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Professor Anitha Kurup is the Head of the Education Programme and the Head of the NIAS Education for the Gifted and Talented (NIAS-EGT) at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) Bengaluru, India. She was the Academic Head and Chair of the PhD Program, NIAS (2018-2020). She is the Dean of the School of Social Sciences.

She is currently leading the National Gifted and Talented Education Program in India anchored at NIAS. The programme was initiated by the office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India in 2011. She and her team have developed Indian-based identification protocols and mentoring mechanisms for gifted children in India in the age group 0-18 years for different populations. They have developed a multi-stage multi-level model of mentoring for gifted children in India that are age and context-specific.

Prof Kurup was part of the National Core Committee that prepared the four-year integrated pre-service teacher training course submitted to the National Council of Teacher education. Her research and policy and advocacy work resulted in the inclusion of Education for the gifted and talented in the National Education Policy 2020.

Her research interests span the broad disciplines of education and gender. Her key publications “Trained Scientific Women Power: How much are we Losing and Why?” and “Trends Report: Creation and Analysis of Database of PhDs in India (1998-2007)” have been widely appreciated. These reports have been used to advocate for a paradigm shift in relation to policies on women in STEM as well as the creation of AISHE database in India. Prof Kurup’s research expertise is sociology of education, gender and science, institutional and policy studies, and pedagogic practices. In the area of gender her expertise covers a wide spectrum, from examining conceptual and methodological strands of gender relations to women in leadership roles, and women and work. Her research career spanning over three decades is marked by her passion and motivation to undertake research in critical areas, hitherto unexplored within the Indian subcontinent. The hallmark of her research career has been the innovation methodologies adopted for large-scale inter-institutional research studies questioning existing theoretical frameworks to find solutions to real world problems. Thus, she has made critical contributions to the field of education in India. She has several publications to her credit.

Prof Kurup has provided consultancies to large international organisations like the World Bank, NOVIB, and has been an educational consultant to the government of India and the Government of Karnataka over the last two decades. She is among the few often noted expert in the field of education and gender at the national level. She is a Subject Expert in Education for the Karnataka Evaluation Authority, Government of Karnataka(2019- till date). She served as an Expert and Member RFD in school and continuing education; and higher education, Government of Karnataka for the period 2011- 2016.

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Joined NIAS on 15th November 1996. Dean, Academic Affairs; 18th February 2013-Current. Most significant research contribution: Was responsible for the discovery of a new species of primate, the Arunachal macaque, in Northeastern India, although principal contributions have been in understanding the structure and evolution of the primate mind. 

Dr. Anindya Sinha's wide-ranging research interests in  behavioural ecology and cognitive psychology of primates, animal molecular genetics, evolutionary biology, conservation biology and the philosophy of biology. He has a master's degree in botany, a doctorate in molecular biology, and has earlier worked on the biochemical genetics of yeast, the social biology of wasps, and the classical genetics of human disease. He is also interested in biology education and the popularisation of science, and has lectured extensively in a variety of educational and research institutions

Amit Mukherjee served as an Assistant Professor in the International Strategic & Security Studies Program and the Conflict Resolution and Peace Research Programme at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, from October 3, 2017, to August 1, 2023.

An Outstanding Scientist and former Director of the RMG, IGCAR, Kalpakkam. He was a Senior Professor at HBNI, Dean of Student Affairs, and coordinating Dean of HBNI at IGCAR. Held the "TV Raman Pai Chair Professor" position at the NIAS, where he is currently a visiting professor. During his tenure at Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences (RUAS), he held the position of Registrar, Director of the Centre for Professional Development and Training, and was also Professor at the School of Social Sciences.  

Prof Sai Baba is an accomplished researcher, scientific administrator, and institutional builder. He has significantly contributed to implementing several high-impact activities relevant to the IGCAR and the DAE. He has contributed to diverse domains: Human Resource Development, Access to Scientific Information Resources, Financial Management, Workflow automation, Technology Transfer, and IPR. One of his significant contributions has been establishing the BARC Training School at IGCAR and steering the activities until his superannuation. Held several key positions at HBNI and played an important role in streamlining the processes.  

While he was at RUAS, he played his administrator role effectively and streamlined several processes. Contributed to the implementation of NEP at the University. Played an important role in getting approvals for starting new academic programs and bringing medical, nursing and physiotherapy under the ambit of the university. Played a lead role in strategising for enhanced admissions. As Director of the Centre for Professional Development & Training, initiated the implementation of various training and professional development programs for faculty members. Taught the course "Science, Technology and Innovation Policy" for MA Public Policy students and guided students for their project. 
As part of the activities of NIAS, Prof Sai Baba is working in the domains of Science and Risk Communication, Human Reliability Program (a collaborative program with Texas A&M University) and Understanding Ancient Indian Knowledge Systems for applying them to the holistic development of youth. Carrying out a collaborative project with Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Capacity Building to enhance the preparedness to handle nuclear and other radioactive materials.   
 
Five students obtained their PhD under his guidance. Currently co-guiding one PhD student. Co-authored 65 Journal publications, 179 papers in symposiums/conferences and four confidential reports. Authored 11 chapters in Books/Proceedings. Edited nine Books/Periodicals. Delivered several invited talks (more than 260) on diverse topics. Chaired several sessions and panel discussions.  
   
Google Scholar has an H-index of 22, an i10 index of 40, and more than 1250 citations. On the Research Gate, his articles have more than 1.5 lakh reads and 980 citations and Research Interest Score of 1000 (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sai-Baba-Magapu). Won several awards, including the Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) conferred by Dr MGR University, Education and Research Institute and the DAE Group Achievement Award. Several of his papers have won best paper awards. 

