Draft:Nirmala Chongtham

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Nirmala Chongtham
Born1961 (age 64–65)
Manipur, India
CitizenshipIndian
Alma materManipur University
Kurukshetra University
Known forResearch on bamboo shoot nutrition and food-to-food fortification
AwardsWorld Bamboo Ambassador (2015)
Bans Bhushan Award (2025)
Scientific career
FieldsBotany, Food Science, Phytochemistry
InstitutionsKurukshetra University
Panjab University
Thesis Investigation on male sterile pea

Nirmala Chongtham (born 1961) is an Indian botanist and academic who serves as a Professor in the Department of Botany at Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.[1][2] Her research focuses on the nutritional benefits, phytochemical screening, and processing methodologies of bamboo shoots. Her scholarly work has exerted a measurable impact on botanical food sciences, accumulating over 3,600 academic citations with an h-index of 29.[3] Her public and scientific contributions to the development of the bamboo sector have been widely documented in national mainstream and regional news media profiles.[4][5]

Early life and education

Chongtham was born in Manipur, India, to C.I. Singh and Kumudini Devi, and grew up in the Wahengbam Leikai neighborhood of Imphal.[6] She attended the Little Flower School in Imphal and went on to complete her Bachelor of Science degree in Botany Honors from Dhanamanjuri College of Science, affiliated with Manipur University, in 1983.[3]

She completed her Master of Science degree in Botany from Kurukshetra University in 1986. In 1991, she was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the same university for her doctoral thesis titled "Investigation on male sterile pea".

Chongtham later conducted post-doctoral research in plant biotechnology and genetic engineering at the Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Hannover, Germany, under a DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) fellowship.[2] She also received a fellowship from the Deutsche Stiftung für internationale Entwicklung (DSE) to study advanced biotechnology techniques in Leipzig, working in collaboration with the University of Hannover, Humboldt University of Berlin, and the Max Planck Institute in Cologne.[2]

Academic career and scientific impact

In 1991, following her doctoral studies, Chongtham began working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at Kurukshetra University, holding the position until 2000.[1] In 2000, she joined Panjab University, Chandigarh, as an Associate Professor, and was promoted to Full Professor in 2008.[1][7] Over the course of her academic career, she has supervised the research of more than 20 Ph.D. candidates.[7]

According to indexing databases, Chongtham's research has achieved broad discipline impact within agricultural food science, supported by multiple highly cited seminal papers.[3] Her 2018 study on the application of natural antioxidants from bamboo substrates published in Trends in Food Science & Technology received nearly 400 direct citations,[8] while her foundational assessments of emerging juvenile shoots and functional food properties have registered over 200 and 190 independent peer-reviewed citations respectively.[9][10] Her work on the evaluation of antioxidant capacities and functional targets has also been highlighted in international scientific industry press reviews.[11]

Her laboratory's animal model studies examining the phytomodulatory effects of edible bamboo on liver protection, cholesterol control, and diabetic markers have been highlighted extensively in mainstream media features by the daily national newspaper Amar Ujala.[12][13] In August 2019, her career and botanical research fields were profiled by national broadcaster All India Radio Imphal in a dedicated two-part feature program titled "English Talk: Amidst the Bending Clumps".[14][15]

Chongtham has received research grants from Indian funding bodies, including the University Grants Commission, the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.[1][7] She has also received international funding through the Ned Jaquith Foundation and the American Bamboo Society.[1][7]

World Bamboo Organization and workshops

Chongtham is actively involved with international bamboo advocacy networks. In 2015, the World Bamboo Organization (WBO) appointed her as a World Bamboo Ambassador from India.[6] Within the organization, she served as the Chair of the Technical Committee for the 10th World Bamboo Congress (WBC) held in South Korea in 2015, and as Co-Chair for the WBC held in Mexico in 2018.[6]

