South Asian Spotlight

Dr. Inderbir Gill, an Indian-origin urologist, played a key role in the world’s first human bladder transplant at UCLA. Discover how this groundbreaking surgery is revolutionizing organ transplants and offering new hope to patients.

Know how Siva Komaragiri’s EMMA app boosted resident feedback rates at AGH’s ER from 19% to 75%, streamlining evaluations and improving patient care.

Ganesh Thakur, a UH professor of petroleum engineering, becomes the first University of Houston faculty member to lead TAMEST, Texas’s top science academy. His term runs through 2027.

Washingtonian names 10 Indian Americans in its 2025 list of DC’s 500 Most Influential People shaping U.S. policy in healthcare, tech, trade & more.

Samarth Shiramshetty, an Indian-origin student, wins TreeHacks 2025 at Stanford with AI-powered HiveMind, earning the grand prize for tech innovation.

Dr. Arundathi Reddy receives the 2025 Ruth Olive Beall Award from Arkansas Children’s Hospital for her excellence in pediatric anesthesiology, leadership, and compassionate patient care.

Anand Giridharadas joins TIME100 Philanthropy 2025 for challenging elite giving and advocating systemic reform. Discover why his bold critique is more relevant than ever.

Cornell senior Netra Shetty honored for public health work and advocacy for incarcerated communities with the 2025 Campus Community Leadership Award.

Indian-origin professor Dr. Harmandeep Sharma wins the 2025 SAS Community Uplift Award for using data science to advance sustainable farming and empower marginalized farmers.

ALAPIO, Dr. Nitin Shah, Dr. Bharat Patel, and Sarva Mangal Family Trust inaugurate the Shah Happiness Medical Center – first free surgery clinic in the country

Indian-American alumni Rajendra and Neera Singh pledge $3.5 million to the University of Maine to fund scholarships for engineering students and establish a Chair in Applied Innovation.

CoreTrust appoints Vikram Suresh as new CFO to lead financial strategy and growth. Read why Vikram Suresh is in the news and what this means for CoreTrust’s future.

Indian-origin engineer Anway Pimpalkar co-develops Re-Kinesis, a smart gait shoe transforming elderly care. A Johns Hopkins innovation recognized by the NIH.

Three Indian-origin law students, Varun Cidambi, Akanksha Balekai, and Ruchika Sharma, have been named 2025 Next Generation Leaders by ACS

Iowa State University appoints Raj Agnihotri as the new Raisbeck Endowed Dean of the Ivy College of Business, effective July 1, 2025. Agnihotri brings extensive leadership, academic excellence, and industry engagement experience.

Raj Mankad, deputy opinion editor at the Houston Chronicle, wins the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing for a powerful series exposing the deadly impact of stalled freight trains in Houston’s underserved communities.

Samir Shah appointed as CEO of Golden State Grizzlies, bringing strategic leadership to the team. Learn about the Grizzlies’ new management, the future of Minor League Cricket USA, and Shah’s vision for cricket growth in the U.S.

The Shah Happiness Foundation launches the Volunteer Excellence Awards, granting $100,000 in unrestricted donations to 40 nonprofits honoring South Asian volunteers across the U.S. Nominate today at volunteerexcellenceawards.com.

Tejpaul Bhatia has been appointed CEO of Axiom Space, after serving as Chief Revenue Officer. With a history of pioneering commercial spaceflight, Bhatia will lead the company in its mission to revolutionize space infrastructure, including the world’s first commercial human-rated space station.

Emory University honors Dr. Suresh Ramalingam with the 2025 Albert E. Levy Award for his groundbreaking lung cancer research, including landmark trials that transformed treatment standards.

Sakhi Patel and Shrey Modi’s AI-powered startup, CuraVoice, took the top prize at California State University Long Beach’s 2025 Sunstone Innovation Challenge. Their innovative voicebot helps healthcare students improve patient communication through realistic, adaptive simulations. The team earned $15,000 in seed funding and over $35,000 in support services. CuraVoice stands at the intersection of AI and medical education, addressing critical gaps in bedside communication training.

Harshman Sihra, Rishi Shah, Ojas Sanghi, and Dhruvak Mirani are among 54 students selected as 2025 Truman Scholars for their leadership, academic achievement, and dedication to public service.

Slippery Rock University names Prasad Vemala as the new dean of its College of Business. With decades of experience in academic leadership, Vemala steps in to guide SRU’s AACSB-accredited programs.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan announces a major leadership overhaul, naming Sachin Katti as CTO and Chief AI Officer to lead the company’s AI strategy and innovation efforts.

