Prof. Rajesh S. Gokhale is the Secretary at Department of Biotechnology in the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. He is presently on deputation from Indian Institute of Science Education & Research IISER Pune. Prior to this, he was at National Institute of Immunology NII and was also Director of CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology CSIR-IGIB for seven-and-half years. During his tenure he established the South Campus of CSIR-IGIB, where he led interdisciplinary initiatives in translational genomics research programs focused in delineating a variety of complex diseases.
Dr. Gokhale is trained as a chemical biologist from Indian Institute of Science IISc , Bangalore and Stanford University, USA. His significant research contributions are in discovering novel metabolites and their pathways, which dictate pathophysiology of human diseases. Recent work from his laboratory have identified two novel metabolites from infectious pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, that are crucial for initiating complex infection process. His group have also significantly contributed to the understanding of autoimmune disease Vitiligo. Studies from his group has elucidated complex interplay between metabolic reprogramming and immune system, to develop novel therapeutic strategies that can tackle the underlying causes, rather than just the symptoms. Scientific work from his laboratory has been published in prestigious journals like Nature, Nature Chemical Biology, Molecular Cell, The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences etc. He has mentored more than 200 students and about 25 students have completed PhD thesis from his group. Dr Gokhale co-founded Vyome Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. VYOME in 2010, a biopharmaceutical company developing best in class drugs for dermatology. This company is presently completing Phase IIb clinical trial for drug-resistant acne and has launched OTC products in the market. Dr. Gokhale was a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow, UK and an International HHMI Fellow, USA. He is recipient of several awards, including Infosys Prize, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, National Bioscience Award, J C Bose National Fellowship and IIT Bombay Distinguished Alumni Award. He is also Fellow of all the three Indian National Science Academies.
Dr Kumar holds a PhD degree in Biotechnology from Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh. Subsequently, he moved to University of Illinois at Chicago, where he worked on leukaemia. He also holds an MBA degree from the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University, US.
After returning from US, he joined as a Vice- President of Life Science Incubator at IKP Knowledge Park, Hyderabad where he was involved in actively mentoring incubatee companies, creating pipeline of entrepreneurs through innovative models of team building around the technologies, working with public R&D laboratories and universities to create entrepreneurial models of commercialisation. Later, he took charge as the Director & Head of Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre with a focus on incubating innovations in agriculture, food and nutrition, biofuel/bio-energy and pharma/healthcare. He has worked closely with Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka, to create a vibrant Life Sciences Innovation cluster in Bangalore. He is also a guest faculty at University of Agricultural Sciences, Centre for Human Genetics, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine MIRM and Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. He is a member of various Central and State Government Committees and advises on policy matters related to startups, innovation and entrepreneurship in Life Sciences. Currently, he is a member of CII national committee on Biotechnology, Member of Association of Biotech Led Enterprises ABLE , Member of committee for Karnataka Start-up policy and Member for Government of India supported Bangalore Innovation cluster under the aegis of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He is an Internationally acclaimed thinker and advisor on Biotech Innovations and entrepreneurship. He has been invited as a speaker at various conferences in USA, South Korea and the Netherlands to represent India and Karnataka. He has inspired thousands of youths to start and build successful Biotech ventures. He has around 20 years of experience in research and innovation management in the area of life sciences. He has around 25 peer reviewed publications and around 45 products have been launched under his mentorship.
Nidhi is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and possesses a degree in Law from Delhi University. She has also graduated in Environmental Sciences from Ramjas College, North Campus, Delhi University.
Nidhi is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and possesses a degree in Law from Delhi University. She has also graduated in Environmental Sciences from Ramjas College, North Campus, Delhi University. As an astute professional, Nidhi has over 20 years of diverse experience in various aspects of Finance & Accounts with thematic expertise in Financial Planning, Budgeting , Taxation, Audit and Fund Management. Nidhi has played an instrumental role at several noteworthy companies which include NTC Ltd., Nafed, Deloitte and Ernst & Young.
Dr. Penna Krishna Prasanthi is Senior Consultant Physician, Harshitha Hospital & Best’s Diabetic Care Centre, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. She completed her MBBS from Sri Venkateswara Medical College, Tirupati in 1994 and M.D. General Medicine from Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool in 2000.
Dr. Penna Krishna Prasanthi is Senior Consultant Physician, Harshitha Hospital & Best’s Diabetic Care Centre, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. She completed her MBBS from Sri Venkateswara Medical College, Tirupati in 1994 and M.D. General Medicine from Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool in 2000. She is the only Lady Physician from the State of Andhra Pradesh reaching to National level in Association of Physicians of India API , Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India RSSDI and Indian Medical Association IMA in these two decades. She has been instrumental in forming Women Doctors Wing of IMA in the State of Andhra Pradesh and presently she is the Advisory Committee Member. At Present she is Member, National API Credentials Committee and she is the Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Chapter of API. She is the Governing Council Member of Andhra Pradesh Chapter of RSSDI. She was the Fellow of Indian College of Physicians of India, Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India, IMA Academy of Medical Specialities. She has many awards to her credit like Best Woman Diabetologist Award, IMA President Appreciation Award for Academic Excellency and Community Services, Ugadhi Puraskar Award from Delhi Telugu Academy and innumerable for her Community Services.She is the Life Member of Various Prestigious Professional Organisations like API, RSSDI, IMA, Endocrine Society of India, Indian Thyroid Society,Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group India DIPSI , Diabetic Foot Society of India, Nutrition Society of India. She served in Government Service for few years and later shifted to private sector. To quench her academic thirst and research she has been active in pursuing fellowships in the field of Diabetology and actively working on Diabetic Foot Problems with Diabetic Foot Research Initiative. She is keenly involved in research activities on Nutrition in Diabetes and Infections in Diabetes along with various educational institutions. During the Covid Pandemic she did exemplary work in Tirupati along with district administration in starting Covid Care Centres and tele medicine consultation to thousands of patients. She has been recognized with Covid Warrior Award and many more for her selfless services in COVID situation.Her main motto is empowering the citizens with preventive health care and promoting our traditional healthy lifestyles to preventive non communicable diseases in young age.
Ms. Ekta Vishnoi belongs to the 1999 batch the Indian Revenue Service IRS . A gold medalist of Delhi University in M.Sc. Organic Chemistry, she was awarded the Finance Minister Gold Medal for the best officer on training in Indian Revenue Service.
She is also holds an LLB degree. She has a diverse experience working in various divisions in Income Tax Department including investigation, headquarters and assessment units. Before joining the Department of Biotechnology as a Joint Secretary, she was working with Sports Authority of India, leading Khelo India and Fit India Mission of the Government of India.
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Last Updated: 19 June, 2025
