Manthan 2026, a Research and Development Leadership Symposium, concluded successfully at Novotel, Mumbai, bringing together some of the most influential voices from India’s life sciences and clinical research ecosystem to deliberate on the future of research, innovation, and collaboration in the country.

DTMT Network 

The day-long symposium, powered by DiagnoSearch Life Sciences and instituted by The VASUs Foundation, was conceived as a strategic leadership platform to encourage evidence-based dialogue, cross-sector collaboration, and original research thinking within India’s rapidly evolving life sciences and healthcare research landscape.

Aligned with the theme “India in the Changing Landscape of Life-Sciences Research & Development,” Manthan 2026 emerged as a powerful forum to shape India’s next phase of growth in pharmaceutical research, clinical development, and innovation. The event brought together pharmaceutical leaders, R&D professionals, clinical researchers, policymakers, regulatory experts, and industry stakeholders to exchange perspectives, challenge conventional approaches, and outline a shared vision for India’s role as a global hub for high-quality research and development.

The symposium featured an eminent steering committee and expert speakers, including Dr. Vinod Mattoo, Executive Director, DiagnoSearch Life Sciences; Ms. Suneela Thatte, Head – R&D, Merck KGaA; Mr. Anirban Roy Chowdhury, Associate Vice President, Sun Pharma; Dr. 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; Mr. Saumil Mody, President – Commercials & Operations, Gennova; and Dr. Seema Pai, Senior Director – India & SEA Cluster, Pfizer.

Manthan 2026 featured four focused thematic sessions that addressed critical priorities for the sector:

The Future of Life Sciences R&D in India: The Innovation Leap; Next-Generation Therapeutics—Unlocking the Potential of mRNA, Cell and Gene Therapy; Building the Roadmap for Research on Tropical and Neglected Tropical Diseases; and Enabling Innovation—Developing India’s Life Sciences R&D Ecosystem of Talent, Infrastructure and Collaboration.

Through a series of keynote addresses, panel discussions, and real-world case studies, the symposium underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration, patient-centric research models, skill development, research excellence, and globally aligned regulatory and governance frameworks to translate scientific advancements into tangible healthcare outcomes.

Commenting on the successful conclusion of the symposium, Dr. Manisha Ginde, Co-Founder, President and Managing Director, DiagnoSearch Life Sciences, and Representative, The VASUs Foundation, said the depth and diversity of discussions reflected a shared commitment to advancing India’s research capabilities. “Manthan has provided a platform to strengthen India’s position as a global hub of innovation, clinical quality and translational science. It brings to life the vision of our late founder, Dr. Vasudeo Ginde, and will continue to evolve as a space for meaningful dialogue and collective progress in India’s life sciences industry,” she said.

Dr. Vinod Mattoo, Executive Director, DiagnoSearch Life Sciences, highlighted the robust participation from across the ecosystem. “The discussions witnessed exemplary engagement from pharmaceutical leaders, policymakers, academia, industry bodies and regulators. Actionable insights were shared on modernising research operations, strengthening compliance, accelerating innovation pipelines, and positioning India as a contributor to globally relevant research and evidence generation,” he said.

The symposium concluded with a reaffirmed consensus on the need to enable scientifically rigorous, ethically governed, and globally aligned research initiatives, while fostering sustained collaboration across stakeholders—key elements seen as essential to shaping India’s future as a leader in life sciences research and development.