Invited TALKS

26. Unraveling the Dynamic Dance of ‘Insect Cuticle’. International Conference on Animal Biology: Challenges and Opportunities ICAB - 2026. Organised by the Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, in collaboration with the Zoological Society, Kolkata. January 29 - 31, 2026. 

25. At the Adaptation Interface: Insects, Climate Change, and the Limits of Rapid Evolution. National Conference “EntoFrontiers 2026 Innovations for Sustainable Pest Management and Ecosystem Resilience” along with the third Entomology Students Conclave and Entomology Society of India Foundation Day from 27th to 29th January 2026 at the Central Auditorium,College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara campus, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India. January 27 - 29, 2026.

24. Dynamic modulation of insect cuticular hydrocarbons under desiccation stress. 7th Indian Drosophila Research Conference. IISER-Mohali, India. 13 December 2025. 

23. Spatiotemporal variations in insect cuticular hydrocarbons. 10 Day Training Programme on Chemical Ecology: Exploring Insect-Plant Interactions. Indian Institute of Horticulture Research. 24 March 2025.

22. Insect pigmentation: a tale of being dark and light. National Seminar on "Recent Trends in Biology". Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India. 22 March 2025.

21. Wing spot in a tropical and a temperate drosophilid: C=C and conserved thermal response. Frontiers in Entomology-2025 . Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Date 7 Jan 2025.

20. Drosophila pigmentation: genetic modularity, phenotypic parallelism, and adaptive response. Workshop: Insect Cuticle in a Warming World. Exeter University, Penryn, UK. 5 June 2024. 

19. Hydrocarbon and melanin: genetic modularity, phenotypic parallelism, and adaptive response. Workshop: Theoretical and Empirical Approaches to Understand Polygenic Adaptation. ICTS, Bangalore, India. 16 May 2024.  

18. Dealing with drought: connecting dots from behaviour to pathways. SEB Centenary Conference 2023, EICC, Edinburgh, UK. Date 4-7 Jul 2023.

17. Cuticular hydrocarbons under different environments. 'Frontiers in Biology' Symposium organized by Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, India. Date 18 Mar 2023.

16. Water balance in insects: phenotypes to genotype. 'Joint Scientific Discussion Ahmedabad University and Clemson University' organized by Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad, India. Date: 01 Jul 2022.

15. Understanding water balance in insects. 'Zoology in 21st Century' organized by the Department of Zoology, Shivaji University, Kohlapur, India. Date: 17-22 Jan 2022.

14. Water balance in Drosophila: insights from natural populations, selection experiments, and genome-wide association studies. 'Indian Drosophila Research Meeting InDRC2021' organized by IISER-Kolkata, India. Date: 13-17 Dec 2021.

13. Wing-spot chemistry reflects male fitness and dictates female choice in Drosophila biarmipes. 'International Symposium on Advances in Comparative Endocrinology and Behavioural Ecology' organized by Department of Zoology, Pune University, Pune, India. Date: 1-3 Jul 2021.

12. Drosophila Ecology "Drosophila melanogaster as a model” organized by the Skill Development Centre (SDC), BEICH RUSA.2.0 and Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India. Date: 27 Jan 2021

11. Evolution: Mechanisms and Evidence. "Gyan Ganga" An Initiative of Deparatment of College Education, Rajasthan. Department of Zoology, Meera Girls College, Udaipur, India. Date: 11 Jan 2021   

10. Water balance in insects: macrophysiology to molecules. National Conference on "Evolution and Adaptation: Current Scenario", Institute of Science, GITAM, Visakhapatnam, Orissa, India. Date: 10-11 Dec 2020

9. TRP channels role in thermal preference: A fly story. Bioinformatics Centre, Birla Institute of Scientific Research, Jaipur, India. Date: 21 Jan 2020

8. Thermal preference in Drosophila: it's not that simple. ISEB2: Indo-Swiss Meeting on Evolutionary Biology. Centre for Human Genetics, Bangalore, India. Date: 12-14 Dec 2019

7. Molecules matter: Insect cuticular hydrocarbons. ISEB1: Celebrating Ecology and Evolution in India. First Conference of the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists. JNCASR, Bangalore, India. Date: 24-25 October 2019.

6. Seasonality and eco-evolutionary dynamics. H N B Garhwal University Campus Chauras/Birma Campus, Tehari, Uttrakhand, India.. Date: 18 September 2019.

5. Water Balance in Insects. H N B Garhwal University Campus Badshahithaul, Srinagar, Uttrakhand, India. Date: 20 September 2019.

4. Impact and risks to ecosystem. Global Centre for Environment and Energy. Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad, India. Date: 23 August 2019.

3. Natural variation, laboratory selection, and genomics of desiccation tolerance in Drosophila. International Centre for Theoretical Sciences-TIFR Bangaluru (3rd Bangalore School on Population Genetics & Evolution), Bangaluru, India. Date: 15 March 2018.

2. Understanding geographical clines: seasonality and eco-evolutionary dynamics. IISER Pune, Maharastra, India. Date: 14 Feb 2017.

