and by building standardized terminologies to support modern research and healthcare integration.

A key focus of his work includes developing and harmonizing Ayurveda terminology frameworks and contributing to initiatives such as the National AYUSH Morbidity and Standard Terminologies Electronic Portal and classification systems aligned with international disease taxonomies. He has also played an important role in the administration and coordination of literature-based research projects.

With over seven years of research experience, Dr. Narayanan has been involved in more than twelve completed and ongoing research projects and has authored over twenty publications, including books and peer-reviewed research papers. His research primarily employs textual analysis, manuscriptology, and interdisciplinary scholarly methods to strengthen the evidence base and global accessibility of Ayurvedic knowledge systems.

Through his work in literary research and knowledge standardization, Dr. Narayanan aims to bridge classical Ayurvedic scholarship with contemporary research frameworks, enabling more consistent documentation, interpretation, and application of traditional medical knowledge.

Dr. Rutuja Patil earned her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biotechnology from the University of Pune, followed by a Ph.D. in Global Health from the University of Edinburgh, UK, in 2022. A distinguished global health scientist, she currently serves as a Senior Scientist at the KEM Hospital Research Centre (KEMHRC) Pune, within the Vadu Rural Health Program and Community Health Research Unit. Her career is defined by leading multi-institutional and multi-country implementation research projects funded by major global bodies including the ICMR, NIH, and WHO.

Dr. Patil’s research lies at the intersection of Implementation Research, Digital Health, and Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS). Her work is motivated by translating scientific evidence into scalable health system solutions, with a particular focus on maternal health, stillbirth reduction, and respiratory health. A central theme of her research is the integration of digital technologies and community-based participatory research to bridge inequities in healthcare access in rural and tribal regions.

A pioneer in health surveillance, Dr. Patil was instrumental in establishing the Indian HDSS Network (IHN), which unites 19 research sites across the country to generate evidence for public health policy. Her expertise extends to qualitative research and stakeholder engagement, having trained multiple teams across India in rapid analysis for implementation research. She currently leads high-priority national projects, including an ICMR-funded initiative to reduce population-based stillbirths and an NIH-funded study on temporary childbirth migration.

With over 40 research publications, including a cover story in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Dr. Patil’s contributions have been recognized through prestigious honors such as being a member of the WomenLift Health India Cohort 2024. She serves as an advisor to the Maharashtra State government and as a visiting faculty member for Global Health. Through her leadership in research integrity and digital health innovation, Dr. Patil’s work aims to build community trust and drive systemic improvements in the delivery of equitable healthcare.

Dr. Saketh Ram Thrigulla earned his B.A.M.S. from Dr. B.R.K.R. Ayurveda Medical College, Hyderabad, followed by an M.D. (Ayurveda) in Dravyaguna from Government Ayurveda College, Nanded. He was subsequently conferred with a Ph.D. (Ayurveda) in Dravyaguna by Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada. He currently serves as a Research Officer (Ayurveda) at the CCRAS-National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH), Hyderabad, under the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.

Dr. Thrigulla’s research lies at the intersection of Ayurvedic Literary Research, Health Informatics, and Digital Health. His work is motivated by mainstreaming traditional Indian medicine through cutting-edge Information Communication Technology (ICT) solutions. A central theme of his research is the digital transformation of Ayurvedic scholarship, encompassing the development of standardized terminologies, morbidity codes, and the creation of comprehensive digital repositories for ancient medical manuscripts.

He has played a pivotal role in national and international health standardization initiatives, including the development of the National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies Electronic (NAMASTE) Portal and the inclusion of Ayush morbidity codes in the WHO ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases). His expertise extends to Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs), where he actively works on mastering prompt engineering and iterative frameworks to refine AI outputs for the traditional medicine domain. He has spearheaded numerous digital platforms, such as the Ayush Research Portal, AMAR (Ayush Manuscripts Advance Repository), and SAHI (Showcase of Ayurveda Historical Imprints).

With over 45 research papers and 7 books to his credit, Dr. Thrigulla is a leading voice in the digital convergence of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). He has served as a Topic Driver for the ITU-WHO Focus Group on AI for Health, driving the global discourse on Artificial Intelligence in the traditional domain. Through his leadership in the AYUSH GRID project, Dr. Thrigulla’s work aims to bridge the technology divide and democratize access to traditional medical wisdom for the global healthcare community.

