Meet the Visionaries
Leaders across healthcare, technology, research and innovation
Prof. (Dr) Ramakrishnan Raman
Vice Chancellor, SIU
- Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering, an MBA in Systems and Marketing, and a PhD in Management from Pune University.
- Over two decades of experience across corporate, academic and research domains.
- Has served Symbiosis as Director of the Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology and of SIBM Pune, Dean of the Faculty of Management, and Director – Strategy & Development.
- Research interests include Information Systems, IT Strategy, Entrepreneurship, AI and Big Data, with papers in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals.
- Built international collaborations with universities in Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- Honorary Professor at Aston University’s Aston India Centre for Applied Research (term ending 2027); appointed to University Grants Commission committees in 2024.
Dr Dasmit Singh Khokar
Paediatric Surgeon & Medtech Innovator, Pune, India
- Ranked first at the University of Poona in MS (General Surgery); completed MCh in Paediatric Surgery in 1993.
- Former Professor and Head of Paediatric Surgery at B. J. Government Medical College, Pune.
- A pioneer in paediatric endoscopic surgery, with expertise in paediatric urology and minimally invasive surgery.
- Developed innovative surgical techniques and contributed to medical-device innovation.
- Author of 200+ scientific lectures and publications, with multiple conference paper awards.
- Has held leadership roles in paediatric surgical associations and mentors healthcare innovators through medical hackathons.
Dr. M. Srinivas
Member, NITI Aayog
- Dr. M. Srinivas is an eminent medical professional and healthcare administrator with extensive experience in medical education, institutional leadership and healthcare transformation.
- He previously served as Director and CEO of AIIMS New Delhi and was the Founder Dean of ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Hyderabad. He has also contributed to national healthcare policy and medical education.
- A distinguished academician and researcher, he has authored over 200 international scientific publications and continues to contribute to advancing healthcare quality, research and innovation.
Prof. Shiv Kumar Sarin
Director, ILBS, New Delhi
- Prof. Shiv Kumar Sarin is a renowned gastroenterologist and hepatologist, internationally recognised for his contributions to liver disease research, clinical innovation and medical education.
- He was instrumental in establishing the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi, and has played significant leadership roles in advancing hepatology and healthcare education in India.
- A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award and TWAS International Prize, he continues to make significant contributions to medical research, public health and healthcare innovation.
Shri Sunil Kumar Barnwal, IAS
CEO, National Health Authority (NHA)
- Shri Sunil Kumar Barnwal, IAS, serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Authority, leading key initiatives in India's digital healthcare ecosystem.
- He oversees the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), focusing on expanding technology-enabled healthcare access.
- His areas of expertise include digital governance, public administration, large-scale digital transformation, interoperable health infrastructure and public-private healthcare technology integration.
Dr. Kavitha Rajsekar
Scientist F, Department of Health Research, Government of India
- Dr. Kavitha Rajsekar is a senior health research professional associated with the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
- She has been actively involved in coordinating the Health Technology Assessment in India (HTAIn) programme, promoting evidence-based healthcare policy and informed decision-making.
- Her work spans health technology assessment, healthcare policy and research. She has also contributed to the development of key national legislative frameworks, including the Surrogacy Regulation Act and the Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Act.
Dr Rakesh Kalapala
Gastroenterologist & Director of Endoscopy, AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, India
- Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist and Director of Endoscopy at the Centre for Obesity and Metabolic Therapy, AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad.
- MBBS, MD (General Medicine) and DNB (Gastroenterology); 15+ years of experience in advanced endoscopy, including ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound and colonoscopy, with bariatric endoscopy as his focus.
- Skilled in endobariatric procedures such as intragastric balloons, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and duodenal-jejunal bypass liners.
- Principal Investigator on several studies on obesity, type 2 diabetes and NASH.
- Young Investigator Award at the Asian Neurogastroenterology & Motility Association (2011); Fellow of ASGE, the Japanese Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Society and the Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy of India.
- Appointed Associate Editor of iGIE, the official journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Dr. Sumer Sethi
Radiologist, Founder – DAMS
- Dr. Sumer Sethi is a renowned radiologist, entrepreneur, educationist, and a leading innovator in digital medical education. As the Founder of the Delhi Academy of Medical Sciences (DAMS), established in 1999, he has mentored hundreds of thousands of doctors preparing for NEET-PG, INI-CET, and FMGE.
- He is the visionary behind the DAMS App, an award-winning medical learning platform with over one million downloads, which received a Special Mention in the Prime Minister’s Atma Nirbhar App Innovation Challenge.
- A four-time TEDx speaker and bestselling author, Dr. Sethi is an internationally sought-after speaker recognised for his contributions to medical education, entrepreneurship, and educational technology. Through his work, he continues to inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals by advancing innovation, leadership, and excellence in medical learning.
Dr. Adith Chinnaswami
Co-founder & COO, MediSim VR | Laparoscopic Surgeon
- Dr. Adith Chinnaswami is a surgeon, healthcare innovator, and entrepreneur working at the intersection of clinical practice, medical education, and immersive technology. As Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of MediSim VR, he is helping transform medical and nursing education through virtual reality (VR)-based simulation and skills training.
