Indira Nath

Indira Nath
Born	(1938-01-14) 14 January 1938 Delhi, India
Died	24 October 2021(2021-10-24) (aged 83)
Occupation(s)	Immunologist, pathologist, medical biotechnologist, infectious disease specialist
Years active	1970s–2021
Known for	Research on immune tolerance, nerve impairment in leprosy, markers of leprosy bacillus viability; founding AIIMS Department of Biotechnology
Notable work	Over 120 scientific articles on leprosy immunology and pathology

Indira Nath (14 January 1938 – 24 October 2021) was a distinguished Indian immunologist recognized for her contributions to understanding immune tolerance, nerve impairment in leprosy, and identifying markers indicating the viability of the leprosy-causing bacillus. Her areas of specialization encompassed immunology, pathology, medical biotechnology, and infectious diseases.

Career

Nath completed her MBBS at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, followed by an MD in pathology after undertaking training in the United Kingdom. During the 1970s, India was home to the largest global population affected by leprosy, estimated at around 4.5 million individuals.

In 1970, she was awarded a Nuffield Fellowship in the UK, focusing on immunology and infectious diseases with an emphasis on leprosy. Her mentors included Professor John Turk at the Royal College of Surgeons and Dr. RJW Rees at London’s National Institute for Medical Research.

Determined to support scientific progress in India without contributing to brain drain, Nath returned after three years abroad. She joined the Department of Biochemistry under Professor Gursaran Talwar at AIIMS, which had recently initiated immunology research programs. In 1980, she transitioned to AIIMS’s Department of Pathology and went on to establish the Department of Biotechnology there in 1986. Although she retired in 1998, she remained active as an INSA-SN Bose Research Professor at AIIMS.

Nath was one of a select group of 100 scientists who advised Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on strategies to advance science in India. In 2002, she received a Doctor of Science degree from Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris. Subsequently, she was invited to serve as Dean at AIMST University in Malaysia and as Director of the Blue Peter Research Centre (Lepra Research Centre) in Hyderabad.

Research

Her investigations centered on cellular immune mechanisms and nerve injury associated with human leprosy, alongside identifying survival markers for the leprosy bacillus. Authoring over 120 scientific articles including invited reviews and perspectives published internationally, her groundbreaking research has played a vital role in enhancing therapeutic approaches and vaccine development against leprosy.

On Leprosy

During a Doordarshan interview, Indira Nath stated that the social stigma linked to leprosy never personally affected her. She characterized the leprosy bacillus as a slow-replicating microorganism that tends to coexist rather than cause fatal outcomes. She explained that leprosy is considerably less contagious than common respiratory infections such as cold or influenza, with an incubation period extending over several years. The primary issue stems from nerve damage leading to deformities, which often causes fear among patients.

The adoption of Multi Drug Therapy by the World Health Organization (WHO) in India starting in 1982 resulted in a significant reduction in leprosy prevalence—from 57.8 cases per 10,000 population in 1983 down to below 1 per 10,000 by 2005—when India announced achieving the WHO elimination goal. The efforts of scientists including Indira Nath were instrumental in this achievement.

Awards

Year	Award	Awarding Organisation
2003	Silver Banner	Tuscany, Italy
2003	Chevalier Ordre National du Merite	Government of France
2002	Women in Science (Asia Pacific) award	L'Oréal UNESCO
1999	Padmashri	Government of India
1995	RD Birla Award
1995	Cochrane Research Award	UK Government
1994	Basanti Devi Amir Chand Award	ICMR
1990	Om Prakash Bhasin Award
1988	Clayton Memorial Lecture Award
1987	1st Nitya Anand Endowment Lecture Award	INSA
1984	Kshanika Award	ICMR
1983	Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Award	Government of India
1981	JALMA Trust Oration	ICMR

Honours

She was named a Fellow of several prestigious institutions, including the National Academy of Sciences, India in Allahabad (1988), the Indian Academy of Sciences in Bangalore (1990), the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in 1992, the National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) also in 1992, the Royal College of Pathology (1992), and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) in 1995. Her leadership roles encompassed serving as a Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet, holding the position of Foreign Secretary at INSA from 1995 to 1997, being a Council Member during 1992–94 and again from 1998 to 2006, and acting as Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad between 2001 and 2003. Additionally, she chaired the Women Scientists Programme under India's Department of Science and Technology in 2003.

Among her numerous accolades, she was honored with the Padma Shri award by the Government of India in 1999 and received the L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science in 2002.

See also

• Timeline of women in science