Speakers

Prof. Rajesh Sundaresan is the Dean of the Division of Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Sciences and a Professor in the Department of Electrical Communication Engineering. His research interests span information theory, communication networks, machine learning, statistical inference, and applied probability. He has made significant contributions to the theory and design of reliable communication systems, data science, and intelligent networked systems, while also advancing interdisciplinary research and innovation at IISc.

Venkat Padmanabhan is the managing director of Microsoft Research India (MSR India) in Bengaluru. He has been at the MSR India Lab since 2007, and was previously with Microsoft Research Redmond, USA for nearly 9 years. Venkat’s research interests are broadly in networked and mobile computing systems, and his work over the years has led to highly cited papers and paper awards, technology transfers within Microsoft, and industry impact. He has received several awards and recognitions, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in 2016, four test-of-time paper awards from ACM SIGMOBILE, ACM SIGMM, and ACM SenSys, and several best paper awards. He was also among those recognized with the ACM SIGCOMM Networking Systems Award 2020 for contributions to the ns family of network simulators.

Venkat holds a B.Tech. from IIT Delhi (from where he received the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2018) and an M.S. and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, all in Computer Science. He has been elected a Fellow of the INAE, the IEEE, and the ACM. Venkat is also an adjunct professor at the Indian Institute of Science and was previously an affiliate faculty member at the University of Washington.

Jishnu Aravindakshan is the Principal Product Architect (Technology) in the CTO’s Office at Tejas Networks India Limited, with over 22 years of experience in the telecommunications industry.

He earned his B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from NIT Calicut in 2001 and his Master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in 2004. He subsequently joined Tejas Networks and currently drives the company’s long-term technology roadmap, while leading its 6G standardization activities and academic collaboration programs.

Over his career, he has made significant contributions to international telecommunications standards. He represented Tejas Networks in ITU-T Study Group 15 and contributed to the development of ITU-T G.8032 and MPLS-TP standards. His current areas of interest include 5G-Advanced, 6G, Artificial Intelligence in Networks, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), and next-generation wireless systems.

Jishnu has been actively involved in 5G and 6G standardization through TSDSI (Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India), contributing to activities in ITU-R WP 5D, and participating in 3GPP RAN, SA, and CT as an individual member. He has also played a key role in the design and evolution of 3G and 4G transport and backhaul architectures deployed by major Indian and international telecom operators.

He successfully represented India and TSDSI during the IMT-2020 (5G) standardization process, leading efforts that resulted in the inclusion of Low Mobility Large Cell (LMLC) as a 5G evaluation configuration for rural eMBB scenarios. He was the Founding Chairman of TSDSI Study Group 3 (Optical Access and Transport), which developed the CPRI Fronthaul Standard, and later served as Vice Chairman of the Study Group on Networks (SGN). In these roles, he coordinated TSDSI’s contributions towards the inclusion of the Indian 5Gi Radio Interface Technology (RIT) within the ITU-R IMT-2020 framework. He is right now the Governing Council member of TSDSI.

More recently, as a member of the Indian delegation, he contributed to the development of the ITU-R IMT-2030 (6G) Framework and Vision, published as Recommendation ITU-R M.2160. He was also the Founding Vice Chairman of the Technology Working Group of Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA), which developed India’s roadmap for 6G standardization and productization through 2030. In addition, he has been part of the Indian delegation involved in finalizing key IMT-2030 framework, technical performance requirements, and evaluation methodologies within ITU-R WP 5D.

Jishnu is an inventor with 20 patent filings, including 12 granted patents, and has authored several technical contributions and publications. He received the IETE Best Paper Award in 2006 and served as Guest Editor for the Springer journal CSI Transactions on ICT for the special issue titled “Wireless in the Future” published in March 2019.

Dr. Nagahanumaiah is a distinguished scientist, visionary leader, and passionate institution builder in the field of manufacturing research, with more than three decades of impactful contributions. Currently serving as the Director, Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI), Bengaluru, he has steered the institute into a hub of innovation, technology development, and industry collaboration, positioning it at the forefront of India’s journey toward self-reliant and intelligent manufacturing. He holds a PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,

Dr Nagahanumaiah began his illustrious career at CSIR-CMERI, Durgapur, where he founded and led the pioneering Micro-Nano Systems Engineering group. His leadership over 14 years yielded 12 cutting-edge technologies, 5 successful technology transfers, and recognition of his four young scientists through prestigious national awards. His work on micro machines and process technologies—including reconfigurable micro factories, advanced micro-EDM, laser systems, micro injection moulding, and novel antibacterial surfaces—has significantly advanced India’s capabilities in high-end manufacturing.

