Dinakar Mashnu Salunke

Dinakar Mashnu Salunke (Kannada: ದಿನಕರ್ ಮಷ್ಣು ಸಾಳುಂಕೆ, Hindi: दिनकर मश्नु सालुंके) (Dinkar M. Salunke) is an eminent immunologist and a structural biologist born and brought up at Belgaum, Karnataka, India. Presently, he is the Director of International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) New Delhi. Earlier he was the Executive Director of newly established Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), an institution jointly set up by Department of Biotechnology (India) and UNESCO at Faridabad. He is the recipient of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in the category of biological sciences (year 2000) and Fellow of all major science academies in India.

Salunke earned his B.Sc. in Physics, Mathematics and Statistics (year 1976), and M.Sc. in Physics (year 1978) from Karnataka University, Dharwad. After completion of his M.Sc. with first class distinction, he joined Prof. M. Vijayan for his Ph.D. degree at Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He did his postdoctoral research at Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States (year 1985-88).

Salunke is married to Madhuri and the couple makes a complete family with their only daughter, Kaanchan. They live in Delhi.

Salunke joined National Institute of Immunology (NII), Delhi in year 1988 as staff scientist and is currently on lien (since March 2010) at (NII), Delhi. Since Nov 2015 Dr. Salunke is nurturing International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology as its Director. Previously he headed the newly established Regional Centre for Biotechnology, an institution of education, training and research as its first Executive Director (year 2010-2015). He has also served as Executive Director (additional charge) of Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Delhi (year 2010-2011).

For more than 3 decades, he has extensively worked in the field of immunology involving structural biology of immune recognition, molecular mimicry and allergy.

Salunke has received several medals, awards and fellowships both in India and overseas. He has been awarded coveted Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology (Category –Biological Sciences, Year 2000) from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). He is fellow of all the 3 major science academies in India e.g. Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS), Bangalore; Indian National Science Academy (INSA), Delhi; National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI), Allahabad. He was recently elected as Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

Other notable achievements include-

• National Bioscience Award (1999)
• Ranbaxy Research Award for Basic Research in Medical Sciences (2002)
• Outstanding Scientific Achievements, National Institute of Immunology (2000 & 2001)
• Prof RC Shah Memorial Award (2000)
• Dr CR Krishnamurthi Oration (2004)
• Dr AT Varute Oration (2005)
• JC Bose National Fellowship (2007)
• GN Ramachandran Gold Medal for Excellence in Biological Science & Technology from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India (2011)

• "Dr. Dinkar M. Salunke, recipient of S.S. Bhatnagar Award, year 2000". 
• "Dr. Dinkar M. Salunke, Fellow of science academies in India". 
• "Dr. Dinakar M. Salunke, recipient of GN Ramachandran Gold Medal for Excellency in Biological sciences and Technology".