Meghalaya: NEHU scientists elected to prestigious national academies

Six faculty members from North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, have earned fellowships from leading national science academies, marking a significant milestone for research excellence in India's northeastern region.

Prof SK Barik of the Botany Department secured a fellowship from the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi, for his groundbreaking work on plant diversity and conservation in the northeastern Himalayas.

The National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) recognised two NEHU researchers - Prof SR Joshi from Biotechnology & Bioinformatics for his microbial biotechnology innovations, and Prof S Kumaria from Botany for her research on endangered plant species conservation.

Plant taxonomy expert Prof Uma Shankar joined the Eastern Himalaya Society for Spermatophyte Taxonomy as a fellow, while Prof Timir Tripathi from Zoology was named an Associate Fellow of INSA for his research on disease-related protein structures.

Dr Rajesh Bajpai from Environmental Studies earned fellowship in the Botanical Society of India for his work on plant-environment interactions.

"These fellowships reflect our commitment to research excellence," said Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla. "Their achievements inspire our academic community and strengthen NEHU's position in advancing scientific knowledge."

The recognised research spans critical areas including biodiversity conservation, biotechnology applications, and environmental sustainability, highlighting NEHU's growing influence in addressing regional scientific challenges.