Dr. Samanwita Pal is an NMR spectroscopist and a Professor at the Department of Chemistry, IIT Jodhpur. She earned a BSc. (Hons.) from Jadavpur University and a MSc degree in Chemistry from IIT Madras. She further received her PhD in small molecule NMR and NQR spectroscopy from IIT Madras in 2010 under the supervision of Prof. N. Chandrakumar. She pursued her postdoctoral fellowship in the group of Prof. Stephan Grzesiek at Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland during 2010-2012. She joined the Department of Chemistry, IIT Jodhpur in 2012 December as an Assistant Professor. Currently she is continuing as a Professor at the Department of Chemistry. 

Dr. Pal received Ratna Rao Memorial prize and Dr. S. R. Ramadas 60th Birthday Commemoration award for best academic record in Chemistry during the period 2002-2004. She earned the prestigious Prof Langmuir Prize for best PhD Thesis in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry from IIT Madras in 2010. She has served as an elected Executive Committee member of the National Magnetic Resonance Society, India from March 2021 for a period of three years. She has published several articles in reputed journals and presented her findings in numerous national and international meetings as an invited speaker.

Research:

Dr. Pal is working in small molecule solution-state and solid-state NMR and NQR for past two decades. Her research interest at present focusses on design and application of NMR methods to decipher molecular dynamics and interactions relevant in a variety of areas ranging from energy, environment to defence and medicine. Her research group utilizes the 500 MHz WB NMR spectrometer from the central facility and a 20 MHz Time Domain (TD) NMR spectrometer housed in her research laboratory. The research group majorly implements NMR relaxation, diffusion and magnetization transfer methods. Some of the current thrust areas the group is working in are as follows: 

1. NMR relaxometry, diffusometry and Cryoporometry 

2. NMR of Small molecules, porous materials, energy materials and membranes

3. NMR metabolomics

4. NQR detection and instrumentation

5. Pulse sequence design and modification

Dr. Shankar Manoharan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering at IIT Jodhpur. He is passionate about microbes, microbial communities and their workings. He currently leads the Microbial Physiology Laboratory at IIT Jodhpur. Shankar holds a Masters degree in Genomics and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Madurai Kamaraj University. In his Ph.D. work on molecular plant microbe interactions, he identified a new cross-Kingdom signaling mechanism, by which plants can control bacterial numbers in the rhizosphere. He then pursued postdoctoral training at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, where he identified new regulatory networks controlling the expression of key virulence factors in streptococci. In 2017 he was awarded the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance's Early Career Fellowship and joined IIT Jodhpur. His group has since worked on the hospital-acquired pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae to unravel new virulence mechanisms and regulatory layers controlling virulence. As part of a Team Science Grant funded by the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, Shankar's group is also studying the effect of food system changes on the gut microbiota of vulnerable tribal populations in India. In addition, his group is also surveying the microbiota of biocrusts, unique communities that engineer arid zone ecosystems with the aim of conserving,restoring, and tapping into the biosynthetic potential of these important desert communities. Apart from research, Shankar is passionate about teaching and enjoys the teaching-learning process. In 2022, he was conferred with the Dr. Vandana Sharma memorial award for innovation in teaching. He was also recognized with the Illustrious Alumnus award by his Alma mater, Thiagarajar College of Arts & Sciences, Madurai.

Sonia Velarsan is a Registered Dietitian and Program Assistant in Ayurveda Dietetics, with a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition (M.Sc.), and credentials as a Certified Diabetic Educator (CDE) and Registered Dietitian (RD). She specialises in integrative oncology nutrition, blending classical Ayurvedic dietary principles with evidence-based clinical dietetics.

Her work focuses on translating qualitative Ayurvedic constructs into measurable, data-driven inputs to enable personalised nutrition models. She is particularly interested in bridging modern nutrition science—including ESPEN-based standardised guidelines—with Ayurvedic dietetic frameworks that account for digestive tolerance, metabolic variability, and treatment-related changes.

Sonia’s research and practice explore how Ayurvedic functional dimensions such as Agni, Koṣṭha, Satmya, Bala, and Āma can inform phenotype-based dietary personalisation. She is motivated by developing scalable, Prakriti-informed nutrition models through the integration of digital health tools, AI, and multiomics, particularly in oncology and chronic disease care.

Her work addresses critical gaps in clinical nutrition, including limited individualisation in standard guidelines that often prioritise nutrient targets over digestive capacity and symptom burden. She aims to operationalise Ayurvedic qualitative parameters, validate them using biomarkers and multiomics, and translate them into AI-enabled clinical decision support systems for integrative medicine

Dr. Shweta Telang-Chaudhari is a gold medalist and recipient of the University Merit Award throughout her undergraduate medical education. She holds a postgraduate Master’s degree (MD) in Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana (Ayurveda Pharmaceutics) from the prestigious R. A. Podar Government Ayurveda College, Mumbai.

She is currently serving as Associate Professor and In-Charge of the DRISHTI Research Unit (Division of Research in Interdisciplinary Science, Healthcare & Translational Innovations) at the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Nashik.

Dr. Telang has been awarded the FAIMER Fellowship in Medical Education by the GSMC-FAIMER (Mumbai) Regional Institute of the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), Philadelphia, USA. She is also a WomenLift Health Global Fellow (India).

With a strong focus on academic leadership and research capacity building, Dr. Telang regularly serves as an Invited Speaker at national academic and research programs organized by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. She played a key role in organizing Pre-PhD training programs on quality parameters and drug standardization of herbal and herbo-metallic formulations, conducted in collaboration with IISER (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research), Pune, Government of India.

She has received research grants for multiple interdisciplinary projects funded by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. Additionally, she has served as the National Coordinator for the Competency-Based Curriculum Committee under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), Government of India.

In recognition of her contributions to Ayurveda education, research, and clinical sciences, Dr. Telang has received several honors, including the prestigious “Panchakarma Ashwinau” Award from the Vedic Panchakarma Bhishak Parishad, India.

Sushmita Jha is a Professor in the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur. During her PhD at the Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Prof Jha elucidated a novel pathway for inflammation and demyelination in the brain.  She pursued Postdoctoral research at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Care (USA), characterising cellular and molecular mechanisms of demyelination in Multiple Sclerosis. 

Subsequently, Prof Jha joined IIT Jodhpur in 2012. At IIT Jodhpur, she established the Inflammation Immunity and Tumour Biology Lab. This lab focuses on understanding innate immunity, inflammation, and tumour biology utilising cellular and molecular 3-Dimensional (3D) models such as patient-derived organoids and 3D tunable spheroids to study brain tumours and breast cancer pathophysiology as well as normal physiology. Prof Jha's laboratory has been funded by the Department of Biotechnology, International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITy), SERB, and BRNS (DAE). 

Prof Jha is the recipient of the IITJ Research Excellence Award 2024, IBRO Diversity grant 2023, ISNO President’s Award for Outstanding Work in Neuro-Oncology by the Indian Society for Neuro-Oncology (2022), The Kusum Sharma Award for a Young Woman Scientist awarded by the Indian Academy of Biomedical Sciences (2021), Young scientist Award, (2014-2017) Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), and the Hulka Innovator’s Award (2008) Centre for women’s health research at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA.

Prof Jha is the founding Head of the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at IITJ and has been heading the joint programs in medical technologies between IITJ and AIIMSJ since 2020, as well as the MedTech Centre at IITJ. 

Dr. Shweta Ramdas earned her B.S. in Computational Biology from the National University of Singapore, followed by a Ph.D. in Bioinformatics and an M.A. in Applied Statistics from the University of Michigan in 2018. She conducted her postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on identifying and prioritizing regulatory variation in human diseases. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor at the Center for Brain Research (CBR), Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Previously, she held a faculty position at Azim Premji University.

Dr. Ramdas’ research lies at the intersection of Human Genetics, Genomics, and Data Science. Her work is motivated by exploring how genetic variation is shaped by evolution and population history, specifically within the diverse landscape of Indian populations. A central theme of her research is determining the functional role of this variation in regulating gene expression and its contribution to complex traits and human diseases.

A leading voice in large-scale genomic consortia, Dr. Ramdas is currently involved in high-impact initiatives studying the genetics of Parkinson’s Disease and analyzing the genetic signals of 10,000 healthy Indian genomes. Her group primarily utilizes advanced bioinformatic and statistical approaches to mine publicly available data and address novel biological questions. Her work integrates epigenetics and population-scale genomics to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying neurological and complex disorders.

Through interdisciplinary innovation and computational rigor, Dr. Ramdas’ research aims to advance our understanding of population-specific genetic architectures. By linking evolution, gene regulation, and disease risk, her work provides the foundational genomic insights necessary for the development of precision medicine in the Indian context.

Dr. Sudipta Bhattacharyya is an Associate professor in the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur. Dr. Bhattacharyya’s research is focused on unravelling the molecular intricacies of host-pathogen interactions and drug resistance.

