Advisors
Dr Premnath V
Director, Venture Center
Dr. Premnath is Head, NCL Innovations at CSIR-NCL, and Founder Director, Venture Center (National award-winning inventive enterprises and deep tech incubator). He is a technology developer, innovation and incubation manager, startup mentor and a co-founder of two medtech startups. One of his inventions — a breakthrough material for hip and knee joint replacements — has been implanted in more than a million patients worldwide. Another technology for porous maxillo-facial implants has been implanted in thousands of patients in India and abroad. He has provided leadership for teams that have won national awards for technology development/biomedical products development, intellectual property management and business incubation. He is chemical engineer and an alumnus of MIT in the US, IIT-Bombay (Distinguished Alumnus, 2022) and has been a Chevening Technology Enterprise Scholar in Cambridge, UK.
Dr Gopakumar G. Nair
Designated Partner, GNANLex Associates LLP
Dr. Gopakumar G. Nair is a seasoned professional with over 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, having held key roles such as Director, Chairman & Managing Director, and Past-President of the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA). He earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune (1967), along with an M.Sc. (1962), a Diploma in Management (1974), an LL.B. (2008), and an LL.M. (2022) from Jindal Global Law School. Dr. Nair is an advocate and a member of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (Enrolment No. MS.2702/2009).
Currently, Dr. Nair heads Gopakumar Nair Associates, a leading IP/Patent Attorney firm, and serves as CEO of Patent Gurukul, a well-known patent training institute. A registered Patent and Trademark Agent, he is also a Scientific Adviser to the Patent Office under Rule 103 of the Patents Rules, 2003.
Dr. Nair is the Chairman of the IPR Committee at IDMA, an editor for publications like IDMA Bulletin, and President of the Bharat Education Society. He is also the founder and Honorary Chairman of the Centre for Intellectual Property Management (CIPROM). His career reflects a dedication to IP law, education, and global trade promotion.
Dr. Subhash P Chavan
Scientist, National Chemical laboratory
The team of highly motivated young chemists in Dr. Chavan’s group at CSIR-NCL, Pune is involved in the total synthesis of bioactive natural products and medicinally important drug molecules along with development of new synthetic methodologies.
