Manthan 2026, the premier Research & Development Leadership Symposium, concluded successfully at Novotel, Mumbai, drawing senior leaders, policymakers, and experts from across India’s life sciences and clinical research ecosystem. The day-long event fostered critical dialogue on innovation, collaboration, and the country’s future in healthcare research.
Powered by DiagnoSearch Life Sciences and instituted by The VASUs Foundation, Manthan 2026 serves as a strategic platform to drive leadership, evidence-based discussion, and collaboration in India’s life sciences and healthcare R&D sectors. The symposium emphasizes advancing original research thinking and strengthening knowledge exchange across STEM disciplines.
Eminent speakers from the symposium’s steering committee included Dr Vinod Mattoo, Executive Director, DiagnoSearch; Suneela Thatte, Head – R&D, Merck KGaA; Anirban Roy Chowdhury, Associate VP, Sun Pharma; Chirag Trivedi, Global Head – CSU, Sanofi; Dr Manisha Ginde, Representative, The VASUs Foundation; Dr Pawan Singh, Head of Clinical Sciences, Kashiv Biosciences; Dr Sanish Davis, R&D Director, J&J Innovative Medicines, India; Dr Santosh Jha, Founding Medical Director, MAA24; Saumil Mody, President – Commercials & Operations, Gennova; and Dr Seema Pai, Senior Director – India & SEA Cluster, Pfizer.
Aligned with the theme, “India in the Changing Landscape of Life-Sciences Research & Development,” Manthan 2026 explored the next phase of India’s life sciences R&D. Participants—including pharmaceutical leaders, clinical researchers, policymakers, and regulatory experts—shared insights, challenged conventional thinking, and discussed India’s role as a global hub for high-quality research and innovation.
The symposium featured four thematic sessions: The Future of Life Sciences R&D in India: The Innovation Leap; Next-Gen Therapeutics: Unlocking the Future with mRNA, Cell, and Gene Therapy; Building the Roadmap for Research on Tropical Diseases, including Neglected Tropical Diseases; and Enabling Innovation: Building India’s Life Sciences R&D Ecosystem of Talent, Infrastructure, and Collaboration.
Through panel discussions, keynote addresses, and practical insights, Manthan 2026 highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration, patient-centric research, skill development, and globally aligned regulatory frameworks to translate scientific progress into real-world impact.
Speaking on the conclusion of the symposium, Dr Manisha Ginde, Co-Founder, President & Managing Director, DiagnoSearch Life Sciences, and Representative, The VASUs Foundation, said: "Manthan reflects a collective commitment to advancing India’s clinical research and life sciences R&D capabilities. The depth of dialogue and diversity of perspectives shared during the symposium highlight the importance of collaboration, quality, and innovation in shaping India’s next chapter in global healthcare research.
"The event has provided a platform aimed to strengthen India’s position as a global hub of innovation, clinical quality, and translational science. Manthan brings to life the vision of our late founder Dr Vasudeo Ginde and will continue to evolve as a platform for meaningful dialogue and collective progress, shaping the future of the Life Sciences industry in India.”
Dr Vinod Mattoo added: "The discussions at Manthan 2026 witnessed robust and exemplary participation from leaders across the pharmaceutical industry, policy-makers, industry bodies, academia and regulatory bodies, who shared actionable insights on modernizing research operations, bolstering compliance, speeding up innovation pipelines, and positioning India as a contributor to globally relevant research and evidence generation. The insights shared will help shape more collaborative and sustainable pathways for India’s R&D future.”
