AK

A. Kumar

Also known as: Kumar A, Ashwani Kumar

Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Georgetown University, USA, Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab University, Vector Control Research Centre

ORCID iD 0000-0002-2485-7581
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About

Dr Ashwani Kumar, currently the Vice Chancellor of Saveetha University, Chennai, is the former Director of ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre, Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India. He is a university gold medalist and holds a PhD in Entomology. He has 39 years of rich research experience in vector-borne diseases and is an academic and research Administrator. He has been trained in the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, the German Centre of Biotechnology, Braunschweig, Germany, a WHO workshop in Myanmar on Malaria Burden Estimation, ISGlobal organized Course on Science of Malaria Eradication and an Advanced Course on Managing the End of Malaria in Barcelona and Sitges, Spain, respectively and on vector control operations in three Counties of California, USA. He successfully managed over 50 basic, applied and operational research projects funded by ICMR, DBT, DST, NIH, WHO, World Bank. Among the major operational projects undertaken were the demonstration of malaria epidemic control in Goa; HIA of Konkan Railway Project (760km), and Vector Control in Goa Port using bio-engineering methods.

Dr Kumar has to his credit 228 research articles and reviews in Journals of National and International repute, including the Lancet and Genome Research. He has served as a reviewer of manuscripts for several National and International Journals and as an Editorial Board Member. He has authored/edited 4 books, including a handbook for WHO ‘Vector Surveillance and Control at Points of Entry’, which is available in 8 languages. He is recognised by Goa and Manipal Universities as a PhD Guide. Dr. Kumar has guided 15 PhD students. He has organised 10 national/International symposia, conferences and training workshops for capacity building. His International Assignments include Advisor, WHO, Expert on Vector Control Tools for Malaria Elimination: IS-GLOBAL, Director, Society for Vector Ecology (Indian Region) and Director, World Mosquito Association. Dr Ashwani Kumar is the recipient of 14 awards at the National and International levels, including ‘Outstanding Young Person of the World’ in 1998 in Manila; INSA-Royal Society Fellowship, NAVBD- Biotech International Award in 2013 and Fellowship Award by Punjab Sciences Academy in 2018, among others. He has widely travelled internationally. Dr Kumar is a team player, a natural motivator and believes in quality research through networking and team building.

Employment

  • Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences Vice Chancellor
    2025 - Present
  • Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences Pro Vice Chancellor
    2023 - 2025
  • Georgetown University, USA Adjunct Professor
    2021 - Present
  • Vector Control Research Centre Director
    2019 - 2023
  • National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit Panaji Goa Scientist-G (Director Grade) and OIC
    2016 - 2019

Education

  • Punjab Agricultural University Ph.D. specialization: Entomology
    1983 - 1987
  • Punjab University M.Sc. (Hons.) specialization : Entomology -1st class with Distinction
    1981 - 1983

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (222)