As Director of CMTI, Dr. Nagahanumaiah has transformed the institute’s mandate through strategic leadership and innovation-driven policies. He has initiated technology marketing and open innovation frameworks, raising the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 75 potential technologies and successfully transferring breakthroughs to the Indian industry. Under his stewardship, CMTI has delivered around  60 advanced machines, rigs, and products, licensed 20 flagship technologies, and secured 45 patents and IPRs, strengthening India’s competitiveness in manufacturing. His emphasis on Atmanirbhar Bharat has accelerated the nation’s progress toward self-reliance in critical technologies.

A prolific researcher with 115 publications, 10 patents, and mentorship of 18 postgraduate and 10 doctoral scholars, he continues to shape the next generation of innovators. His ability to balance deep research with national-scale leadership reflects his rare blend of scientific rigour and strategic foresight.

Dr Nagahanumaiah’s outstanding contributions have been recognised with numerous accolades, including the Vasvik Award (2023) for lifetime contributions to industrial research, the Innovation Leaders Award (2025) from the World Innovation Congress, and the Distinguished Leadership Award (2021) from the International Society of Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, USA. He is also a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (FNAE) and a recipient of several national fellowships and honours, including the prestigious “We Think for India” award from the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Raman Research Fellowship from CSIR, and BOYSCAST Research Fellowship from DST, Govt. of India. Through his visionary leadership, Dr. Nagahanumaiah continues to inspire scientists, engineers, and industries alike. As the Head of a National R&D Institute, he embodies the mission of harnessing research, technology, and innovation to strengthen India’s manufacturing ecosystem, elevate workforce skills, and contribute to the nation’s global leadership in advanced manufacturing.

Dr. Neha Satak is a serial entrepreneur, researcher, and the CEO & Co-founder of Astrome Technologies, a deep-tech company developing advanced wireless and space communication solutions.

She holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University, a Master’s degree from the Indian

Institute of Science (IISc), and a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Her Master’s thesis received the Gold Medal at the Indian Institute of Science, presented by former President A.P. J. Abdul Kalam.Neha has worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Florida, in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Her achievements have been recognised with several prestigious honours, including the Amelia Earhart Fellowship, the WEQ Award by AnitaB.org and USISTEF, and the Women Transforming India Award by NITI Aayog.

At Astrome, Neha leads strategy, business growth, and new product introduction, defining scalable solutions across terrestrial and space domains. Her work is positioning Astrome as a key player in India’s space-tech ecosystem, enabling next-generation connectivity for telecom, defence, and beyond.

Naganand Doraswamy is the Managing Partner and Founder at Ideaspring Capital, actively shaping the firm’s strategy and guiding its portfolio companies to success. He brings a wealth of experience as Co-Founder and EVP at SPAN Infotech India Pvt Ltd, and as Co-Founder of Lexar Networks.

In his illustrious career, he has worked with PhotonEx, Nortel Networks, Bay Networks, and FTP Software. A thought leader in his field, he co-authored a book on IPSecurity and served as President of TiE Bangalore. He is an active member of committees at NASSCOM, FICCI, and the Government of Karnataka, focusing on entrepreneurship and investment policies.

Ideaspring has invested in 3 startups (SimYog, Gyrophint and LatentForce) started by Professors from IISc and he is a part of board of CeNSE incubator, work closely with FSID and Advisory Committee on ArtGarage.

Gautam Phanse serves as the Chevron & Integration Head of Strategic Partnerships (India) at CHEVRON. They bring expertise in strategic partnerships and process engineering, cultivated through diverse roles in the energy, chemicals, and industrial sectors.

During their tenure at CHEVRON, Gautam also served as a Lead Process Engineer, contributing to process optimization and improvement initiatives within the downstream segment. Their work history includes a focus on strategic partnerships, demonstrating capabilities in business development and relationship management.

Prior to CHEVRON, Gautam held positions at NOCIL, including Project Engineer and Technical Service Manager. These roles involved technical service delivery and project execution within the rubber chemicals industry.

