FABA Conclave Calls for Stronger Industry-Academia Collaboration at DYPIU Meet to Drive India’s Innovation Journey
Pune, 30th August 2025: Pune’s growing reputation as a hub for biotechnology and innovation got another boost on Saturday. The Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA), in association with D Y Patil International University (DYPIU) & Dr. D.Y.Patil College of Pharmacy in Akurdi, hosted the Pune–Mumbai Life Sciences Innovation Cluster Meet 2025.
FABA is a globally recognized platform that brings together academia, industry, startups, and government bodies to foster collaboration and drive innovation in the life sciences. With a presence across more than 22 countries, FABA champions biotech-led progress by promoting knowledge exchange, skilling, entrepreneurship, and policy dialogue. As a non-profit organization, FABA is committed to delivering long-term, sustainable impact in healthcare, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and allied sectors.
The conclave brought together top academicians, industry leaders, and policymakers to chart the region’s role in driving India’s innovation journey.
The meet opened with a welcome by Prof. Shashi Singh, Dean of R&D, DYPIU, followed by an address from Prof. Manish Bhalla, Vice Chancellor, DYPIU, who urged students to become job creators rather than job seekers. “Innovation and entrepreneurship are the cornerstones of India’s growth,” he said.
Speakers including Prof. Pallu Reddanna (Executive President, FABA), Prof. Prabhat Ranjan (Dr. D Y Patil Pratishthan) and Dr. Shekhar Mande (Former DG, CSIR) underlined that while India has excelled in areas like telecommunications, sectors like healthcare still need focused innovation.
A keynote address by Dr. Abhay Jere, Vice Chairman AICTE and Chief Innovation Officer, Ministry of Education, called for every higher education institution to have at least five formal MoUs with industry, alongside student internships, hackathons, and faculty sabbaticals in industry to bridge the academic–industry divide.
A roundtable discussion turned the spotlight on the Pune–Mumbai corridor as a fertile ground for collaboration. Panelists including Dr. Himanshu Gadgil (Enzene Biosciences), Prof. Sunil Bhagwat (IISER Pune), and Dr. Taru Sharma (NIAB) said students could be the “glue” connecting academia and industry, while research should focus on patents and products, not just publications.
Ecosystem leaders like Dr. Manish Diwan (BIRAC), Dr. Priya Nagaraj (Pune Innovation Cluster), and Dr. Premnath Venugopalan (Venture Center) highlighted the city’s unique strengths in nurturing startups and innovation-driven ventures.
The day ended with the FABA Awards, celebrating young innovators and doctoral researchers. The Dr. BS Bajaj Memorial FABA Excellence Award was bestowed upon Dr. Satendra Mangruthia for his groundbreaking work in agricultural biotechnology. The Dr. Yellapragada Subbarow FABA Young Innovator Award, which includes a cash prize of ₹5,00,000, was awarded to Dr. Pankti Ganatra for her revolutionary work in developing advanced 3D printing platforms for personalised medicines and nutraceuticals. In addition, three exceptional PhD students: Srinivas Duvvada (University of Hyderabad), Dr. Shantanu Sen (IIT Kanpur) and Ms. Pooja Sawant (ICT Mumbai) were recognized for their cutting-edge research with the Dr. Yellapragada Subbarow FABA Award for Doctoral Students, each receiving a cash prize of ₹1,00,000, Closing the event, Dr. Manoj Kumar (DYPIU) praised Pune’s rise as a knowledge hub and called for students to lead India’s innovation story.