- A trained general surgeon with expertise in laparoscopic and minimal access surgery, Dr. Chinnaswami champions experiential learning that enables healthcare professionals to practise clinical procedures in safe, realistic, and immersive virtual environments.
- Through his work at MediSim VR, he advocates the integration of emerging technologies into medical education to strengthen clinical competency, standardise skills training, and prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals for the evolving demands of modern healthcare.
Dr (Brig.) Suman Pramanik
Professor & Head, Department of Medicine, AFMC, Pune
- Brigadier; Professor and Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune.
- MBBS, MD (General Medicine) and DM (Clinical Haematology).
- Areas of interest include haematology, stem cell transplantation, research methodology, artificial intelligence and computational medicine.
- Mentor to the AFMC Students’ Scientific Society and a guest expert on the MedPOD AFMC podcast.
Dr Ashish Rawandale-Patil
Urologist, Dhule, Maharashtra, India
- Chief Urologist and Director of the Institute of Urology, Dhule, Maharashtra; Chairman and Managing Director of Tejnaksh Healthcare Ltd.
- Holds a Guinness World Record for the most kidney stones removed from a single patient: 172,155 stones, removed endoscopically on 8 December 2009.
- His Institute of Urology, Dhule, also recorded the then-largest kidney removed from a patient (2.14 kg, 2011).
- Executive Member of the Urological Society of India and of the Research Board of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences.
- Trustee and Secretary of ACPM Medical College.
Dr. Sridhar Bodapati
Paediatrician, Healthcare IT Leader & Founder – EdQueries
- A medical doctor and healthcare technology professional working at the intersection of medicine, digital health, artificial intelligence and education.
- Founder and CEO of EdQueries, a digital learning platform focused on inclusive education and supporting children with special educational needs.
- Brings expertise in healthcare IT, electronic medical records (EMR), e-prescribing and pharmacovigilance, with a focus on integrating technology into clinical workflows.
- Guest faculty at the Institute of Health Management Research, Bangalore (IIHMR-B), where he teaches AI and Data Science, healthcare innovation and practical applications of emerging technologies.
- Actively involved in AI education and digital health initiatives, helping healthcare professionals understand and adopt AI tools responsibly to improve productivity, learning and healthcare delivery.
- Advocates the use of technology to bridge healthcare and education, with a focus on practical innovation, accessibility and inclusive learning.
Dr A. V. S. Suresh
Medical Oncologist & Haematologist, Hyderabad, India
- Medical Oncologist and Haematologist at Continental Hospitals, Hyderabad, with 15+ years of experience treating solid and haematological cancers.
- MBBS and MD (Medicine) from the Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, with further training in medical oncology.
- Achievements include India’s first autologous transplant using GM-CSF and Andhra Pradesh’s first haplo-identical transplant; his team has performed over 1,500 transplants of all kinds.
- Author of 84+ publications in international journals and a reviewer for journals including the American Journal of Clinical Oncology and Leukemia Research.
- Awards include the AACR Scholar-in-Training Award (2007), the ESMO Young Oncologist Supportive Award for developing nations (2008) and a Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India award (2006).
- Has contributed to 85+ clinical research projects and served on international steering committees and data safety monitoring boards.
Dr Ashlesha Kelkar
Vertical Lead – Digital Health, Community Medicine
- Major (Retd.), Army Medical Corps veteran and public health expert; MBBS, MD (Community Medicine), MIPHA and FRSPH.
- Associate Professor of Community Medicine at MGM Medical College, Navi Mumbai, and Associate Professor / Consultant in Digital Health at Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Nashik.
- Digital health lead at CHAKRA (Centre for Health Applied Knowledge and Research Autonomy), MUHS; supported the MUHS digital health course for over 450 medical colleges in Maharashtra.
- Secretary of the Indian College of AI in Medicine and an editorial board member of HealthGuard: Health and Preventive Medicine Research.
- Certificates in digital health from Harvard Business School Online and Yale SOM.
- Honours include service medals for her work in Jammu & Kashmir, the Sanjeevani Sanman (Zee Yuva Gaurav Puraskar) and an international fellowship in Nonviolence and Peace.
Gp Capt (Dr) S. A. Raheem
Radiologist, Associate Professor – Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune
- A specialist in Radiodiagnosis with academic and research experience at the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune.
- Serves as Associate Professor in Radiology and Officer-in-Charge of the Armed Forces Centre for Computational Medicine (AFCCM).
- His work focuses on integrating artificial intelligence, deep learning and computational methods into medical imaging and diagnostic applications.
- Contributes to research in AI-enabled radiology, including the development of computational tools for analysing CT and MRI images.
- Combines clinical radiology expertise with medical research and technology-driven innovation to advance diagnostic capabilities and computational medicine.
Dr Arun Jamkar
Distinguished Professor | Healthcare Innovation & Medical Education, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India
- Surgeon (MS) and Ex-Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Nashik.
- Distinguished Professor at Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, and Healthcare Consultant at Persistent Systems; IEEE Senior Member.
- Lifetime Achievement Awards from MEU India and from the Research Society of B. J. Government Medical College & Sassoon General Hospitals, Pune.
- Delivered the Dr Rita Memorial Oration on “Mirror neurons and surgical education” (MEU India, 2022).
- Received the Excellence in Sports in Higher Education award at the AIU West Zone Vice Chancellors’ meet (2018).