Dr. Anoop P. Balan has over 15 years of research experience in Plant Taxonomy, flora documentation, and the conservation of threatened plant species. He has discovered several new plant species from the Western Ghats of India, and has authored one book and published more than 40 research papers in reputed national and international journals. He is a recognized expert in Indian Fabaceae and serves as a member of the International Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG). Dr. Anoop is also one of the editors of the World Checklist of Vascular Plants – Fabaceae, a global initiative led by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He is a highly regarded resource person in various Regional/National/International Seminars or Conferences conducted in related to Plant Taxonomy, and floristic diversity of Western Ghats.

With 5 years of experience in the field of forestry, agriculture specializing in genetics and microbial interactions with plants. Studied reproductive incompatibility of plantation trees during my tenure with Kerala Forest Research Institute and subsequently worked on microbial biopesticide formulations with Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. Authored 2 scientific papers in the above specialized areas. I was also associated with CGH earth experience hotels in sustainable landscaping and community based eco - tourism activities in Periyar Tiger Reserve. Marketing of environmental sustainability practices, community based programmes to guests. Worked as in-charge of the environmental and sustainable technology interpretation centre. The Centre’s responsibility included interpretation of sustainability practices, implementation of sustainable technologies. I was part of Joint Venture with Mathrubhoomi daily in developing online education modules for NEET, AIIMS aspirants (2011 - 2022). During this tenure had the opportunity to develop Dr. Flowers MCAT online prep modules in biochemistry and microbiology for Canadian audience (2011 - 2017).

Dr. Lekshmy M.S is a dedicated Ayurvedic physician and researcher with a postgraduate specialization in Dravyaguna Vijnanam. She combines strong academic grounding with practical clinical expertise, reflecting both scientific rigor and traditional Ayurvedic wisdom. A distinguished alumna of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College, she secured a university rank and has consistently demonstrated excellence in research methodology and medical statistics. Her professional focus lies in phytochemical profiling, drug standardization, and medicinal plant–based drug discovery. Dr. Lekshmy has conducted extensive pharmacological studies on medicinal flora, including evaluation of antioxidant, wound-healing, and anticancer activities, contributing to evidence-based validation of Ayurveda. Her academic contributions include multiple peer-reviewed publications and an award-winning research presentation on medicinal plant drug development. Alongside research, she maintains strong clinical proficiency in Panchakarma therapies and para-surgical procedures such as Jalooka Avacharana (leech therapy) and Agni Karma. She is nationally qualified through NTET and certified in pharmacovigilance by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre, strengthening her expertise in drug safety monitoring and therapeutic practice. Dr. Lekshmy actively contributes to academic and professional development within AYUSH systems, serving as a national-level CME organizer and collaborator with the Karnataka State Medicinal Plants Authority. A multilingual consultant fluent in English, Malayalam, Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Kannada, she effectively engages with diverse patient populations and academic communities.

Dr. Reshma Ashok is an emerging botanist and plant taxonomist, whose academic career reflects strong excellence in plant systematics, biodiversity conservation, and ecological modelling. She has developed notable expertise in the taxonomy and ecology of endemic flora of the Western Ghats. Demonstrating sustained academic commitment and research capability, she pursued doctoral research in Botany and successfully completed her Ph.D. in 2024. Her doctoral work focused on plant taxonomy, ecological niche modelling, and conservation-oriented botanical research, particularly involving endemic species of the Western Ghats. One of Dr. Reshma Ashok’s major academic achievements is her peer-reviewed research publication in the Indian Journal of Forestry (2023) titled “Predicting the geographical distribution of Impatiens parasitica (Balsaminaceae), an epiphytic species endemic to the Southern Western Ghats, India.” Her study applied advanced ecological modelling techniques such as Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) analysis to predict habitat suitability of an endemic balsam species. The research contributed significantly to biodiversity conservation planning by identifying potential habitats and emphasizing climate-related threats to endemic flora. The model achieved high predictive accuracy, demonstrating her strong analytical and research skills. Dr. Reshma has actively contributed to the scientific community through national and international academic platforms. She has presented multiple research papers at seminars and conferences, including an International Seminar on Plant Science Research (2022) and several national seminars focusing on plant taxonomy, floral biology, and systematics. Her presentations addressed themes such as the genus Impatiens in the Western Ghats, floral phenology of endemic species, and taxonomic studies on the family Eriocaulaceae. Notably, she reported work related to the discovery and study of a new species, Eriocaulon pradeepii, highlighting her contribution to regional floristic documentation. Beyond research publications and presentations, Dr. Reshma possesses extensive experience in botanical illustration, an important skill in taxonomic documentation and scientific communication. She is proficient in digital analytical tools used in systematic biology, including image analysis software such as ImageJ, reflecting her integration of modern computational approaches with classical botany. Her academic journey demonstrates a consistent record of excellence, combining high scholastic achievement, original research contributions, conference participation, and technical expertise. With strong foundations in taxonomy, ecological modelling, and conservation biology, Dr. Reshma Ashok represents a promising researcher committed to understanding and preserving the unique plant diversity of the Western Ghats.