Ved Prakash Kamboj

Dr Ved Prakash Kamboj,FNASc., FNA (born 1937) is the president of the National Science Academy of India (NASc; 2005–2006) and ex-director, CDRI and CSIR Emeritus Scientist, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI).

Ved Prakash was born in a Punjabi family of Lamba Pind village, Jullundur, in the Punjab Province of British India, on 1 April 1937. He received his basic education from Jullundur city. He obtained hisB.Sc (Honours) in 1959, M.Sc. (Honours) in 1960, Ph.D. in 1965 and D.Sc. in 1970, all from Punjab University, Chandigarh.He took advanced training in Reproductive Biology and Contraceptive Technology in 1975 in West Germany, his field of specialisation being Reproductive Biology, Fertility Regulation and Endocrinology.

After graduation in 1960, Kamboj joined the Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, in 1961 as a research scientist where he later became the Head of the Department of Endocrinology, which position he held until 1981.In 1981, Kamboj was appointed the Deputy Director, Division ofEndocrinology of the Central Drug Research Institutewhich position he held till 1992. In 1992, he took over as Director, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and continued till 1997.From 2005 till 2006, he was the President of the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI).

Kamboj has been theChairmanof Review Committee on Genetic Manupulation (RCGM) 2007 and INSA Honorary Scientist 2006. He was also the Chairman of Biotech Consortium India Limited(BCIL) Proteomics for drug discovery 2003.

In 1989, Kamboj was elected a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA). He has beenAdministrative Member, Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Council in 1998, 1999, 2007 and 2008–2010and Member, Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Sec. Committee,1991-192, 2003–2005, and 2004–2006, and 2007.

Kamboj has won many distinctions and awards including Ranbaxy Research award 1992 in Medical Sciences. On 12 January 2000, he was also awarded the Vigyan Gaurav Award the Council of Science & Technology (CST), a division of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, for his contributions to medicine.Kamboj also holds honours like F.N.A.Sc. and F.N.A..

Kamboj has authored or co-authored over 300 research papers and articles appearing in Indian and international journals. He has been instrumental in the development of a nonsteroidal once-a-week contraceptive pill, ormeloxifene. He is the editor/author of several books including Chemistry and Biology of Herbal Medicine which is the proceeding of the conference held in January 1997 at CDRI, Lucknow.