Dr. Bhattacharyya has completed his B.Sc in Microbiology (Honours) from Calcutta University, followed by an M.Sc in Microbiology and Microbial Technology from Kalyani University. He has earned Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Structural Biology from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. After completion of his PhD degree, Dr. Bhattacharyya completed his post-doctoral research tenures in Colorado State University, USA, University of Texas, USA and University of Melbourne, Australia. During his PhD and post-doctoral tenures, he has been extensively employed the state-of-the-art tools and techniques of Structural Biology, Enzyme Chemistry and Drug Designing. His postdoctoral research for the first time, excavated the ancestral origin of the modern nucleosome, which is the fundamental repeating unit of eukaryotic chromosomes. Moreover, his postdoctoral research works also shed light on the molecular basis of prokaryotic non-homologus end joining based dsDNA repair mechanism and the novel molecular conformation of HIV-I surface glycoprotein during cell entry and antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity.  

At IIT Jodhpur, Dr. Bhattacharyya’s research group is principally engaged in structure-guided rational drug discovery against the dreaded ESKAPE pathogens, focusing on natural products and leveraging pharmacophore identification for the rational discovery of therapeutic leads. With a prolific academic career, Dr. Bhattacharyya has so far published more than 35 research papers in peer-reviewed international journals including the top tier journals in the field like Science, Cell Host & Microbe, PNAS etc., contributed more than 35 Protein Data Bank (PDB) and Electron Microscopy Data Bank (EMDB) -based publications, and applied for 4 Indian patents. His contributions to the scientific community extend beyond research as an active member of the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Biology, CCP4 Bulletin Board and Phenix Bulletin Board. He is committed to foster innovation in structure guided drug discovery by inspiring the next generation of researchers in the field

Dr. Sumit Kalra earned his B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering from Panjab University, Chandigarh, followed by an M.Tech. and Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. His doctoral research focused on software architecture, multi-tenant applications, and big data analytical systems. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur. Prior to his academic career, he gained significant industry experience as a System Engineer (R&D) at Infosys Research Lab and through research internships at IBM India Research Lab.

Dr. Kalra’s research lies at the intersection of Software Architecture, Big Data Systems, and Health Informatics. His work is motivated by developing scalable and efficient software frameworks that can handle complex data environments. A central theme of his research is the design of multi-tenant SaaS applications and the creation of architectural roadmaps for real-time systems, such as alarm diffusion and rural healthcare delivery platforms.

An innovator in mobile and distributed systems, Dr. Kalra holds a US Patent (US8639299) for a smartphone with detachable input/output components. He has published extensively in prestigious forums such as the ACM SIGAPP Applied Computing Review and the Innovations in Software Engineering Conference (ISEC). His work on "Ontology-based Frameworks" and "Implementation Patterns for Multi-Tenancy" provides critical structural foundations for managing large-scale, data-intensive software ecosystems.

Through his interdisciplinary projects, Dr. Kalra has developed systems aimed at providing primary healthcare to rural India more transparently and efficiently. His research continues to bridge the gap between theoretical software patterns and practical, high-impact technological solutions that address pressing humanitarian and industrial challenges.

Dr. Vignesh Muralidharan earned his PhD in Computational Neuroscience from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, where his research involved developing sophisticated models to understand freezing of gait in Parkinson’s Disease. Following his doctoral studies, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California San Diego, where he focused his research on the underlying mechanisms of human action-stopping.

Currently, he serves as an Assistant Professor at the Center for Brain Science and Applications within the School of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur. He leads the Muralilab of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, directing research that explores the neuroscience of human executive control, sensorimotor systems, and brain-computer interfaces.

Dr. Muralidharan’s work bridges the gap between cognitive neuroscience, computational modelling, and clinical application, particularly in understanding inhibitory control and its deficits in impulse control disorders. His research involves investigating how brain oscillations and networks modulate our ability to control unwanted actions and error processing. He utilizes neuroimaging and stimulation techniques, such as EEG and non-invasive brain stimulation (TMS), to identify neural markers of cognitive deficits and probe cortical oscillatory activity. Furthermore, he specializes in computational modelling, building biologically plausible architectures of the basal ganglia to solve reinforcement learning tasks and understand motor impairments.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Muralidharan received the Institute Research Excellence Award for Young Researchers in 2024 and was honored with the Distinguished Teacher Award from IIT Jodhpur in 2025. He is currently the Principal Investigator for the Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant, investigating the Brain-Heart Axis and behavioral strategies to control action errors. Additionally, he holds an Indian patent for a system designed to handle rehabilitation strategy training for stroke, further demonstrating his commitment to translating neuroscience into practical medical solutions.