In February 2019, she acted as the National Coordinator for India's 3rd World Bamboo Workshop held in Imphal, Manipur. The global technology-exchange workshop was widely covered by national and regional press agencies for its role in showcasing the economic and food security potential of indigenous resources.[5][16][17][18] She also regularly speaks on policy frameworks intended to scale up the domestic bamboo-based processing economy to its national potential.[4]

In 2025, Chongtham was honored with the national Bans Bhushan Award at the 1st Rastriya Bans Utsav held at IIT Bombay, recognizing her research into addressing national dietary and nutritional deficiencies using processed bamboo shoot applications.[19]

Books and major publications

  • Chongtham, N. and Bisht, M.S. (2020). Bamboo Shoot: Superfood for Nutrition, Health and Medicine. CRC Press. 282 pages. ISBN 978-0367468163.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Faculty Profile Directory: Dr. Nirmala Chongtham". Panjab University Department of Botany. 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "National Scholar Database Profile: Nirmala Chongtham (ID 74113)". Vidwan National Information Centre - IRINS. 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c "Google Scholar Profile and Citation Index: Nirmala Chongtham". Google Scholar. 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "Bamboo-based economy has Rs 1L crore potential: Gadkari". The Times of India. September 19, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Manipur to host 3rd World Bamboo Workshop in Imphal". The Indian Express. February 1, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c "Global Ambassador Registry: Dr. Nirmala Chongtham". World Bamboo Organization. 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  7. ^ a b c d Official Curriculum Vitae Dossier: Professor C. Nirmala. Panjab University Faculty Records. 2023.
  8. ^ Nirmala, C.; David, E.; Sharma, M.L. (2007). "Changes in nutrient components during ageing of emerging juvenile bamboo shoots". International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 58 (8): 612–618. doi:10.1080/09637480701443427.
  9. ^ Nirmala, C.; Bisht, M.S.; Laishram, M. (2014). "Bioactive compounds in bamboo shoots: health benefits and prospects for developing functional foods". International Journal of Food Science and Technology. 49 (6): 1425–1431. doi:10.1111/ijfs.12444.
  10. ^ "Nutritional value of bamboo shoots". CABI Digital Library News. April 28, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  11. ^ "बांस की टहनी का सेवन करें: काॅलेस्ट्रॉल, शुगर घटाने and कैंसर से बचाने में सक्षम, शोध में हुआ साबित". Amar Ujala. December 23, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  12. ^ "प्रकृति का अनोखा तोहफा: बांस की फर्मेंटेड कोपलें बन सकती हैं किडनी की रखवाली, पीयू के शोध ने जगाई उम्मीद". Amar Ujala. June 8, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  13. ^ Chongtham, Nirmala (August 10, 2019). English Talk: Amidst the Bending Clumps Part 1 (Radio broadcast). All India Radio Imphal. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  14. ^ Chongtham, Nirmala (August 13, 2019). English Talk: Amidst the Bending Clumps (Concluding Part) (Radio broadcast). All India Radio Imphal. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  15. ^ "Manipur to host third edition of World Bamboo Workshop". Northeast Now. February 2, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  16. ^ "Manipur CM opens India's first World Bamboo Workshop in Imphal". Eastern Mirror Nagaland. February 5, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  17. ^ "World Bamboo Workshop kicks off in Manipur". The Sangai Express / E-Pao News. February 5, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  18. ^ "Dr Nirmala Chongtham honored with Bans Bhushan Award at 1st Rastriya Bans Utsav 2025 at IIT Bombay". E-Pao News Features. March 9, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  19. ^ Chongtham, Nirmala; Bisht, M.S. (2020). "Bamboo Shoot: Superfood for Nutrition, Health and Medicine". Routledge / CRC Press. ISBN 978-0367468163. Retrieved June 9, 2026.

Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Panjab University faculty Category:Kurukshetra University faculty Category:Indian botanists Category:Indian women scientists Category:People from Imphal Category:21st-century Indian biologists

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