Lalita Ledwani

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT LALITA LEDWANI

I have been a Professor of Chemistry at Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) since July 2014 and currently serve as Dean, Research, International Collaboration, and Academic Administration; having joined the MUJ, India as Associate Professor and Founder Head, Chemistry Department on September 1, 2011. With over 23 years of post-PhD experience in higher education and research, I have contributed with best of my ability in the growth of Manipal University Jaipur and Pandit Deendayal Petroleum (now Energy) University, Gujarat, as a founding faculty member. Over the past 14 years of my association with MUJ, I have contributed significantly to the academic and institutional development of MUJ, holding several key administrative positions such as Dean, Faculty of Science (2021–2024); Director, School of Basic Sciences (2018–2024); Controller of Examinations (2016–2018); Library Advisor (2015–2017); Presiding Officer, Internal Committee (2011–2013; 2019–2021); and Coordinator, R&D Division (2011–2012). My research interests span natural products, plasma surface modification, and green nanomaterials. I have secured over 21 Cr (as PI/CoPI/Mentor) research funding through 11 external funded projects, including the DST-PURSE 2023 (₹10 Cr) grant as the coordinator and PI, and published 85+ peer-reviewed papers, 8 patents, 3 international books, beside over 50 keynote/invited talks and 70+ conference papers. I am honored to be the recipient of prestigious awards, including the SMC 2022 Bronze Medal Award by the Society for Materials Chemistry (SMC), BARC, Mumbai, the Women Scientist Award 2022 from DST, Govt. of Rajasthan, and the 2015 Research Grant Award from KWEF, Japan. In addition to academic leadership, I have actively contributed to national and international scientific governance through committee memberships and project evaluations for ANR-France; UKRI-UK; MBRU-UAE; UGC; DST, Govt. of Rajasthan, and BRNS. I have also been invited/visiting faculty at different institutions, including the University of Oklahoma (USA), DoST Philippines, UPSC New Delhi, IPR Gandhinagar, IIT Madras, NFSU Gandhinagar, and BARC Mumbai. I have also played a pivotal role in organizing several academic events, including the RTRCS 2014, 1-5 RAMSACT (20••••25) conferences, 3rd RSC (2015), SMC-NWMC 2019, 1-4 DST-INSPIRE camps (20••••17), etc. With a firm commitment to do the best, I continue to mentor postdoctoral, doctoral, postgraduate, and undergraduate researchers while fostering innovation, sustainability, and academic collaboration at national and global levels.