Earlier in their career, Gautam was a Manager of Technology Marketing at ABB, where they focused on market analysis and product positioning within the industrial machinery and equipment sector.

Anusha Rammohan has over 17 years industry experience, with 9 years in R&D and over 8 years in leadership roles delivering customer and business outcomes across a variety of industries (Media & Entertainment, Healthcare, Oil and Gas, Aviation, Energy and Automotive) focusing on AI, machine learning and data science.

In her current role as Co-founder and Chief Technology & Product Officer at Myelin Foundry, she leads all technology and product initiatives building AI products and solutions for challenging problems in the areas of video, audio and image data for the media & entertainment and automotive verticals.

Anusha has several patents and publications to her credit and has received numerous awards and recognition for her work in AI and machine learning, the most notable being named as one of 10 Top Innovators under 35 in India by Mint-MIT Review in 2017. She is a prolific speaker and has given numerous engaging conferencing presentations, winning the best presentation award at the North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop held in St.Andrews, Scotland in 2012. Anusha was also a part of GE’s Accelerated Leadership Program (XLP) giving her exposure to diverse roles and experiences across different industries. Anusha is an engineer by training and has a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Instrumentation from BITS Pilani, India and a masters’ degree in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University, USA.

He has a (B.E. (Electronics) from Bangalore University, M. Tech (Electronics & Communication) from Pondicherry University, Ph. D (Computer Science) from University of Mysore, Diploma in Patent information from Stitching Gemeen schappe lik je Opleiding at The Hague, The Netherlands, a Six month PCT/European patent practice hands on training course at Delta Patents, Eindhoven, The Netherlands and LL.B (Bachelors of Legislative Law) from Karnataka State Law University. He is a certified and registered Indian Patent Agent.

He has over 30 years of industry/academic experience (3 years in academics (at Karnataka Stateengineering institutes), 27 years at corporate multinationals namely IBM Research, GE India, SAP Labs, Philips, and Versuni). 23 years of his industry experience at Philips/Versuni was in protecting technological innovations through patents, building, and managing Philips patent portfolio. During his tenure of two plus decades at Philips, he developed and implemented comprehensive patent policies, processes and strategies aligned with company’s business goals. He has developed and deployed IP training for research, product innovation, and business groups. Identified and created valuable IP assets, prioritized their protection, explored, and implemented monetization opportunities, managed the overall IP portfolio of one of Philips’ businesses to maximize its valueand minimize risks.

January 2026, onwards, he is working as Director IPR Center, at PES University, Bengaluru

Prof. Amaresh Chakrabarti, Senior Prof & former Chair, Dept of Design (Des) & Manufacturing (Mfg), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has BE (Topper, Mech Eng, IIEST Shibpur), ME (Topper, Mech Des, IISc), PhD (Eng Des, U of Cambridge UK). He led for 10 years Des Synthesis at EPSRC CoE Eng Des Centre (EDC), U of Cambridge. His Research (Res) Interests: synthesis, creativity, sustainability, informatics, Industry 4.0. He published 39 books, 370+ peer-reviewed articles, 13 patents. He co-authored DRM, used widely as a framework for des res. He held Assoc Ed, AI EDAM & Des Science (Sc) J (CUP), Area Ed, Res in Eng Des, Regional Ed, J Re-Mfg (Springer), and Advisory (Adv) Ed for 9 Journals incl Clean Tech & Env Policy, Materials Circ Econ (Springer), J Eng Des and Int J Des Creativity & Innov (T&F). He was on Adv Board & Board of Mgmt, Des Society (Soc) UK; member, CII National Committee on Des & CII Smart Mfg Council India; Jury, India Des Mark. He founded IDeASLab – India’s first Des Observatory. He is founding chair, Intl Conf Series on Res into Des (ICoRD), Chair, 22nd CIRP Des Conf 2012, 3rd Intl Conf on Des Creativity 2015; Vice-Chair, AI in Des & Des Computing & Cognition Conf. He is an Hon Fellow (HonFIED), Institution of Eng Designers, peer soc under UK Royal Charter in eng des; Fellow, Des Soc (FDS), UK; TUM Ambassador, TUM Germany; Fellow, Des Res Soc, UK (FDRS). 27 of his papers won top paper awards in intl conf. He co-initiated India’s first indigenous Smart Factory, heads IISc-TCS Innov Lab, IISc Press, Springer Intl Book Series Des Sc & Innov, chaired Smart Mfg Sub-committee, Bureau of Indian Stds. He received Careers360 2018 Faculty Award ‘Most Outstanding Researcher’ in Decision Sc, and is among global top 2% researchers in ‘Des Practice & Management’. He is Editor-in-Chief AI EDAM, CUP. He was/won a J Nehru Doctoral Fellow, U of Cambridge UK 1987, ORS Award, Committee of Vice-Chancellors UK 1987, Lundgren Award, U of Cambridge 1991, UK MG MIAA Commendation Award 1994, Heiwa-Nakajima Visiting Fellow Japan 2007, UK Royal Soc Visiting Fellow 2010, Cambridge Commonwealth Reciprocal Visiting Fellow 2014, ASEM-DUO Visiting Fellow Italy 2020, Jubilee Professor, Chalmers U Sweden 2025.  He received IISc Alumni Award for Excellence in Res in Eng 2022, and 2025 ASME Ruth & Joel Spira Outstanding Des Educator Award. He is founding president: DeScIn – India’s Acad of Des Sc. In 2025, he was elected Hon Fellow, Condition Monitoring Soc &  Fellow, Indian National Acad of Eng (FNAE), India. Brunel U London gave him Hon Doctorate in Eng in 2026.

