South Asian Spotlight

Indian-American legal scholar Raj Bhala has been named a distinguished professor at the University of Kansas, recognizing his global impact on trade law.

Procter & Gamble taps Mumbai-born Shailesh Jejurikar as CEO, succeeding Jon Moeller on Jan 1 2026—a landmark leadership shift at the $400 billion consumer-goods giant.

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty becomes AAPI President 2025, pledging unity, youth leadership, political advocacy, and a global healthcare role. Read the highlights from AAPI’s 43rd convention in Cincinnati.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin appoints 6 Indian Americans to top state boards in STEM, healthcare, education, and women’s advocacy across the Commonwealth.

Educator Binal Patel becomes Executive Director of Neighborhood Villages, leading the charge for high-quality, affordable early childhood education reform.

Indian-American scholar Shobita Parthasarathy joins NASEM to promote ethical, inclusive science communication and shape public trust in science policy.

Five Indian-Americans, Tanuja Singh, Latha Ramchand, Amish Shah, Rupal Thanawala, and Aman Brar, were recognized in IBJ Media’s 2024 Indiana 250 list for shaping the state’s future through education, business, and innovation.

TIME100 2025 honors Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, led by Indian-American CEOs, for breakthrough innovations in gene therapy, CRISPR, and non-opioid drug development.

Dr. Kartik Balachandran, a biomedical engineering professor, has been appointed interim associate dean for research at the University of Arkansas College of Engineering. He will lead efforts to expand research and secure external funding.

Indian-American climate expert Dr. Manvendra Dubey has been appointed to a UN panel to assess the global impact of nuclear war, covering climate, health, and socioeconomics.

Parag Pathak, a professor at MIT and a market design expert, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his groundbreaking research in education and urban economics.

Planetary scientist Meenakshi Wadhwa has been named Vice Chancellor for Marine Sciences at UC San Diego. She will lead Scripps Oceanography and drive interdisciplinary research in ocean, earth, and atmospheric sciences.

Indian-American physicist Mani L. Bhaumik gifts $3 million to UCLA to support a new postdoctoral fellowship in Physics, Astronomy, and Chemistry. The program aims to foster research, innovation, and scientific leadership.

Indian-American exec Ike Anand becomes CEO of ALSAC, the engine behind St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, steering a record $12.9 billion expansion plan.

Finance heavyweight Nik Jhangiani becomes interim CEO of Diageo, tasked with stabilizing the $70 billion spirits giant and driving cost cuts plus next-gen growth.

Yale University names historian Sunil Amrith as Vice Provost for International Affairs. A MacArthur Fellow, Amrith will lead Yale’s global engagement, partnerships, and research strategy.

Renowned neuroradiologist Dr. Achala Vagal has been named chair of the Department of Radiology at UC College of Medicine, effective August 1, 2025.

Dr. Jagdish and Madhuri Sheth donate $100K to KSU, launching a marketing scholarship for first-gen students at Coles College of Business.

Indian-American academic Dr. Darshana T. Shah receives the 2025 Carole J. Bland Phronesis Award for her transformative contributions to faculty development and mentorship in medical education.

Divya Mathur receives NSF CAREER Award for groundbreaking DNA nanoparticle research to advance gene therapy and inspire future scientists.

Sabih Khan becomes Apple’s new COO after 30 years at the company. Learn how the Indian-origin executive is reshaping Apple’s global strategy and operations.

Dr. Pia Gupta joins Cal Poly Pomona as Associate Dean of Undergraduate Success, bringing 20+ years of leadership in student success and academic innovation.

Indian-American researcher Dr. Chandra Mohan will lead a $3M University of Houston cancer immunotherapy project, using advanced proteomics to accelerate biomarker discovery and treatment.

Dr. Deepak Rao wins 2025 Lupus Insight Prize for discovering immune imbalance in lupus, opening doors to targeted therapies. Learn about his breakthrough.

