Dr. M. S. Valiathan (1934–2024) was a pioneering Indian cardiac surgeon, the founding director of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute (Thiruvananthapuram), and a key force behind India’s indigenous TTK-Chitra mechanical heart valve. Trained at Trivandrum Medical College,Liverpool, and later at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown, he combined surgery with biomedical innovation and institution-building. He served as the first Vice- Chancellor of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, became a National Research Professor, and wrote acclaimed works on Ayurveda (The Legacy of Caraka, Suśruta, and Vāgbhaṭa). Honours include the Padma Vibhushan (2005) and leadership of the Indian National Science Academy
Prof. Rajesh S. Gokhale is Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, on deputation from IISER Pune. He formerly directed the CSIR–Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), where he established its South Campus and led translational genomics research on complex diseases. Trained as a chemical biologist at IISc Bangalore and Stanford University, his work has uncovered novel metabolites implicated in disease pathophysiology, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and vitiligo. Dr.Gokhale is a recipient of the Infosys Prize and the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, and is a Fellow of all three national science academies of India.
Venue: Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies Auditorium, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram.
Date & Time: 18 November 2025, 10:30 am- 12.30 pm.Register now: https://forms.gle/LFPKwMKEjuqE4cvV6
Programme Brochure
Dr. Anuraj V. L. is a nuclear scientist at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, serving as Head of the Core Safety Analysis Section in the Reactor Neutronics Division. His work focuses on the safety and dynamic behavior of fast breeder reactors, where he contributes to core safety assessments, reactivity analysis, and advanced computational modeling. Through his research and technical studies, he supports the design, validation, and safe operation of systems such as the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), playing a significant role in strengthening India’s fast reactor safety program.
Dr. Himanshu Pathak is a leading Indian agricultural scientist known for his work in soil science, climate-resilient agriculture, and sustainable farming. He has served in key positions such as Director of the National Rice Research Institute, Director of the National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, and later as Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR. In 2025, he took charge as the Director General of ICRISAT. He has received several major honors, including the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award and international recognitions for his contributions to crop and soil research.
Prof. Dr. Ganapathy Baskaran is a renowned Indian theoretical physicist celebrated for his pioneering work in condensed matter physics. Best known for developing the resonating valence bond (RVB) theory with P. W. Anderson, a major breakthrough in understanding high-temperature superconductivity, he has made several influential contributions to strongly correlated electron systems. A PhD graduate of the Indian Institute of Science, he has served as Emeritus Professor at IMSc Chennai and Distinguished Visiting Research Chair at the Perimeter Institute, Canada. His achievements have earned him prestigious honors, including the ICTP Prize and the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award.
Prof. Usha Vijayraghavan is a renowned molecular biologist and Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. Her research focuses on gene regulation and developmental biology using yeast and plant models, especially rice. A Caltech-trained scientist, she has made important contributions to understanding how transcription factors control plant growth and flowering. She has held key academic roles at IISc, including Dean of the Biological Sciences Division, and has received major honors such as the National Bioscience Award, the Har Swarup Medal, and the C. V. Raman Award.
Dr. Kana M. Sureshan earned his PhD from the University of Pune in 2002 and completed postdoctoral research in Japan, the U.K., and Germany. He joined IISER Thiruvananthapuram in 2009 and is now Professor and Dean of Infrastructure & Planning. Working in organic and supramolecular chemistry, he has published 137 papers, filed eight patents, and delivered over 250 invited talks. His awards include the InnoCentive Award, Ramanujan and Swarnajayanti Fellowships, CRSI Bronze Medal, MRSI Medal, Rajib Goyal Prize, Technology Innovation Award, and the JC Bose National Fellowship. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and an elected fellow of India’s premier science academies.
Dr. A. Rajarajan, Distinguished Scientist of ISRO, became Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) on 1 August 2025. Previously Director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC-SHAR), he led major missions such as Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1, SSLV, LVM3 M2/OneWeb India-1, Vikram-S, and key Gaganyaan tests. With nearly four decades at ISRO, he has held several leadership roles at VSSC, specialising in composite systems, propulsion, and carbon–carbon technologies. He also expanded SDSC-SHAR’s launch infrastructure and initiated a dedicated SSLV complex. He is President of ISAMPE, holds a patent in film-boiling CVI technology, and has received multiple honours including an honorary doctorate and the ISRO Merit Award.