Team PCDB
Team Leader
Prof. Sourav Datta
2024-ongoing, Professor, Biological Sciences, IISER Bhopal
Jan 2021- Sept 2023, HoD, Department of Biological Sciences, IISER Bhopal
2019-2024, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, IISER Bhopal
2013-2019, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, IISER Bhopal
2009-2013, Postdoctoral Marie Curie and EMBO Fellow, University of Oxford, UK
2003-2008, Ph.D., Plant Molecular Biology, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
2001-2003, M.Sc., Biotechnology, Pondicherry Central University, India.
1998-2001, B.Sc., Botany (Honours), Kalyani University, India.
Email: sdatta@iiserb.ac.in
Awards, Honours & Fellowships
Tata Innovation Fellowship by Department of Biotechnology, India (2023-24)
Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (FASc), India - 2023
Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (FNASc), India - 2023
SERB Science and Technology Award for Research (SERB-STAR Award 2021)
S. Ramachandran-National Bioscience Award for Career Development 2020-21
Distinguished Teacher Award by IISER Bhopal (2020)
PHSS Foundation Young Scientist Medal (2019)
IYBA (Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award) by Department of Biotechnology, India (2014)
Ramalingaswami Fellowship by Department of Biotechnology, India (2013).
EMBO Long term Fellowship for post-doctoral research (availed in 2010).
HFSP Long-term Fellowship (2009)-not availed
Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship (IEF) for post-doctoral studies (2008)
University Gold Medal Award in M.Sc. Biotechnology (2003) awarded by the then President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
University Gold Medal Award in B.Sc. Botany (2001)
Courses
BIO305/605 - Plant Biology I for BS-MS III year and PhD students.
BIO314/614 - Plant Biology II for BS-MS III year and PhD students.
Rahul Puthan Valappil
(PhD Scholar, CSIR SRF)Email: rahulp@iiserb.ac.inTwitter: @rahulpvnewland
Academic details:
BS-MS (Biological Sciences), IISER Bhopal (2012-2017)
Works and Interests:
Rahul has done his Masters' dissertation in the PCDB lab and then joined as a PhD fellow (Aug'17). He is currently exploring the role of BBX proteins in the regulation of flowering and phytohormone-mediated developmental responses.
He likes photography and is ready for a drive anytime. He plays badminton and chess the most.
Debojyoti Kar
(PhD Scholar, CSIR SRF)Email: dkar@iiserb.ac.inTwitter: @debojyoti_kar19
Academic details:
B.Sc (H) Biotechnology, Institute of Genetic Engineering (2012-2015)
M.Sc Agricultural Biotechnology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Narendrapur, WB (2015-2017)
Trainee at CSIR- IICB, Kolkata
Works and interests:
Deb is currently involved in understanding the role of light in abiotic stress tolerance.
He likes photography and listening to fusion songs. He plays badminton, basketball and cricket.
Arpan Mukherjee
(PhD Scholar, CSIR SRF)Email: arpan19@iiserb.ac.in Twitter: @AMukhejee
Academic details:
B.Sc (Botany) from DA College under University of Calcutta
M.Sc (Botany) from Department of Botany, University of Calcutta.
Works and interests:
Arpan joined the PCDB family in August 2019.
He loves cooking and cricket is his favourite game.
Shubhi Dwivedi
(PhD Scholar, CSIR SRF)Email: shubhi19@iiserb.ac.in Twitter: @sdwivedi26
Academic details:
B.Sc (H) Botany, Banaras Hindu University
M.Sc Botany, Banaras Hindu University
Works and interests:
Shubhi joined the PCDB family in August 2019.
She has a huge love for plants and music.
Ajar Pradhan
(PhD Scholar, PMRF Fellow)Email: ajar19@iiserb.ac.in Twitter: @pradhan_ajar
Academic details:
B.Sc Botany, BJB Autonomous college, Utkal University (2017)
M.Sc Botany, Utkal University (2019)
JRF at ICAR-NRRI, Cuttack.
Works and interests:
Ajar joined the PCDB lab in December 2019.
He loves travelling the most (bike riding) apart from studying and doing research.
