Koita Centre for Digital Diabetology (RSSDI-KCDD)

• 

• Dr. Anand Deshpande

  Chairperson, Persistent Systems

Founder and Executive Chairman: Founded Persistent Systems in 1990, leading the company to become a global leader in software product engineering and services.

He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Patna and Chairman of VJTI, and is actively involved in various industry and educational initiatives.

Philanthropy and Mentorship: Deshpande is known for his involvement in mentoring startups and contributing to philanthropic causes, particularly in the education sector.

Educational Background: Holds a Bachelor's degree in Technology (B.Tech) in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Kharagpur. He earned a Master's degree (MS) and a PhD in Computer Science from Indiana University Bloomington.

• 

• Prof. Anurag Agarwal

  Dean, Biosciences and Health & Head-KCDH, Ashoka University

Current Role: Dean, Trivedi School of Biosciences and Head-Koita Centre for Digital Health at Ashoka University. In his current role at Ashoka University, he is fostering interdisciplinary research, mentoring students, developing advanced biosciences and Digital health programs.

Former Director IGIB: He previously served as the Director of the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), where he made significant contributions to genomics and biomedical research. His research focused on respiratory diseases, integrative biology, and emerging technologies impacting public health and policy.

Educational Background: Completed his MBBS from AIIMS, New Delhi; medicine residency and pulmonary-critical care fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas; and PhD in Physiology from Delhi University.

• 

• Ms. Meena Ganesh

  Chairperson, Portea Medical

Co-Founder and Chairperson: Co-founded Portea Medical, a leading home healthcare company in India, providing medical care in the comfort of patients' homes. She is currently the Chairperson of Portea Medical, steering the company's growth and expansion across India

Entrepreneurial Leadership: Meena’s career spans across organizations such as TutorVista, Pearson Education Services, Tesco Hindustan Service Centre, CustomerAsset, Microsoft India, PWC and NIIT. She is the founder president of Home Healthcare Association and has also been part of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta. Through her non-profit Bahaar Foundation, Meena focuses on creating micro entrepreneurs in Healthcare and Agriculture sectors.

Educational Background: holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta) and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Madras.

• 

• Prof Pramod Wangikar

  Institute Chair Professor IIT Bombay

Current Role: Chair Professor of Green Chemistry and Industrial Biotechnology at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He is a renowned faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Research and Academic Leadership: Leads various research projects and contributes significantly to the scientific community.

Authored numerous research papers in top-tier international journals, covering topics such as metabolic pathway optimization, biofuel production, and enzyme engineering. He holds several patents related to bioprocessing techniques, innovative biocatalysts, and sustainable biofuel production methods.

Educational Background: Holds a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and a B.Tech from ICT Mumbai.

• 

• Dr. Rakesh Sahay

  President, RSSDI

Current Role: Dr. Rakesh is a renowned endocrinologist with extensive experience in diabetes and metabolic disorders. Currently serving as the President of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI).

He is a Professor and Head of the Department of Endocrinology at Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad.

Research Contribution: Published numerous research papers in national and international journals, focusing on diabetes management, endocrine disorders, and metabolic health.

Educational Background: Completed his MBBS and Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. Earned a Doctorate of Medicine (DM) in Endocrinology from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

• 

• Mr. Rizwan Koita

  Director, Koita Foundation

Founder and Director: Rizwan is co-founder & Director of Koita Foundation. He is a Chairperson of the National Accreditation Board of Healthcare Providers and Hospitals(NABH) He was the co-founder of CitiusTech and ran the company as CEO from 2005 to 2021.

Leadership in Healthcare: Under his leadership, CitiusTech became a global leader in healthcare technology and India’s first Unicorn in this space. He is actively involved in various social causes, focusing on improving healthcare access and quality through the Koita Foundation.

Educational Background: Graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and holds a Master of Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

• 

• Ms. Sunita Nadhamuni

  Chairperson, Arghyam

Current Role: Chairperson of Arghyam, a leading charitable foundation dedicated to promoting sustainable water and sanitation solutions.

She led Dell’s Social Innovation initiatives globally, leveraging technology to address complex societal issues at scale through partnerships.

Healthcare Expert: She did extensive work in the use of technology to strengthen the healthcare systems. She played a crucial role in powering the Government of India’s NCD program for preventive screening and management of diabetes, hypertension, and cancers.

Educational Background: Holds a Master's in Computer Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), New York.

• 

• Mr. Sudarshan Jain

  Secretary General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance

Current Role: Secretary General of Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), a leading the association representing research-based pharmaceutical companies in India.

Leadership in Pharmaceuticals: He has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having held senior leadership roles in various renowned pharmaceutical companies. He played a key role in driving policy advocacy, industry collaboration, and innovation within the Indian pharmaceutical sector.

Educational Background: B.Sc (Hons) in Physics from St Stephens and PGDM from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad.

• 

• Dr. Sanjay Agarwal

  Secretary General, RSSDI

Current Role: Secretary General of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI). He serves as Director, Dept. of Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolic Diseases, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune and Head, Dept. of Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolic Diseases, Sahyadri Hospitals. He is on the Global Editorial Board of BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care journal and is Associate Editor of International Journal of Diabetes for Developing Countries. He is Chairman of International Diabetes Experts Consortium (IDEC). He has been in clinical practice with a focus on Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolic Diseases for last 37 years. He is Chief Editor of RSSDI’s Insulin Monograph. He is Author of book “ Clinical Atlas in Diabetes”.

Research Contribution: Dr. Sanjay led various research initiatives in diabetes care and published numerous research papers in national and international journals, focusing on diabetes care, management, and endocrine health.

He has been part of many Global Clinical Trials and has conducted several Investigator trials.

Educational Background: Graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree, Completed a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in Internal Medicine. He is a Fellow of American College of Endocrinology (FACE) and Fellow of American College of Physicians (FACP).

• 

• Dr Vijay Viswanathan

  Incoming President, RSSDI

Current Role: Set to take on the role of President of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI). He is a renowned specialist in the field of diabetes with over 32 years of practice experience.

He Leads the M.V. Hospital for Diabetes and the Diabetes Research Centre in Chennai. 

Leadership in Diabetes Care: He led various research projects and published over 250 research papers in esteemed national and international journals focusing on diabetic foot, diabetic nephropathy, and TB.

Educational Background: Completed his MBBS, MD in General Medicine, and PhD in Diabetes Nephropathy