Apurwa Masook is the Founder and CEO of SpaceFields, a deep-tech company focused on propulsion, energetics and advanced aerospace technologies. He leads the company’s overall strategy and business development and has built his entrepreneurial journey around indigenous space and defence capabilities. He co-founded India’s first student rocketry team, VSLV, which developed and launched seven sounding-rocket missions, and has worked across organisations including ISRO and Team Indus. His journey offers students a powerful example of moving from student-led engineering and experimentation to a deep-tech venture addressing strategic technology needs.

Dr. Pavan Belehalli is an orthopaedic and diabetic-foot surgeon and the founder of StrideAIde, a medtech venture emerging from collaboration between IISc and the Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology and Research (KIER). His work with Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh and the IISc team helped translate research on compliant mechanisms into self-offloading therapeutic footwear and, subsequently, digital podiatry solutions for diabetic-foot care. He brings a clinician-innovator perspective on identifying real clinical needs, collaborating across disciplines and taking research toward patient-focused products.

Dr. Dhavala Suri is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), Indian Institute of Science. She leads the Quantum Materials and Interfaces Lab, with research focused on synthesising epitaxial thin films of semiconductors and superconductors and engineering interfaces in superconducting, ferromagnetic and topological materials. Her work spans quantum materials, superconducting devices and emerging electronic technologies, bringing together fundamental materials research and opportunities for next-generation applications.

Dr. Satyam Suwas is a Professor of Materials Engineering and the Dean of the Division of Mechanical Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru. His research focuses on the microstructural characterization and thermo-mechanical processing of advanced structural materials like titanium, aluminum, and magnesium alloys.

Krishna Mani currently serves as Senior Director, Technology Transformation, in Honeywell Technologies and Connected Solutions Limited. In this role, he drives transformation initiatives that support organic growth through New Product Introductions, Process excellence and governance and digitization. Previously, he served as Director of the Sustainability Centre of Excellence and Site Leader at Honeywell Technology Solutions, Madurai, where he built and scaled Honeywell’s Global Sustainability Center of Excellence. In that role, he led sustainability engineering, strategy, governance, and enterprise adoption across offerings and functions. Krishna brings more than 23 years of experience, including 18 years with Honeywell. His Honeywell tenure includes 14 years stint  at HTS-Honeywell India Technology Centre (HITC), Gurugram, where he led research and development in refining, renewables, and gas processing technologies. Krishna began his career with Indian Oil Corporation as a production engineer focused on hydroprocessing technologies. He is an inventor with 16 granted patents and two trade secrets, and he received the Honeywell Technology Leadership Award in 2025.

Satish Amrutrao Patil earned his Ph.D. in 2004 from the University of Wuppertal (Bergische Universität Wuppertal), Germany. Following his doctoral studies, he conducted postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Prof. Fred Wudl at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) Fellow. In 2006, Dr. Patil joined the faculty of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, as an Assistant Professor in the Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit (SSCU), where he later served as Chair from 2021 to 2025, leading the unit’s academic and strategic initiatives.