Kavuri Venkateswara Rao
(PhD Scholar, DBT SRF)Email: kavuri20@iiserb.ac.in Twitter: @KavuriVenkates5
Academic details:
B.Sc(Biotechnology),Government Autonomous College, Adi Kavi Nannaya University, Rajamahendravaram
M.Sc (Plant Biology and Biotechnology) University of Hyderabad
Works and interests:
Venky joined the PCDB lab in December 2020.
Shikha Suyal
(PhD Scholar, DST-Inspire fellow)Email: shikhasuyal@iiserb.ac.inTwitter: @suyalshikha5
Academic details:
B.Sc (H) Botany, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, (2016-2019)
M.Sc Botany, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Gold Medalist, (2019-2021 )
Qualified IIT JAM (BT and BL) 2019, GATE AIR339 (2021), ICAR ASRB NET 2021
Works and interests:
Shikha joined the PCDB lab in January 2022.
I like traveling, reading books and making new friends.
Neha Singh
(PhD Scholar, DBT JRF)Email: neha23@iiserb.ac.in
Academic details:
B.Sc (H) Botany, Banaras Hindu University
M.Sc Botany, Banaras Hindu University
Works and interests:
Neha joined the PCDB lab in Agust 2023. She loves crafting, drawing apart from doing science and also she enjoys listening music.
Pallabi Saha
(PhD Scholar, Institute JRF)Email: pallabi23@iiserb.ac.in Twitter: @PallabiS1906
Academic details:
B.Sc (H) Botany, MUC Women's college Burdwan
M.Sc Botany, Kalyani University
Works and interests:
Pallabi joined the PCDB lab in December 2023. She loves reading short story books, and also she enjoys listening music.
Pranab Santara
(PhD Scholar, Institute JRF)Email: pranab23@iiserb.ac.in Twitter: @Pranbio
Academic details:
B.Sc (H) Botany, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College
M.Sc Botany, West Bengal State University
Works and interests:
Pranab joined the PCDB lab in December 2023. He loves to explore new places, and also he enjoys detective stories and movies, music. He likes cooking too.
Anagha Sasidharan
(PhD Scholar, DBT JRF)Email: anagha24@iiserb.ac.inTwitter: @ANAGHA_SASIDHAR
Academic details:
BS-MS (Biological Sciences), IISER Bhopal (2017-2022)
Works and interests:
Anagha joined the PCDB lab in August 2024. She loves listening to music and people.
Dipali
(PhD Scholar, DBT JRF)Email: dipali24@iiserb.ac.in
Academic details:
B.Sc (H) Botany, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya Bilaspur
M.Sc Botany, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya Bilaspur
Works and interests:
Dipali joined the PCDB lab in August 2024. She loves reading books, and also, she enjoys cooking.
Umesh Zadoo
(PhD Scholar, CSIR-UGC-JRF)Email: umeshz24@iiserb.ac.in
Academic details:
BS-MS Central University of Jammu (2019-2024)
Works and interests:
Umesh joined the PCDB lab in January 2025. He likes to explore new places, play chess and watch historical documentaries, reading Urdu, and he also enjoys poetry.
Arnab Bose
(BS-MS)Email: arnab20@iiserb.ac.in
Academic details:
BS-MS : IISER Bhopal (2020-Present)
Works and interests:
In addition to his passion for science, he enjoys cooking (especially baking). hiking, swimming, and reading. He also has a strong interest in music, watching movies, and playing badminton.
Devika D Raj
(BS-MS)Email: devikad20@iiserb.ac.in
Academic details:
BS-MS : IISER Bhopal (2020-Present)
Works and interests:
Aside from science, she likes reading books, listening to music and podcasts on various subjects.
Somdatta Roy
(BS-MS)Email: somdattaroy@students.iisertirupati.ac.in
Academic details:
BS-MS : IISER Tirupati (2020-Present)
Works and interests:
She loves to cook & eat.
Swagatam Das
(BS-MS)Email: swagatam20@iiserb.ac.in
Academic details:
BS-MS : IISER Bhopal (2020-Present)
Works and interests:
Other than science he is interested in travelling, watching sports and listening to music. He also has deep interest in geography, geopolitics, Indian and world economy, aviation, railway and policy.
Mukesh Ahirwar
(Lab Assistant)Arabidopsis thaliana
(Model Organism)If you are here, you already know me well!