Hyderabad: Eminent geneticist and CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Dr Kumarasamy Thangaraj, was conferred the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.
A distinguished scientist with over three decades of service at CCMB, Dr Thangaraj is renowned for his pioneering research on the ancestry and migration patterns of Indian populations. His studies have shed light on the origins and genetic links among several communities, including the Sindhi, Coorgi, Ladakhi and Nicobarese populations, besides unravelling historical mysteries associated with Roopkund Lake and the ancient port city of Muziris.
Through extensive genetic analysis, he established how migrations from Africa, Europe and different parts of Asia over centuries contributed to shaping the Indian subcontinent’s remarkable cultural and physical diversity.
Dr Thangaraj has also made significant contributions to identifying disease-causing genetic mutations prevalent among various Indian communities and has been a strong advocate for genetic testing to detect rare diseases.
He played a key role in leading the Genome India initiative of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, a landmark project aimed at creating a comprehensive genetic database of India’s diverse populations and laying the foundation for personalised medicine in the country.
The Padma Shri is one of India’s highest civilian honours and is awarded in recognition of distinguished service in various fields.
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