His research program lies at the interface of chemistry, materials physics, and device engineering, focusing on molecular electronics and functional materials. Specific areas of investigation include organic photovoltaics, perovskite solar cells, organic mixed ionic–electronic conductors (OMIECs), singlet fission, and redox flow batteries. His group designs and synthesizes multifunctional conjugated polymers and oligomers with targeted optoelectronic properties to elucidate fundamental structure–property relationships. Dr. Patil is an elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences (FASc) and a recipient of the prestigious SwarnaJayanti Fellowship, among other notable academic honors.

With over 15 years of industry experience, Veena P. has spent her career at the sharp end of power systems engineering—specifically in the realm of renewable energy design and grid integration. Throughout her tenure, she has been instrumental in solving the ‘trilemma’ of modern power systems: maintaining grid stability and complex dynamics while accelerating the deployment of renewables.

Several of Veena’s 30+ patent applications are focussed on progressing the future of grid technology. Currently serving as a Technology Manager for Electrical Systems at the Advanced Research Centre of GE Vernova, she is focused on delivering the breakthrough solutions necessary to manage our rapidly evolving grid ecosystem. This is particularly vital today as we face the dual challenge of integrating massive renewable capacity alongside the surging, high-demand interconnections required by hyperscale data centers.

At GE Vernova, the future of energy isn’t just about building more capacity, it’s about intelligent integration, stability, and reliability. Veena’s work embodies this mission, and has the potential to bridge the gap between academic research and practical, industrial-scale application.

Narayanan Subramaniam is a technology transformation executive and deep-tech leader with over 30 years of experience building and scaling complex cyber-physical systems across mobility, energy, industrial AI, telecommunications, and digital infrastructure. He has held senior technology leadership roles at Dell, Cisco, Nutanix, Infinera, Eugenie.ai, and SUN Mobility, where he architected and helped scale India’s largest battery-swapping mobility and energy platform. As Founder & CTO of VaNaShRi Technology Consulting, he works with companies on technology strategy, deep-tech commercialization, and creating coherence across complex technology ecosystems while scaling innovations from prototype to production

Dr. Ezhil Subbian serves as the CEO of String. As one of the world leaders in gas fermentation, String’s proprietary platform enables biomanufacturing of sustainable ingredients from greenhouse gases, for sectors fundamental to living including, food, agriculture and environment. String’s vision is to redefine manufacturing and make sustainability market relevant.

Prior to String, Ezhil played key roles in biobased product innovation at different early-stage companies in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. Building on her experience over the last 20 years in biobased product commercialization and market growth, Ezhil’s drive is to leverage the technology prowess of the west and the manufacturing capabilities of the east to develop sustainable innovations that can have global impact. Ezhil co-chairs the Global Future Council on Generative Biology for the World Economic Forum.

She also serves as Secretary for ABLE-India and on the CII-National Biotechnology Committee. Ezhil’s work was recognized with the Women Transforming India Award 2018 from United Nations & NITI Aayog.

Arjun Rao is a tech entrepreneur turned venture investor. With over 15 years of experience building engineering first teams and scaling startups, Arjun brings a rare blend of product, technology, and growth expertise to Speciale Invest.

He co founded Travelyaari, where he scaled the company to $40M in revenues and raised $12M across seed to Series B, while leading product, technology, and fundraising. Before that, he held product roles at Yahoo! and GoIbibo and also founded an edtech startup, giving him firsthand experience of the founder’s journey from zero to scale.

Today, as General Partner at Speciale Invest, Arjun backs pioneering deeptech ventures in AI led Software, space, semiconductors, robotics, and climate tech, helping shape India’s next wave of IP led innovation. His background in strategy, fundraising, and product execution enables him to partner with founders not just as an investor, but as a builder who understands the trenches of entrepreneurship.

Arjun holds a B.E. from NIT Surathkal and an MBA from ISB

Dr. S. Senthil Kumar serves as Strategic IP Counsel for the Hitachi Energy Research and Semiconductor Business Unit at Hitachi Energy. His work focuses on intellectual property strategy, portfolio development, and business value creation. In this role, he works closely with researchers and technology teams across the globe to identify, protect, and maximize the impact of high-value innovations. His professional experience spans more than 25 years across research, technology development, program management, and intellectual property, including roles at GE Healthcare and ABB prior to joining Hitachi Energy. Dr. Kumar holds both a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, and is passionate about advancing technologies that create positive societal impact.

