SK Pagire

Biography

Dr. Santosh K. Pagire is an assistant professor of chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, India (2026–present). Born and raised in the small village of Pimpri Pathar, Maharashtra, India, he obtained his B.Sc. (2006–2009) and M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry (2009–2011) with outstanding grades from Savitribai Phule Pune University, India. He qualified both the CSIR-NET examination (AIR 22) and the MH-SET examination on his first attempt. Following research training with Dr. Subhash P. Chavan at CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory, India (2012–2013), he completed his DAAD-funded Ph.D. (2013–2017) at the University of Regensburg (Germany) under Prof. Oliver Reiser. He subsequently held the prestigious DFG Walter Benjamin Fellowship (2018–2021) at the Institute of Microbial Chemistry, Japan (affiliated with the University of Tokyo, Japan), under Prof. Masakatsu Shibasaki and Prof. Naoya Kumagai, followed by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship (2021–2023) at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, under Prof. Varinder K. Aggarwal FRS. He later worked with Prof. Lutz Ackermann at the University of Göttingen, Germany (2023–2024); served as Senior Research Investigator (Team Lead) at Syngene International Ltd., India (2024–2025); was Assistant Professor at Chanakya University, India (2025–2026); and concurrently served as a Research Fellow with Prof. Alex C. Bissember at the University of Tasmania, Australia (2025–2026). His research focuses on photocatalysis, radical chemistry, and sustainable organic synthesis, and he has authored several peer-reviewed publications, accumulating >3,300 citations for his contributions to synthetic organic chemistry.

Academic Career

Professional Experience

2026-present: Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry

Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU),

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

2025-2026: ARC-Funded Research Fellow in Chemical Synthesis and Catalysis

School of Natural Sciences—Chemistry 

University of Tasmania, Australia

Funding: Through Australian Research Council (ARC)

Host and Collaborator: Prof. Dr. Alex C. Bissember

2025-2026: Assistant Professor of Chemistry

School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Chanakya University, Bangalore, India.

2024-2025: Senior Research Investigator/Team Leader

Discovery Chemistry, Syngene International Ltd., India.

in collaboration with Kestrel Therapeutics Ltd., USA.

2023-2024: Senior Postdoctoral Researcher

Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany.

ERC and Emmy Noether (DFG) funding applicant

Host and Advisor: Prof. Dr. Lutz Ackermann

2021-2023: Postdoctoral Researcher (Marie Curie Fellow)

School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.

Advisor(s): Prof. Dr. Varinder K. Aggarwal FRS and Dr. Adam Noble

Postdoctoral Funding: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (MSCA)

Project: Photocatalytic Phosphonylations

2018-2021: Postdoctoral Researcher (DFG/Walter Benjamin Fellow)

Institute of Microbial Chemistry (BIKAKEN),

Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation, Tokyo, Japan.

Advisor(s): Prof. Dr. Masakatsu Shibasaki and Prof. Dr. Naoya Kumagai

Postdoctoral Funding: Walter-Benjamin (DFG) Postdoctoral Fellowship

Project: Enantioselective Photocatalysis

2012-2013: CSIR-Junior Research Fellow:

CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India.

Advisor: Prof. Dr. Subhash P. Chavan 

Project: Total Synthesis of Quinagolide analog

2011-2012: Visiting Research Fellow:

University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban, South Africa.

Research Advisor(s): Prof. Dr. Pher G. Andersson & Prof. Dr. Thavi Govender

Funding: National Research Foundation (NRF)

Research Project: Asymmetric Metal Catalysis

Education

2013-2017: Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat./Ph.D.): DAAD Fellow

Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Germany.

Advisor: Prof. Dr. Oliver Reiser

PhD Funding: DAAD Fellowship

Thesis title: Surprises and Discoveries in Visible-Light Photocatalysis

Thesis grade: summa-cum-laude (Translation: with highest distinction)

2009-2011: M.Sc. (Organic Chemistry): Eklavya Fellow

75.55%; First Class with Distinction ("O"—outstanding grade),

Department of Chemistry, University of Pune, India.

Academic Advisor: Prof. Dilip D. Dhavale, FASc

Project: Asymmetric Catalysis

2006-2009: B.Sc. (Chemistry): 90.33%; First Class with Distinction (5th Rank, University of Pune, India).

New Arts, Commerce, and Science College, Parner, Dist. Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, India. PIN-414302 (Affiliated to University of Pune, India).

Advisor(s): Prof. Dr. Dilip R. Thube and Prof. Dr. Tukaram S. Thopate.

2013: German Language Course (A2):

Goethe Institute, Chennai, India.

interDaF, University of Leipzig, Germany.

2010: CSIR-NET: Chemical Sciences

Qualified in the first attempt (22nd Rank, all-India rank),

CSIR-HRDG, New Delhi, India.

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2010: MH-SET: Chemical Sciences

Qualified in the first attempt.

University of Pune, India.