Each year, Scientific India goes through a year selection process to identify the most inspired scientists and researchers whose ideas will transform the future. Here are 2020's best and brightest.
1. Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy
Dr G Satheesh Reddy, as Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Secretary in Department of Defence Research & Development (DDR&D). He leads DRDO to achieve remarkable goals in year 2020. DRDO has achieved remarkable goals In the middle of a border conflict with China.
2. Dr. K. Sivan
Dr. Kailasavadivoo Sivan is an Indian space scientist and the chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organization. He is the former Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center and Liquid Propulsion centre. He also led the RLV-TD project and was involved in its design qualification, aerodynamic characterisation and hardware development.
3. Adar Poonawalla
Adar Poonawalla, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Serum Institute of India. Founded in 1966 by his father Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla, it is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by the number of doses produced, as of 2017. Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
4. Dr. Krishna Ella
Dr. Krishna Ella is the Chairman & Managing Director of Bharat Biotech International Limited, which he incorporated in 1996. COVAXINTM, India's indigenous COVID-19 vaccine by Bharat Biotech is developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Institute of Virology (NIV). The indigenous, inactivated vaccine is developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech's BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) high containment facility.
5. Dr. Gangakhedkar
Dr Raman R. Gangakhedkar, head of epidemiology and infectious diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, who was one of the senior epidemiologists at the forefront of not just India’s fight against Covid-19 but also other recent outbreaks such as Nipah, Zika, Japanese Encephalitis and the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome.
6. Dr VG Somani
Dr. Venugopal G Somani is the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) since July 2019. Dr. Somani has been actively involved in the National and International forum for policy making, training, selections, providing expert opinion for better regulatory processes. Dr. Venugopal G Somani approved two vaccines for coronavirus, Oxford Institute's Covishield, which is being developed by the Pune-based Serum Institute, and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for emergency use.
7. Dr Randeep Guleria
Randeep Guleria is an Indian pulmonologist and the Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, credited with the establishment of India's first centre for pulmonary medicines and sleep disorders at AIIMS. At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), phase 1 trial of the vaccine named Covaxin will be carried out on people in the age bracket of 18-55 years without any comorbidities that may put their life at risk against coronavirus infection.
8. Prof. Balram Bhargava
Professor Balram Bhargava, Secretary, Department of Health Research, (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare), Government of India and Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) joined on 16th April, 2018. Prof. Bhargava is Professor of Cardiology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.
9. Dr Debojyoti Chakraborty
Dr Debojyoti Chakraborty heads a RNA Biology group at CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology. His lab works on three broad research areas. The first of these is the development of efficient and specific tools for therapeutic genome editing, particularly for sickle cell anaemia. He is a part of team who developed India's CRISPR 'Feluda' Covid-19 test
10. Prof. & Dr. Imran Ali
Professor of Chemistry - Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia University. University of Stanford, USA adjudged Jamia’s Prof. Imran Ali as number one scientist of Analytical Chemistry in India. According to web of science he is highest cited researcher in 2020.
Note: We have calculated the score on the basis of their research news hits and TV, radio appearances in the past 12 months, plus social media. Finally we scored our candidates on their impact.