Dr Shankar Venugopal is a Vice President at Mahindra & Mahindra. He leads the technology innovation and intellectual property portfolio for Mahindra’s automotive and farm business. He is the Dean of the Mahindra Technical Academy.

Shankar has lead technology innovation at GE, Dow, Honeywell and Cummins prior to joining Mahindra. He holds a Ph.D in Materials Science from IISc and a management degree from IIM Bangalore. He is a prolific inventor with forty International and Indian granted patents. He won IISc’s K.P. Abraham Best Thesis Medal, GE’s Edison Inventor Medal and the Prolific Inventor Award from World Intellectual Property Forum. He was a member of the B20 Task Force for driving technology, innovation and R&D for business growth

Sunil Cavale is an Investment Principal at Speciale Invest, where he focuses on deeptech and climate tech ventures at the intersection of design, biology, and engineering. His journey blends the analytical rigor of a mechanical engineer with the empathy and perspective of a literature scholar, giving him a rare ability to break down complex problems while staying grounded and human centered.

Sunil began his career at Toyota Kirloskar Motor in procurement and supply chain before moving into the startup world with RayIoT Solutions, where he helped scale AI IoT enabled hardware products in medtech. This mix of global manufacturing discipline and early stage startup execution now informs his work with founders building transformative technologies.

At Speciale, Sunil brings a hands on approach to investing, combining engineering depth, operational experience, and product sensibility to partner with entrepreneurs tackling frontier challenges. He is strongly drawn to innovations that mimic nature’s efficiency and advance a future where humans and technology coexist sustainably.

Sunil holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from BMS College of Engineering and an M.A. in English Literature from IGNOU, reflecting his dual passion for science and the humanities. Outside of work, he enjoys strong filter coffee, cinema, and exploring Indian music, philosophy, and the science behind everyday systems.

Manjunath Jyothinagara is the Managing Director of KASTECH Semiconductor Equipment, with over 16 years of experience in engineering, business leadership and industrial solutions. His expertise spans clean rooms, engineering facilities, and safety and automation solutions for CORT (Corrosive, Oxidizing, Reactive & Toxic) gases and chemicals.

He holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy, and brings valuable industry experience in translating engineering capabilities into practical, customer-focused solutions.

Vijay Chandru is a distinguished academic-entrepreneur who has pioneered deep technology entrepreneurship in India for the last 25 years. His academic journey in the decision sciences (now loosely referred to as AI), anchored by a Ph.D. in Operations Research from MIT, spans the computational mathematics of optimization, geometry, logic, and biology.

As an infotech entrepreneur, Vijay co-founded PicoPeta Simputers (handheld computing) in 2001 and Yantri Labs Inc. (in algorithmic trading) in 2018. In life sciences, he co-founded Strand Life Sciences in 2000 as a pioneering genomics-based, precision medicine solutions company, and CRISPRBITS, a CRISPR platform company for driving novel synthetic biology solutions in India.

He is on the faculty of NCBS and CBR (IISc) in Bangalore and the HSPH (Harvard) in Boston. A tenured technology professor at Purdue University and the Indian Institute of Science, the American Association for the Advancement of Science on its 150th anniversary in 2024, named Chandru as the 15th Indian scientist elected as a fellow for his global impact in theoretical computer science, computational biology and technology for social good.

Vijay was named a Technology Pioneer of the World Economic Forum in 2006. He personally drives the social impact mission “No Disease Orphan by 2030.” As a commissioner of the recent Lancet commission on citizen-centred health systems for India (2020-2025), Vijay co-chaired the technology workstream.

Vijay is driven by the vision that the 21st century is about convergence of human-engineered intelligence and reengineered biology and that our mission is to rewrite biology, redefine health and reimagine the planet with India taking its rightful place. with sovereign technology, in the comity of nations.