1. Adaptation to spatial and temporal environmental variants in Drosophila. Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangaluru, India. Date: 25 Oct 2016.

Scientific Conference/Meetings Presentations

33.The 38th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology. Date: 23-27 July 2023. Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, India. (Oral Talk: Finding parallels: latitudinal and altitudinal differences in cuticular hydrocarbons). 

32.23rd International Conference on Genetics. Date: 16-21 July 2023. Melbourne, Australia. (Poster Presentation with Harshad Mayekar: Genetic basis of cuticular hydrocarbons plasticity in a tropical high altitudinal population of Drosophila melanogaster. 

31.International Conference on Frontiers at the Chemisry-Allied Sciences Interface (FCASI-2023). Date: 20-21 April 2023. University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India. (Poster Presentation with Abhishek Nair: Molecules matter: the fascinating world of insect hydrocarbons).

30.The 4th Conference of the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists. Revolutioning Darwinian Synthesis: Fresh Perspectives and Future Challenges. Date: 09-11 February 2023. Ahmedabad University, India. (Oral Presentation with Harshad Mayekar. Multidimensional insect cuticle: a juvenile perspective).

29.The 4th Conference of the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists. Revolutioning Darwinian Synthesis: Fresh Perspectives and Future Challenges. Date: 9-11 February 2023. Ahmedabad University, India. (Poster Presentation with Abhishek Nair: Altitudinal differences in cuticular hydrocarbons in Drosophila).

28.European Society for Evolutionary Biology ESEB 2022. Date: 14-19 August 2022. Prague Congress Centre, Prague, Czech Republic. (Oral Presentation with Divita Garg. Wing-spot and good gene hypothesis: it's not that simple).

27.European Society for Evolutionary Biology ESEB 2022. Date: 14-19 August 2022. Prague Congress Centre, Prague, Czech Republic. (Poster Presentation with Harshad Mayekar. Multifaceted insect cuticle: Different stages-different patterns).

26.International Conference on Insect Systematics and Evolutionary Biology ISEB3.  Date 16-18 February 2022. Punjabi University, Patiala, India (Oral Presentation with Divita Garg: Wing-spot pigmentation responds to temperature in a non-linear fashion).

25.Indian Drosophila Research Conference InDRC2021. Date 13-17 December 2021. IISER, Kolkata, India (Poster Presentation with Divita Garg: Understanding ecological significance of Drosophila wing spot).

24.Virtual EVOLUTION 2021. Society for the Study of Evolution. Date 21-25 Jun 2021. On-Demand Talk: No water, no eggs - insights from a warming outdoor mesocosm experiment).

23.ISEB2: Indo-Swiss Meeting on Evolutionary Biology. Date: 12-14 Dec 2019. Centre for Human Genetics, Bangalore, India (Invited Talk: Thermal preference in Drosophila: It's not that simple).

22.ISEB1: Celebrating Ecology and Evolution in India. First Conference of the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists. Date: 24-25 October 2019. Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India (Invited Talk: Molecules matter: cuticular hydrocarbons).

21.The 3rd Bangalore School on Population Genetics & Evolution. Date: 15 March 2018. International Centre for Theoretical Sciences-TIFR Bangalore, India (Invited Talk: Natural variation, laboratory selection, and genomics of desiccation tolerance in Drosophila).

20.The 5th Asia Pacific Drosophila Research Conference APDRC and Indian Drosophila Research Conference. Date: 6-10 Jan 2020. Indian Institute of Science & Education, Pune, India (Poster Presentation with Homica Arya: But first, give me water!: Drosophila adults refrain from copulation when dehydrated).

19.The 3rd Biennial Indian Drosophila Research Conference (InDRC). 6-9 Dec 2017. Indian Institute of Science & Education, Bhopal, India (Poster Presentation- Rajpurohit et al.: Post-eclosion temperature effects on insect cuticular hydrocarbon profiles).

18.European Society of Evolutionary Biology. 10-14 Aug 2015. Lausanne, Switzerland (Oral Presentation- Rajpurohit et al.: Allelic variation at TrpA1 and trpl regulated thermal-mediated behavior in the lab and field in Drosophila).

17.European Society of Evolutionary Biology. 10-14 Aug 2015. Lausanne, Switzerland (Poster Presentation- Rajpurohit et al.: Eco-evolutionary dynamics in response to seasonal adaptation in Drosophila).

16.Drosophila Research Conference. Date: March 4-8, 2015. Chicago, USA (Oral Presentation- Bergland et al.: Genome-wide test of a life-history model underlying seasonal adaptation in Drosophila).

15.The 5th International Symposium on the Environmental Physiology of Ectotherms and Plants (ISEPEP). Date 12-16 Aug 2013. Ontario, Canada (Poster Presentation-Nedved & Rajpurohit: Clinal variation in ecophysiological traits in drosophilids of the Indian subcontinent).