Dr. Manohar Singh has been appointed as the 12th Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, bringing a wealth of experience in higher education leadership. Learn about his background, vision for student success, and leadership at WCSU as he prepares to lead UWO into its next chapter starting July 1, 2025.

Shweta Rawat joins the Americares Board of Directors, bringing over a decade of experience in global health, disability inclusion, and social impact leadership.

Santa Clara University will award an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree to Arista CEO Jayshree Ullal at its 2025 undergraduate commencement.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign honors Professor Ruta Mehta with the 2024 Campus Award for Excellence in Guiding Undergraduate Research for her mentorship in theoretical CS.

Bharat N. Anand, Harvard vice provost and digital strategy expert, has been named the next dean of NYU Stern School of Business. He will assume the role in August 2025.

Georgia Southern University names Dr. Avinandan Mukherjee as its new provost and executive VP for academic affairs. With over 16 years of leadership experience, he aims to drive academic excellence, research, and student success.

JK Tech appoints Sameer Nagpal as its new President & CEO to drive AI-driven transformation. With 25+ years of expertise, Nagpal will enhance JK Tech’s AI solutions and expand its global market presence.

The University of Arkansas appoints Indrajeet Chaubey as its next Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, effective July 1, 2025. Chaubey, a renowned expert in hydrology and higher education leader, brings decades of experience to the role.

Bounteous appoints Sudarshan Mandayam as CEO, marking a new era of AI-led digital transformation. With deep expertise in strategy and execution, Mandayam aims to drive innovation, scalability, and lasting client impact.

UNC Greensboro appoints Dr. Joyendu Bhadury as Dean of the Bryan School of Business and Economics, recognizing his leadership, academic excellence, and commitment to student success. Read more about his vision and impact.

Indian origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams returns to Earth after a 9-month mission. Her journey highlights resilience, space travel challenges, and pride for the Indian diaspora. Read more.

Professor Kaushik Sengupta’s groundbreaking AI-driven research on wireless chip design earned the prestigious IEEE Award.

Indian-American physician & bestselling author Abraham Verghese will deliver the principal address at Harvard’s 374th Commencement

Panera Bread appoints Santhosh Kumar as Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective February 12. With extensive experience in digital transformation and retail technology, Kumar will lead Panera’s IT strategy, enhancing operations across 2,200+ cafes.

Dr. Prabhleen Chahal becomes the first in Texas to earn the prestigious Master of ASGE (MASGE) title, recognizing her excellence in gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Kash Patel becomes the first Indian-American FBI Director, marking a historic moment for South Asian representation in U.S. law enforcement.

Dr. Senthil Sadhasivam has been appointed as the UPMC Endowed Chair in Anesthesiology Research Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh, recognizing his groundbreaking work in opioid pharmacogenetics, perioperative pain management, and patient safety.

Yale University appoints historian Sunil Amrith as the new director of the MacMillan Center. A leading expert in migration and environmental history, Amrith aims to expand global scholarship and interdisciplinary collaboration at Yale.

Indian-American scientist Ashutosh Chilkoti wins the 2025 Technology Innovation and Development Award from the Society for Biomaterials for his groundbreaking work in biomaterials.

Two Indian American students, Venkataram Sivaram and Prasann Singhal, have been honored with the 2024-2025 CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award for their exceptional contributions to computing research.

Indian-American musician and entrepreneur Chandrika Tandon wins a Grammy for her soul-stirring album blending Vedic chants with global music.

Gunjan Kedia becomes the first woman CEO of U.S. Bancorp, succeeding Andy Cecere. With nearly 30 years in finance, she brings a vision of growth, integrity, and innovation.

Kush Desai, an Indian-American former journalist, has been appointed as White House Deputy Press Secretary by President Trump. With extensive experience in political communications, Desai played a key role in messaging for battleground states.

Indian American physician-scientist Pari V. Pandharipande, MD, MPH, FACR, has been announced as the next Chair of the Department of Radiology at Penn Medicine, effective June 1, 2025.

Five Indian American educators win Presidential Awards for STEM teaching, driving change, and inspiring the next generation.

Jay Parikh, an Indian-origin tech leader and former Meta executive, takes charge of Microsoft’s new CoreAI division. Know how he’s shaping AI innovation with groundbreaking platforms and tools under Satya Nadella’s vision.