Prof. Nagasuma Chandra N is a molecular systems biologist and bioinformatician whose work integrates computational modelling and data-driven approaches to investigate the complex biological processes that shape human health and disease.  She received her PhD from the University of Bristol, UK. She is currently a Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science and additionally affiliated with Bioengineering and Mathematical biology initiatives at the Institute. She has over 175 publications in international journals and several patents, and has experience in industry partnerships and engagement.  She is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences and the Indian National Science Academy.  She has co-founded a precision medicine company, Healseq incubated at IISc.

Dr. Jayashree has over 30 years of experience as a molecular pharmacologist and has led drug discovery programs in global organizations in the US like AstraZeneca, Merck, Ambrx and Theravance and Jubilant Biosys in India. Jayashree has more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters to her credit and two issued patents. Jayashree joined Syngene in 2016 to lead the Discovery Biology function which has grown significantly under her leadership. In her role as Chief Scientific Officer, Jayashree plays a pivotal role in driving our scientific strategy and innovation in R&D, as well as strengthen academic and industry collaborations, ensuring that Syngene continues to lead with cutting-edge solutions for our clients. Jayashree holds a PhD in Immunology from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and post-doctoral research at the California Institute of Technology and the University of California at Irvine.

Dinesh Krishnan is a Portfolio Director at Cytiva and an accomplished biotechnology professional with more than 25 years of experience across research, bioprocessing, technology commercialization, and business leadership. He has held senior leadership roles at Cytiva and GE Healthcare, where he has contributed to the adoption of advanced bioprocessing technologies, chromatography solutions, and biosimilar manufacturing platforms. His professional experience includes the development of strategic partnerships with academic institutions, research organizations, and the biopharmaceutical industry. Earlier in his career, he played an important role in the commercialization of recombinant streptokinase technology in India. He remains committed to fostering innovation through purposeful industry-academia collaboration and to strengthening biomanufacturing capabilities that support broader access to life-saving therapies.

Building the next-generation CRO at the intersection of science, software, and AI

With 16+ years of experience across clinical trials, regulatory strategy, and research operations, I lead a new model of CRO—one that blends deep scientific rigor with technology, automation,and emerging AI capabilities, while staying firmly grounded in patient-centric research execution. I founded and scaled TrialGuna and its associated ventures, along with TrialGuna Research Solutions, Tissue Zen, to address a critical gap in the industry: translating innovation into validated, compliant, and scalable clinical evidence—faster and more intelligently.

Building the next-generation CRO at the intersection of science, software, and AI

Sridhar Ramanathan is Senior Vice President at IKP Knowledge Park and CEO of IKP EDEN, where he advances innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry partnerships in life sciences and health technology. With leadership experience spanning diagnostics, medical devices, digital health, product development, quality, and regulatory strategy, he has held senior roles at HealthCubed, Beckman Coulter, ReaMetrix, Jana Care, and Niramai. He holds a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Kentucky.

MS, FRCS (Glasgow) FACS (USA) and Fellow of Royal Society of Medicine.

He is currently the Country Director – Head Neck Surgical Oncology & Robotic Surgery at HCG Cancer centre Bengaluru. He is also the Dean – Centre of Academics & Research for HCG Group .  He has more than 100 national and international publication to his credit and he is receipt of various awards from State as international bodies such as Kempegowda award by Govt and Judy Wilenfied award for Global Tobacco control by WHO Partners.   He is a Member of High-Power Committee on Tobacco Control – Govt of Karnataka  and Member – Consultative Group to Principal Scientific Advisor to PM – Govt of India

Dr. Uma Nambiar is an International Healthcare consultant with considerable understanding of the Indian, African and Sri Lankan Healthcare systems. A trained neurosurgeon and a well experienced hospital administrator, she specialises in strategic planning and implementation, review & design of healthcare policies, plan/ design and commissioning of new hospitals, process standardisation & quality in healthcare system as well as use of information technology in Healthcare.

A passionate believer in Digital Health systems being an enabler of accessible, ethical and affordable Healthcare; she is actively engaged in projects related to Digital Transformation at all levels in the Healthcare ecosystem including capacity building and implementation.

A winner of numerous awards, actively involved in promotion of Digital Health, having chartered an unconventional path for herself in the healthcare domain, she is also an avid traveller, painter and a keen photographer.

She has also mentored many students who are successful leaders in Healthcare Industry today.