MIT student Gitanjali Rao makes global news as the first recipient of the Stephen Hawking Junior Medal for Science Communication. Discover her inspiring journey.

Benjamin Lalani is in the news as he becomes the first Johns Hopkins alum to win the prestigious Samvid Scholarship. Read about his global impact through diabetes care, AI research, and medical innovation.

Indian-American astronaut Anil Menon is in the news as NASA assigns him to his first ISS mission aboard Soyuz MS-29, launching in June 2026.

UConn appoints Dr. Kumar Venkitanarayanan as interim CAHNR dean. A leader in food safety, he heads a $10M USDA project on sustainable poultry production.

Indian-American planner Het Patel is named Transit Assistant Director for Raleigh. With 6+ years of experience, Patel will lead city transit operations and growth starting June 28.

UGA appoints Dr. Prashant Doshi as the first executive director of its AI Institute, advancing interdisciplinary AI research, education, and innovation.

UPitt appoints Dr. Vikas Khanna as interim chair of Civil & Environmental Engineering. He brings 15+ years of leadership, research, and sustainability expertise.

Indian-origin Harvard psychologist Mahzarin Banaji wins the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award for pioneering research on implicit bias and attitudes.

Accenture appoints Manish Sharma as its first Chief Services Officer, leading the new Reinvention Services unit in a major AI-driven organizational overhaul effective September 2025

Indian-American thoracic surgeon Dr. Sai Yendamuri has been elected as a Fellow of the American Surgical Association (ASA), recognizing his leadership in lung cancer research and surgical innovation.

Yogesh Gupta has been named the EY US Entrepreneur Of The Year, recognizing his leadership, innovation, and impact in the tech industry. Learn more about this prestigious achievement

Springboard Enterprises appoints Umbreen Bhatti as CEO to lead its next chapter in advancing women-led innovation and entrepreneurship.

MIT appoints Anantha Chandrakasan as Provost, highlighting his leadership in engineering, innovation, AI, and interdisciplinary research.

University of West Alabama appoints Dr. Narendra Datta as Chair of Engineering Tech, focusing on industry ties, hands-on learning & workforce-ready programs.

Cornerstone Research appoints Gopal Das Varma as VP, strengthening its antitrust and mergers practice with 25+ years of regulatory and consulting experience.

Purdue’s Amit Varma receives AISC Lifetime Achievement Award for groundbreaking work in steel-concrete composites, modular construction, and nuclear infrastructure.

FactSet appoints JPMorgan exec Sanoke Viswanathan as CEO, succeeding Phil Snow. Viswanathan brings 15+ years of global strategy and fintech leadership.

Dr. Dipen Parekh, a renowned urologic oncologist and leader, was appointed CEO of UHealth. He leads the University of Miami’s top academic health system with a focus on care, research, and education.

Kannon Shanmugam, a leading Indian American appellate attorney, has been elected to Harvard’s senior governing board. Learn about his background, achievements, and new role starting July 1.

Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Texas, wins the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee by spelling “éclaircissement.”

Penn State’s Swaroop Ghosh and Vishal Monga named 2025 AAIA fellows for their pioneering work in AI, drug discovery, and imaging science.

Rajan Gill reappointed to California’s APIA Commission by Gov. Newsom. A historian, farmer & advocate, he continues championing API community issues.

Tufts Medical Center appoints Dr. Soma Sengupta as Chair of Neurology, effective September 2025. A renowned neuro-oncologist and researcher, she will lead innovation in brain health, clinical trials, and education at Tufts.

Indian-origin leaders Anjali Sud and Sanjay Seth have been elected to key Harvard boards. Sud joins the Board of Overseers, while Seth joins the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA)

Vivek Ranadivé, Indian American entrepreneur and Sacramento Kings owner, was honored at the TAAF Awards 2025 for his leadership and impact in advancing AAPI representation and inclusion.

Indian-origin psychology graduate Meena Sundrum wins the 2025 Gretchen Goldsmith Lankford Award for her innovation in emotional learning at Carnegie Mellon.