New Delhi, March 18, 2026
A conference on “Leveraging Space to Speed Up Pharmaceutical Research in India” was organised at the Management Education and Research Institute (MERI), Janakpuri, in association with SIA-India and the MERI Department of Space Studies. The event brought together experts from the space, research, and pharmaceutical sectors to explore how space technology can accelerate advancements in pharmaceutical research.
Prof. Lalit Aggarwal, Vice President of MERI Group of Institutions, delivered the introductory address, highlighting the growing role of space technologies in pharmaceutical research and the need to build relevant skills among the younger generation.
Lt Gen (Dr.) P. J. S. Pannu (Retd), Chief Mentor, DSS-MERI, spoke on the potential of space-based technologies to benefit the pharmaceutical sector. He also highlighted India’s upcoming Bharatiya Antariksh Station, planned by ISRO, and its possible applications in research and innovation.
Delivering the keynote address, Air Mshl P. Bandopadhyay discussed the emerging field of space medicine and outlined the strategic roadmap for India’s Human Spaceflight Programme, including Gaganyaan and beyond. He elaborated on physiological and neurosensory challenges during space missions, along with pre-flight quarantine protocols, aeromedical training, and the role of Global Navigation Satellite Systems and remote health monitoring.
AVM Anupam Agarwal highlighted emerging commercial opportunities beyond Earth, including research in microgravity, Mars missions, and the use of 3D-printing technologies to support human space travel.
The technical session featured presentations by Mr. Tejpaul Bhatia, Mr. Anjan Sen, Dr. Neeta Kumar (ICMR), Air Cmde Sandeep Arora, Sree Supranayi, and Dr. Parijat Pandey. Speakers discussed how space-based capabilities can support pharmaceutical research, particularly in areas such as drug development, testing, and advanced diagnostics.
A roundtable discussion, moderated by Lt Gen (Dr.) P. J. S. Pannu (Retd), focused on strengthening the use of space technologies for the development of the pharmaceutical sector. The session encouraged dialogue between researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers on collaborative pathways.
Lt Gen (Dr.) P. J. S. Pannu (Retd) and Shri Ravi Ailawadhi also felicitated students of the MERI Space Club with certificates and awards for their participation and contributions.
The conference concluded with closing remarks by Shri Ravi Ailawadhi, who summarised the key deliberations and emphasised the importance of collaboration between space scientists, researchers, and the pharmaceutical industry to drive innovation in India.