Prof. Kaushik Chatterjee is a Professor in the Departments of Materials Engineering and Bioengineering at IISc and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Bioengineering. His research focuses on biomaterials, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and 3D bioprinting, with the goal of developing next-generation healthcare technologies. A Ph.D. graduate from Penn State with postdoctoral training at NIST and NIH, he is a recipient of the DST Ramanujan Fellowship and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Join him to explore how cutting-edge research can be translated into impactful healthcare innovations.

Prof. Narendra M. Dixit is a Professor in the Professor in the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at IISc, where his research combines mathematical modelling, systems biology, and biotechnology to tackle complex challenges such as HIV, COVID-19, tuberculosis, and engineering microbial communities for healthcare applications. A Senior Fellow of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, an elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, and recipient of the IISc Alumni Award for Excellence in Research in Engineering (2024), his work demonstrates how quantitative science can drive impactful innovations. Join this session to discover how mathematics, biology, and engineering come together to solve real-world problems and create technologies that influence healthcare, industry, and society.

Dr. Dhananjaya Dendukuri is the CEO and Co-founder of Achira Labs, a deep-tech startup developing affordable, microfluidics-based diagnostic technologies for healthcare. A Ph.D. from MIT, he has led the journey from research and product development to fundraising, manufacturing, and commercialization. Recognized with the MIT TR35 Award (India) and as a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, he exemplifies successful research translation. Join this session to learn how cutting-edge science can be transformed into scalable products that deliver real-world impact.

Dr. J. Fathima Benazir is the Co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Azooka Life Sciences—an IISc postdoctoral researcher turned entrepreneur who now leads the company’s R&D and innovation strategy. She invented the patented eco-friendly laboratory dye ‘Tinto Rang’ and developed Azooka’s Molecular Transport Medium series, which played a vital role in infectious disease sample collection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work has been recognized with the Technology Development Board Award (2022), NASSCOM Emerge 50- Top 10 (League of 10), the National Startup Awards 2020 for Women-Led Enterprise, and the Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Golden Jubilee Biotech Park, 2024). Join this session to hear how perseverance, scientific excellence, and entrepreneurial vision can transform research into products that create meaningful real-world impact.

Utpal Tatu is a Professor at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. His research focuses on Global health-One health and Sustainability with a particular focus on an interface between human, animals and the environment. He has over 100 publications and his research is covered in the editorials of scientific magazines such as Science and Nature Medicine. He is one of the early proponents of One health approach and was invited to give a TED talk on One Health in 2013. He represents South Asia at One Sustainable Health (OSH) foundation out of Institute Pasteur, Paris with an office in Lyon, France. He also serves on the advisory board of One Health Initiatives internationally, including University of Zurich, Switzerland as well as Institute of Advanced Studies in Lexembourg.

Prof Tatu has founded a social entrepreneurial initiative out of Indian Institute of Science called Equine Biotech that focuses on human, animal and environment interactions in the spread of infections and antimicrobial resistance through One Health approach. During the ongoing pandemic, Prof Tatu was one of the first from academia to develop a RTPCR kit for Covid19 that was approved by ICMR. Prof Tatu helped GOI and the state government in managing the pandemic through his decades of experience in fighting infectious diseases.

Industry partnerships and support:

Prof Tatu’s research extensively utilizes tools of Genomics and mass spectrometry-based Proteomics and Metabolomics.  Prof Tatu is well known for his contributions in using mass spectrometry for biotherapeutic protein characterization for industry. He has served as a member of the United States Pharmacopoeia Expert panel for Biologics. As a part of USP panel he has conducted series of workshops on mass spectrometry-based characterization of biotherapeutics for biosimilar industry in India. Prof Tatu advises Government of Karnataka on investments in Biotech based startups and also serves on the advisory board of national and international biotech companies.

Vivek Mishra is the Founder, Director and CEO of Fibroheal Woundcare, a Bengaluru startup he co-founded in 2017 that harnesses silk proteins and other biomaterials to solve real problems in wound management, tissue repair and regeneration. Under his leadership, Fibroheal built an ISO 13485-compliant, CDSCO-licensed facility and is scaling toward becoming a leading player in the MedTech space. Driven by ideas with the potential to impact a billion people, Vivek is always keen to speak and hear from students and early founders building in healthcare — if you have a unique idea, don’t know where to start, or are stuck after a few years, then do come and hear him in the IPL 2026 workshop.