Adjunct Faculty

Dr Shekhar Seshadri is a child psychiatrist with over 40 years of experience in the field of child and adolescent mental health. As Former Senior Professor in the Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, his work has extended beyond the clinical population to children and child care institutions/ service providers across the country as well as the South Asia region. Some of his special areas of interest are childhood trauma, gender and sexuality issues and life skills education. He has been part of policy and legal deliberations in these areas. Also, an artist and musician, he uses a number of creative methodologies in child mental health interventions including theatre and developmental approaches. In May 2025, he completed a four-year advisory position in India’s largest public child mental health initiative SAMVAD (Support, Advocacy & Mental health interventions for children in Vulnerable circumstances And Distress - A National Initiative & Integrated Resource for Child Protection, Mental Health, & Psychosocial Care), supported by the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. Dr.Shekhar is based in Bangalore, India and currently works as Adjunct Professor in the School of Social Sciences, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS). In NIAS he is also Advisor to PRATICRIA, Protection, Response, Advocacy & Transformational Interventions for Children Residing in Adversity - An Initiative for Child Rights, Protection and Mental Health

Dr Sheila Ramaswamy currently serves as Adjunct Faculty, Chief Scientist, & Head, PRATICRIA Initiative for Child Rights, Protection & Mental Health at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore.

With a background in Medical and Psychiatric Social Work and Public Health, from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, respectively, Sheila spent several years working in emergency and humanitarian contexts in Asia, Africa and the Middle East on a range of public health issues. She subsequently conceptualized and led a unique a country-wide Initiative for child protection and mental health, SAMVAD, at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, under the aegis of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.

She has continued this work since, with her academic and field work focussed on enhancing the interface between vulnerable and at-risk children and the various systems that serve them. In light of this, Sheila’s doctoral research at the Athena Institute of Transdisciplinary Sciences, Vrije University, Netherlands, and her subsequent research and intervention-related work adopts integrated approaches to resolving complex problems in the context of the child protection and mental health, particularly those lying at the intersectionalities of child mental health, law and justice. With wide-ranging interests such as childhood trauma, abuse, adoption, conflict-affected children, and children in conflict with law, Sheila has developed several innovative, rights-based methodologies for supporting and empowering children in adversity, such as protocols for mandatory reporting in child sexual abuse, interventions for supporting child witnesses in the courtroom, assessments for juvenile transfer, and interventions for reconciliation-Informed mental healthcare for conflict-affected children.

A large component of her work involves development and implementation of training and teaching programs using participatory and creative methodologies for engagement with childcare service providers within schools, health facilities and childcare institutions, as well as members of the judiciary.

Dr. Suryesh Kumar Namdeo leads the Bio-Responsibility Initiative at the Indian Institute of Science. He is a member of the Indian National Young Academy of Science (INYAS) and a former Fellow at the Asia Centre for Health Security (ACHS), Singapore. Dr. Namdeo serves on the advisory board of the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS) and contributes to the AIxBio Global Forum — reflecting his deep engagement with emerging biosecurity risks. 

His expertise has been sought by leading global institutions, including the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), where he has contributed to multiple expert committees on biosecurity. He previously served as Science and Technology Consultant for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, where his responsibilities involved acting as a bridge between scientists and policymakers. For his contributions in biosecurity, he was a finalist for the PACEY Award 2026, by the Basel Peace Office in Switzerland.

An IFBA certified Biorisk Management Professional, he has also championed the science policy community as a former Director for Outreach and Engagement at the Journal of Science Policy and Governance (JSPG). He earlier served as programme officer for the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Fellowship Programme of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany. 

Nandita Chaturvedi is a theoretical physicist working at the interface of statistical physics, ecology and evolutionary biology. She completed her PhD in soft condensed matter physics at the University of Pennsylvania and subsequently carried out postdoctoral research at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, in mathematical ecology and evolution. Her research uses analytical and computational approaches to study adaptation in changing environments, non-genetic adaptation and cellular learning, and the structure of genotype- and environment-to-phenotype maps. More broadly, she is interested in using tools from statistical physics, dynamical systems and machine-learning theory to understand how biological systems adapt to heterogeneity and evolve across scales.

Prof. Rajasab brings four decades of experience in teaching, research, and higher education administration, including 19 years as a Full Professor. He currently serves as Chairman of the Karnataka Science and Technology Academy (KSTA), Bengaluru. He served as Vice Chancellor of Tumkur University, Registrar and Pro Vice Chancellor at Khaja Bandanawaz University, and Registrar (Evaluation) at Gulbarga University alongside visiting professorships in USA and China, and faculty positions in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. He specializes in Botany, Plant Pathology, Biosynthesis of Nano-materials, Aerobiology, Biodiversity Conservation and Documentation and Scientific validation of traditional knowledge on medicinal plants and wild edible plants.

Supervised twenty Ph.D. Scholars, authored 91 research papers, good orator in Kannada, published seven books (one in English), written several popular science articles in Kannada. He is recipient of CRS Lifetime Achievement Award (2026) Lifetime Achievement Award (2025) and Lifetime Achievement Award (2024) from the Indian Aerobiological Society, Higher Education Leadership Award,  Paryavaran Mitra Award, K.C. Mehta & Manoranjan Mitra Award, and P. H. Gregory Young Scientist Award besides holding Fellowships of KSTA, IPS, ISMPP, and IAS. He has chaired committees on NAAC, RUSA, UGC, and NEP-2020, and served as Chairman of search committees for selection of Vice Chancellors of some universities in Karnataka.

Born on 3 April 1955 in Navillehal village, Shimoga district in a farming family, Prof. Rajasab holds Ph.D. (1981), M.Sc. (1976), and B.Sc. (1974) from the University of Mysore.

Prof. Balasubramanian Ananthanarayan (BA) of the Centre for High Energy Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore is a student of the 1980-85 batch in Chemical Engineering (roll no. 20007).  He is highly accomplished researcher, teacher, educator working in the field of elementary particle physics and field theory, after obtaining his MS and PH. D. from the University of Delaware, USA.  He is also well known for his commitment to the betterment of the cause of science and for his engagement with many issues, including, e.g., his long service on the Board of the Kum.L. A. Meera Memorial Trust (established in memory of Ms. L. A. Meera, IITM alumna).  BA is well-known for a large number of original and important contributions in his field, including his landmark prediction of the top-quark mass in 1991 as part of his Ph. D. work, his work as a post-doctoral fellow on collider physics and in dispersion relation theory.  As a faculty member at IISc, he established several fields in the quantum field theory and particle physics, which are too numerous to list. His impressive list of publications speaks for itself as does his citation record.  As a teacher he has excelled during his nearly 29 years of service and has graduated 12 students with their Ph. D.s which is the present record at the Centre for High Energy Physics.  BA was also instrumental during his nearly 10 years as the Chair of CHEP in turning the Centre into the most sought-after destination for a career in the field, thereby offering rare leadership in addition to his scholarship, teaching and research. BA has also carried out tremendous service to the world of physics and particularly in India through his editorial work with Springer.

Dr. Jay B. Desai is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Development and Peace (INEF) in the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany). He has obtained PhD in International Relations (IR) from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain) with an outstanding ‘Cum Laude’ grade. On February 05, 2026, he delivered the prestigious Rhineland Lecture on Sovereign Equality of States in International Law: Increasing Multipolarity in a Changing World Order at the University of Bonn (Germany). Dr. Desai earlier worked on Missiles in International Security at the Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies, Indian Air Force (Western Command) of the Indian Ministry of Defense (New Delhi). He has extensively published research articles, book reviews and opinion articles in the field of International Relations. His areas of research interests include theories in International Relations; International Peace Treaties; future of the UN-led World Order; Geopolitical Dynamics of India-China Relations; Missiles in International Security; ‘No First Use Doctrine’ and Nuclear Weapons; Strategic and Security Issues.

MEng-RIT Rochester in Microelectronics, PhD-King's College London-Defence Studies. 30 years in Mixed Signal Analog and HV GaN. Ventured to US in 1989 on a full academic scholarship for undergraduate at top college-The University of the South, MEng at RIT on SRC Fellowship. Work experience at Applied Materials-Plasma Etch, Cypress Semiconductors (now Infineon)-90 and 65 nm 193 DUV Gate module for SRAMs  R&D Pilot Line Maxim Integrated (now Analog Devices)-Plasma/Photo Sec Mgr Mixed Signal/Analog Production Fab. Transphorm (now Renesas) pilot line HV GaN on Si transfer to mass production in Japan and EU-Sr Director Foundry. Currently with Power Integrations-  Sr Staff Foundry Engineering ensuring high yielding and reliable  HV GaN Power MOSFETs and Si LDMOS devices including assembly and package related product development for these technologies. Sponsored to HBS Leadership Development program (PLD) by Maxim Integrated in 2006-07. Completed MBA from Santa Clara University sponsored by Applied Materials in 2001.

J.S. Kharakwal did his masters from Kumaun University, Nainital and Ph. D form Deccan College, Pune in the year 1994, on the Archaeology of Central Himalayan Region. He spearheaded archaeological excavations at Kanmer, a Harappan site in Kachchh, Gujarat (2005 to 2016), Chandravati, near Abu Road (2013-16) and at Zawar (2019). He has published widely on Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Gujarat which include 6 books, 4 monographs and 80 research papers in various journals like Antiquity, Archaeological Science, Radiocarbon, Man and Environment, and others.

He was awarded a post doctoral fellowship of Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Kyoto, Japan for 15 months (2001-2002) and subsequently invited as a Visiting Professor at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan for one year (2004-2005).

He is a member of various national and international academic societies. He has participated in various national and international seminars in several countries such as France, Austria, Italy, Japan, Turkmenistan, China, Vietnam and Iran. He has organized national and international seminars, symposia, workshops and has participated in seminars in various countries in Europe and Asia. He also enjoyed an opportunity to deliver presidential address in the year 2021 in Haryana History Congress, Kurukshetra.

He is a member of LOCF Committee of UGC for Archaeology and Traditional Knowledge Committee of CSIR, New Delhi. He is a member of BoS of a few universities. He is currently working as Director of Sahitya Sansthan, JRN Rajasthan Vidyapeeth, (Deemed University), Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Prakash R. Golani obtained M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in geology from University of Rajasthan.  He has mapped and explored several ore deposit-forming geological set ups during his 36  year- long career in the Geological Survey of India (GSI). The ore deposit set ups worked by him include volcanic-hosted massive sulphides (VHMS) deposits, alkaline-carbonatite complexes, IOCG-, MVT-SEDEX-, evaporite-, epithermal- and granite-related set ups in  western, central and northeastern India including Himalayas. He has studies and published his  work on sillimanite-corundum, phosphorite, magnesite, lead, zinc, copper, gold, antimony and  selenium bearing polymetallic deposits. His interest in ore deposit-bearing settings finds expression in the book ‘Assessment of Ore Deposit Settings, Structures and Proximity Indicators in  Geological Exploration’. In GSI, he has been involved in formulation and execution of field and exploration-related training programs for professional geologists. He is lead author of the  international team which recognised and published evaporitic set up as a new repository of the gold  deposit (Bhukia, Rajasthan) in the global context. His current interest includes geochemistry, geological  characteristics of ore repository set ups for critical and byproduct elements associated with base metals and other ore deposits.