14.EVOLUTION 2013. Date June 21-25, 2013. Salt Lake City, USA. (Poster Presentation-Rajpurohit et al.: Spatial and temporal variation in drought tolerance in North American populations of Drosophila melanogaster).

13.EVOLUTION 2013. Date June 21-25, 2013. Salt Lake City, USA. (Poster Presentation-Etges et al.: Transcriptomics of cuticular hydrocarbon expression in a desert drosophilid: age and temperature/desiccation stress).

12.Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology SICB 2013. Date: 3-7 Jan 2013. San Francisco, USA (Oral Presentation-Gibbs et al. Testing melanism-desiccation hypothesis using experimental evolution).

11.EVOLUTION 2011. Date: 17-21 June 2011. Norman, Oklahoma, USA (Poster Presentation-Etges et al.: Ecological genomics of stage and age specific responses to different host plants in populations of Drosophila mojavensis).

10.APS Intersociety Meeting: Global Change & Global Science: Comparative Physiology in a Changing World. Denver, Colorado, USA. Date: 4-7 Aug 2010. Westminster, Colorado, USA (Poster Presentation-Rajpurohit et al.: Transcriptome analysis of desiccation in desert adapted Drosophila mojavensis).

8.EVOLUTION 2010. Date: 25-29 Jun 2010. Portland, Oregon, USA (Poster Presentation-Etges et al.: Ecological genomics of host use and mating status in Drosophila mojavensis).

7.The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology SICB. Date: 3-7 Jan 2010. Seattle, WA, USA (Poster Presentation-Marlon et al.: Evolution of gene expression in larval fat body of stress-selected Drosophila).

6.Drosophila Research Conference. Date: 4-8 Mar 2009. Chicago, USA (Poster Presentation-Rajpurohit et al.: Drosophilids as indicators of changing climatic conditions).

5.Gordon Research Conference on Evolutionary and Ecological Functional Genomics. Date: 12-17 Jul 2009. New Hampshire, USA (Poster Presentation-Rajpurohit et al.: Evolution of gene expression in larval fat body of stress-selected Drosophila).

3.Gordon Research Conference on Evolutionary and Ecological Functional Genomics. Date: 12-17 Jul 2009. New Hampshire, USA (Poster Presentation-Oliveira et al.: Ecological genomics of host plant adaptation and stress in desert Drosophila).

2.International Workshop on The Evolution of Sexual Size Dimorphism. Date: 4-7 Sep 2005. Locarno, Switzerland (Poster Presentation-Rajpurohit et al.: Morphometric variations in altitudinal populations of three Drosophila species).

1.The 8th Japanese Drosophila Research Conference. Date: 2-4 Jul 2006. Osaka, Japan (Poster Presentation Rajpurohit et al.: Adaptations to altitudinally varying colder environments: Correlated changes in melanism, desiccation tolerance and reproductive fitness traits in Drosophila immigrants).

Newspaper Coverage/Blogs:

Evolution can happen at shorter timescales, a fruitfly study shows

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/evolution-can-happen-at-shorter-timescales-a-fruit-fly-study-shows/article65281474.ece

Too hot to handle: High-temperature hits mating, reproduction in fruit flies

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/too-hot-to-handle-high-temperature-hits-mating-reproduction-in-fruit-flies/articleshow/84255096.cms

The little Fruit-fly and big Climate Change: Short story of Drosophila melanogaster and the Flyfolk
https://ahduni.edu.in/blog-detail-v1

Fruit flies' microbes shape their evolution
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190917193631.htm
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-09/uop-ffm091719.php#

Interviews/Discussions:

1. Mighty Evolution! Is Evolution a Hoax?
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBwKY6QQurQ

2. What does a fruit-fly tell us about water?
   https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Dr-Shubhash-Rajpurohit https://www.facebook.com/pg/projectotenga/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2034780973469005

3. Panel Discussion; To mark the launch of the Global Centre for Environment and Energy at Ahmedabad University, a panel discussion was organized titled No ‘Plan B’: Looking Through the Sustainability Lens.
   https://ahduni.edu.in/events/ahmedabad-university-launches-global-centre-for-environment-and-energy

Projects

City Nature Challenge 2018 Ahmedabad, India

April 27-29, 2018

We, humans, share Ahmedabad with a large number of organisms living in our neighbourhoods! Let's try to find out what's out there! Join us (Rajpurohit Lab @ the Division of Biological & Life Sciences, School of Arts & Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad) in this citizen science adventure to catalogue our city's biodiversity!
Participation is very simple. Download the iNaturalist app to your mobile phone; then, from April 27-30, 2018, use the app to take photos of plants, trees, insects, animals, fungi, moss or other organisms you see and the iNaturalist community will help you identify it.
Note: For this project, our geographical boundary is outer ring road. Anything inside the outer ring road is advised to go in this work. Please keep your mobile coordinates open.
Stay tuned to us for further updates.
The City Nature Challenge is organized by Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences, USA.
RESULTS...
May 1-3, 2018
http://citynaturechallenge.org/