Manthan 2026 advances dialogue on India’s clinical research and life sciences R&D ecosystem

Manthan 2026, a Research & Development Leadership Symposium, concluded successfully at Novotel, Mumbai. The insightful day-long symposium brought together eminent voices, leaders, and experts from across India’s life sciences and clinical research ecosystem to deliberate on the future of research, innovation, and collaboration in the country.

Powered by DiagnoSearch Life Sciences and instituted by The VASUs Foundation, Manthan is envisioned as a strategic platform to encourage leadership, collaboration, and evidence-based discussions within the life sciences and healthcare research ecosystem. The symposium focuses on advancing original research thinking and strengthening knowledge exchange across science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM).

The symposium featured eminent speakers,  part of the esteemed steering committee,  including Dr Vinod Mattoo, Executive Director, DiagnoSearch; Suneela Thatte, Head – R&D, Merck KGaA; Anirban Roy Chowdhury, Associate Vice President, Sun Pharma; Dr Chirag Trivedi, Global Head – CSU, Sanofi; Dr Manisha Ginde, Co-Founder, President & Managing Director, DiagnoSearch Life Sciences and  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 to the theme “India in the Changing Landscape of Life-Sciences Research & Development,” Manthan 2026 served as a powerful forum paving the way for India’s next phase of life sciences R&D. The symposium assembled pharmaceutical leaders, R&D professionals, clinical researchers, policymakers, and regulatory experts to share unique insights, challenge conventional thinking, and drive meaningful dialogue around the rapidly evolving landscape of drug discovery, research, and pharmaceutical innovation—while collectively shaping a shared future vision for India’s position as a global hub for high-quality research and development.

The one-day insightful symposium featured four focused 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
• Enabling Innovation: Building India’s Life Sciences R&D Ecosystem of Talent, Infrastructure, and Collaboration

Through a series of thought-provoking panel discussions, keynote addresses, and real-world insights, Manthan 2026 highlighted the importance of strong cross-sector collaboration, patient-centric research models, research excellence, skill development, and globally aligned regulatory and governance frameworks to translate scientific progress into real-world impact.

Speaking on the successful 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, Executive Director, DiagnoSearch Life Sciences, 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”

The symposium concluded with reconfirming the need to enable scientifically rigorous, ethically governed, and globally aligned research initiatives, while fostering collaboration across stakeholders.