Dr Paknikar is a prominent Indian scientist and academic leader specialising in nanotechnology, biotechnology, and microbiology. In December 2025, he was appointed as one of the inaugural ANRF Prime Minister Professors, a prestigious role he currently holds at COEP Technological University in Pune. Dr Paknikar is highly cited (over 15,000 citations) and has made significant contributions to several fields, including Nanotechnology, Environmental Biotechnology, and Healthcare.
Prof. Rabibrata Mukherjee is currently serving as a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. He also holds the administrative position of Dean, International Relations for the institute. Before joining IIT Kharagpur in 2009, he spent 12 years as a scientist at the CSIR-Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI) in Kolkata. His research primarily focuses on soft nanotechnology, thin-film instability, dewetting, and soft lithography. He heads the Instability and Soft Patterning Laboratory.