NK Ganguly did his MBBS from University of Calcutta, MD (Microbiology) from Post-graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh and obtained DSc (hc) from the University of Calcutta, Kolkata; Bundelkhand University, Jhansi; Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Dr Ganguly was Acting Director of Post-graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh for some time. He was President of National Academy of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Asian Society of Diarrhoeal Diseases and Nutrition (2000-03); International Society of Health Research (Indian Chapter); Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (Indian Chapter); and Chairman of Lancefield International Society on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases. He has been Emeritus Professor of National Academy of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Honorary Professor, Special Centre for Molecular Medicine (SCMM), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Emeritus Professor, Post-graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh; Honorary Global Health Research Fellow and Adjunct Professor at Boston University; Adjunct Professor of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota; and Honorary Visiting Professor of number of universities and institutes. He was Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi (1998-2007). He was Advisor to Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. He is President, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), Puducherry.

Academic and Research Achievements: Dr Ganguly's major research areas have been tropical diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diarrhoeal diseases. His area of specialization is infection and has wide ranging interests in this area from immunology to biotechnology and public health. He has published over seven hundred papers and guided hundred and thirty PhD theses as guide/co-guide.

Other Contributions: Dr Ganguly was Acting Director of National Institute of Biologicals, NOIDA. He has been Chair of WHO-SEARO Advisory Committee on Health Research for the last several years. He was Vice-Chairman of Joint Coordinating Board (JCB) for special programme for research and training in tropical diseases (TDR) and of joint Indo-US vaccine action programme. He was Chairman, WHO scientific working group on Criteria for Setting Health Research Priorities, WHO SEARO, New Delhi and Co-Chairman, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). He has served as member of scientific, technical and advisory committee as well as boards, programmes and bodies of national and international importance such as Board of Trustees, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B); Proto-board and Working Group of World Bank; International Advisory Committee, Vaccine Research Centre, National Institutes of Health, Maryland, USA; Guideline Development Group in updating of the Technical Report on Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease, WHO, Geneva, etc. He has also served as Chairman, Research Council of Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow; Scientific Advisory Committee of National Centre for Cell Science, Pune and Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad; Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad; Bose Institute, Kolkata, etc. He is also the Chairman of various committees of Government of India, like GM Food, Vitamin A, Environmental Health, etc.

Awards and Honours: Dr. Ganguly has won more than hundred awards. Notable among them are INSA's Shambu Nath De Memorial Lecture Award (1993) and Dr Yellapragada SubbaRow Memorial Lecture Award (1999); Ranbaxy Research Award (1996); Om Prakash Bhasin Award (1997); FICCI Awards (1998-99); Goyal Prize (2002); Norman Alpert Award (2004); Annual Award, (2004) of International Spirit of Life Foundation, USA; Excellence in Science and Technology Award (2006) of the Indian Science Congress Association; SS Bhatnagar Medal (2007); Medal of Merit, 2007 of International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, Canada; ICMR Awards; and Professor Niranjan S Dhalla Award of the Indian Pharmacology Society. He has been awarded Padma Bhushan (2008) by the Government of India. He is a Fellow of Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London; Royal College of Pathologists, London; International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, Canada; the Third World Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS), Italy and International Medical Sciences Academy, New Delhi. He is also a Fellow of National Academy of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad and Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore.