On Sunday, Dr. Girish Sahni, the former director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH), passed away. He was sixty-eight.
Director & the entire CSIR-IMTECH family deeply mourn the sudden loss of Dr. Girish Sahni, former Director of CSIR-IMTECH and Director General of @CSIR_IND.
His legacy as an exceptional scientist & visionary leader will always be cherished.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/LFnNdm2gii— CSIR-IMTech (@CSIR_IMTECH) August 19, 2024
Renowned Scientist Dr. Girish Sahni Dies at 68
Sahni, who was born on March 2, 1956, attended Punjab University (PU) to complete his undergraduate and graduate studies in microbiology (1973–1978). He then continued on to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, to pursue a PhD. During his post-PhD career, he held prominent positions at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, Rockefeller University in New York, and the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Subsequently, Sahni took on the positions of secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, and director general of CSIR. In addition to these roles, he held visiting professorships at the Indian School of Business, a Bhatnagar fellow at IMTECH and the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), and an honorary professorship at PU.
Dr. Sahni’s Journey: From University to Acclaim
Dr. Sahni was an expert in biotechnology, molecular biology, and protein engineering. He made important advances in the field of protein-based cardiovascular medications, especially in the creation of “clot busters” and the understanding of how they function in the human body.
Under his direction, his group created the technique for natural streptokinase, the first clot-buster medication made in India. This technology was valued at more than $160 million. Additionally, they were in charge of the world’s first fourth-generation “anti-thrombotic” clot busters, which were developed in a revolutionary manner.
Conclusion
With the death of Dr. Girish Sahni, a chapter in Indian scientific research has closed. His contributions to biotechnology have had a lasting impact on the scientific community worldwide, especially in the area of cardiovascular care. His groundbreaking study, which served as the impetus for India’s first clot-buster medication, has save countless deaths. Future generations of Indian scientists and researchers will be motivated by Dr. Sahni’s legacy.
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