LinkedIn id: www.linkedin.com/in/msaibaba/
YouTube Channel:   https://youtube.com/@msbmusings
 

I am a social scientist, with my training throughout in economics but my interests and writing spanning well outside of the discipline, into economic-sociology, technological change, and the political economy of development. Prior to NIAS, I was with the School of Development at Azim Premji University, Bangalore, for six years. My doctoral work was at the United Nations University / MERIT (The Netherlands), before which I have studied at the Centre for Development Studies (CDS, Trivandrum), Madras School of Economics (Chennai) and St. Joseph's College (Bangalore). As principal violinist of the Bangalore School of Music Chamber Orchestra, I am also involved in the western classical music scene in Bangalore. 

My interests lie in technological studies. My focus has been around the economic-sociology of technological outcomes, with conceptual foundations in social constructivist and feminist-historical perspectives on technology. Hence, concerns on social capital and spatiality, inequality, urban transition, social mobility, gender, and caste, have undergrid all my research thus far. Methodologically, I have experimented on and employed various methods such as network analysis, archival work, oral histories, the social construction of technology, focus group discussions, interviews, surveys, and quantitative methods. As a result, the broader political-economy dynamics have always framed the analytical and conceptual setting in every one of my research studies.  

I have published in various international journals on technology and society. My latest book (co-authored with Dr Neethi P.) on neoliberal urban transition and digital experiences among street-based sex workers in Bangalore is 'Urban Undesirables: City Transition and Street-Based Sex Work in Bangalore,' and has been released under Cambridge University Press. My other books include   ‘The Social Context of Technological Experiences '  (Routledge, 2020) and 'Routledge titled Industrial Innovation, Networks, and Economic Development' (Routledge, 2015)

Dr. N. Ramani worked at the ISRO Satellite Centre in the areas of software development for spacecraft mission operations and in the establishment and management of the central computing facility. Led the activities relating to the design, development, testing and implementation of software for real time health monitoring and control of satellites. Pioneered the transition from main frame world of Fortran and assembler codes to distributed computing based on off-the-shelf systems with the best of breed Engineering Application Software packages. Worked on computer related issues that have over all impact on the organization; such as information security, software reliability, man power attrition, open source, Y2K and HPC. With Prof R Narasimha, carried out the Indian Airlines AVRO HS748 fleet performance simulation for airworthiness assessment for the National Committee headed by Prof S Dhawan. Worked on several Government committees that enabled the computerization plans of ADA, CBDT, EPFO, IMD/MES and SBI.

Awards: Distinguished Aero-Alumnus of the Department of Aerospace Engineering of the Indian Institute of Science (1992) and Astronautical Society of India AWARD (1999). He has recently completed and validated a 3-D missile trajectory programme, which can provide the path of the missile from any launch location to any target.

Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan has served as Emeritus Professor till April 2025. He passed away on 25 April 2025. 

Dr. Kasturirangan took his Bachelor of Science with Honours and Master of Science degrees in Physics from Bombay University and received his Doctorate Degree in Experimental High Energy Astronomy in 1971 working at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. He was the Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) at Bangalore (2004-2009), and is Honorary Professor of Physics, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad and at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Research at Bangalore. He was also a Member of Upper House of Indian Parliament (2003-2009). For over 9 years until 2003, Dr. Kasturirangan steered the Indian Space programme as Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation. Under his leadership, the programme witnessed several major milestones including the successful launching and operationalisation of the India's prestigious launch vehicles, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, the development and launching of some of the world's best civilian remote sensing satellites, IRS-1C and 1D, new generation INSAT communication satellites, besides ocean observation satellites IRS-P3/P4. As an Astrophysicist, Dr. Kasturirangan's interest include research in high energy X-ray and gamma ray astronomy as well as optical astronomy. He has made extensive and significant contributions to studies of Cosmic x-ray and gamma ray sources and effect of cosmic x-rays in the lower atmosphere. 

Dr. Kasturirangan was a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics and served as its Vice President. He was a Member of the International Astronomical Union and a Fellow of Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). He is a Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences and served as its President during 2001-03. He was a Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering and was its President during 2005-06. He was also General President of the Indian Science Congress for the years 2002-2003. Besides, he was the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy and the National Academy of Sciences of India. He was the Honorary Fellow of the Cardiff University, UK; and an Academician of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Vatican City. 

He had won several awards including Brock Medal of International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, (2004), Allan D Emil Memorial Award of the International Astronautical Federation (2004), Theodore Von Karman Award by International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), France (2007), Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Engineering, Aryabhata Award 2003 of Astronautical Society of India, Lifetime Achievement Award of Asia-Pacific Satellite communications Council, Singapore, Aryabhata Medal by Indian National Science Academy (2000), Asutosh Mookerjee Memorial Award by the Indian Science Congress, Award of Jewel of Ruia, Ruia College Alumni Association, 2007; Maharana Udai Singh Award 2007-08 by Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur, 2008; Rajayogindra Award, Maharaja of Mysore, Mysore, 2008; Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Gold Medal, Indian Science Congress, Shillong, 2009. He has been conferred with the highest civilian honours Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan by the President of India and Award of ‘Officer of the Legion d’honneur’ by the President of the French Republic, France. 

Dr. Kasturirangan formalized the Doctoral Programme at NIAS soon after he took over as Director in 2004, initiated many research programmes as well as developed the much needed infrastructure for interdisciplinary research and teaching activities of the Institute.