Leshma Manogna Ramappagari | Food Security | Best Researcher Award

Published-on by Indian Scientist

Prof. Leshma Manogna Ramappagari | Food Security | Best Researcher Award

BITS Pilani, India

Author Profile

ORCID

GOOGLE SCHOLAR

🎓 EARLY ACADEMIC PURSUITS

Dr. Leshma Manogna R. began her interdisciplinary academic journey with a B.E. in Computer Science & Engineering from BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus (2013), followed by an MBA in Analytics & Finance from the prestigious Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai (2016). Her passion for blending quantitative analysis with socio-economic research culminated in her Ph.D. in Agricultural Commodity Markets from BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus (2021).

🏢 PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS

Transitioning seamlessly between academia and industry, Dr. Manogna’s early professional experience includes impactful roles such as:

  • Consultant Analyst at Meritus Analytics (WPP), Bangalore (2013–2014)

  • Analytics Consultant at FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation), Bangalore (2016–2017)

Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics & Finance at BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus since May 2021, where she teaches Financial Management, Security Analysis, and Portfolio Management.

📚 CONTRIBUTIONS AND RESEARCH FOCUS IN FOOD SECURITY

Her doctoral work titled:
“Market Efficiency and Financialization of Indian Agricultural Commodity Markets: An Empirical Investigation”
lays a robust empirical foundation for understanding agricultural market dynamics, a vital area intersecting food security, economic resilience, and agribusiness policy.

Her ongoing projects sponsored by NABARD and ICSSR examine the impact of e-NAM (electronic National Agricultural Market) on farmer participation in Goa and Maharashtra, offering strategic insights into digital agri-market integration and its role in enhancing food system efficiency.

🏅 ACADEMIC CITATIONS, ACCOLADES AND RECOGNITION

Awards & Honours:

  • Director’s Young Investigator Award, BITS Pilani Research Awards, 2025

  • Young Woman Researcher in Commodity Markets, Venus International Foundation, 2025

  • Her Research, Our Future Award, Ministry of Education & ICSSR, 2024

  • Young Scientist Award, International Conference for Award Winners, 2021

  • University 3rd Rank & Bronze Medal, NMIMS, Mumbai, 2016

Her research is frequently cited in academic and policy-oriented studies related to agricultural market efficiency, financial econometrics, and agribusiness development.

🌍 IMPACT AND INFLUENCE

Dr. Manogna’s research is directly aligned with rural economic transformation, agricultural financial inclusion, and commodity market policy reforms. Her contributions influence:

  • National agricultural strategies

  • Digital transformation of markets (e-NAM)

  • Farmer-centric policy implementations

Through field research and data-driven analysis, she bridges theory and practice, positively influencing rural livelihoods and market access.

🧭 LEGACY AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS

Dr. Manogna is steadily shaping a legacy centered on:

  • Empowering Indian farmers through market literacy

  • Enhancing commodity market transparency

  • Pioneering econometric models for agricultural systems

Her future research intends to extend to:

  • Climate-resilient commodity pricing

  • Technology adoption in agri-finance

  • Food security risk mitigation strategies

 ✅CONCLUSION

With a rare blend of computational acumen, financial insight, and agricultural expertise, Dr. Leshma Manogna R. exemplifies a multi-disciplinary scholar deeply committed to the transformation of India’s agricultural markets. Her work resonates with national priorities of food security, digital agriculture, and financial empowerment, making her an influential figure in economic research and rural development.

🔬NOTABLE PUBLICATION:

Title: Enhancing agricultural commodity price forecasting with deep learning
Author(s): R. L. Manogna, Vijay Dharmaji, S. Sarang
Journal: Scientific Reports
Year: 2025

Title: Nourished Nations: Investigating the Dynamics of Food Security, Energy Efficiency and Trade Openness in Emerging Economies
Author(s): Manogna R. L, Aishwarya Naidu, Peeyush Kumar Jha
Journal: Food and Energy Security
Year: 2025

Title: A novel hybrid neural network-based volatility forecasting of agricultural commodity prices: empirical evidence from India
Author(s): R. L. Manogna, Vijay Dharmaji, S. Sarang
Journal: Journal of Big Data
Year: 2025

Title: A bibliometric analysis on the application of deep learning in finance: status, development and future directions
Author(s): R. L. Manogna, Aayush Anand
Journal: Kybernetes
Year: 2024

Title: Does internationalization and board diversity affect family firms’ sustainable performance? Empirical evidence from an emerging economy
Author(s): Madhura Godbole, Manogna R. L.
Journal: Business Strategy & Development
Year: 2024

Thivya Perumal | Food Security | Best Researcher Award

Published-on by Indian Scientist

Dr. Thivya Perumal | Food Security | Best Researcher Award

National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India

Author Profile

SCOPUS

🎓 EARLY ACADEMIC PURSUITS

Dr. P. Thivya laid a strong academic foundation in Food Processing and Technology, completing her Ph.D. from a reputed Indian institute specializing in food technology. She holds an M.Tech in Food Process Engineering and a B.Tech in Food Technology from well-recognized Indian institutions. Her consistent academic excellence is reflected in her high-grade achievements throughout her studies.

🏢 PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS

Currently serving as an Assistant Professor in Food Process Engineering at a prestigious National Institute of Technology (NIT) in India, Dr. Thivya is actively involved in teaching, guiding research projects, and publishing cutting-edge work in food technology. She has also participated in organizing national-level symposiums and workshops aimed at student development and research dissemination.

📚 CONTRIBUTIONS AND RESEARCH FOCUS ON FOOD SECURITY

Dr. Thivya’s research significantly contributes to the broader goal of Food Security, with a strong focus on:

  • Biodegradable Food Packaging
    Developing oil- and water-resistant coatings using biopolymers derived from agro-waste.

  • Waste Valorization
    Transforming onion waste and tamarind seed polysaccharides into valuable, eco-friendly materials.

  • Functional Foods
    Enriching food systems with micronutrients to combat malnutrition, especially among vulnerable populations.

  • Product Development
    Innovating with underutilized crops and developing new food products like tamarind leaf-based jelly with health benefits.

🏅 ACADEMIC CITES, ACCOLADES AND RECOGNITION

Dr. Thivya’s academic footprint includes:

  • Peer-Reviewed Publications

    • “A Review on Biopolymer-Based Oil and Water-Resistant Functional Paper Coating for Food Packaging” published in Food Bioscience, 2025.
      (Authors: Thivya T., Carolina Krebs de Souza, Thaís Costa Nihues, Kirtiraj K. Gaikwad, Swarup Roy)

  • Awards and Recognition

    • Second Prize at an International Conference on Advances in Food Processing Technology.

    • Best Poster Award at a national-level symposium on food technology innovation.

🌍 IMPACT AND INFLUENCE

Dr. Thivya’s work impacts multiple dimensions:

  • Sustainability
    By converting waste into packaging and food products, she reduces environmental impact.

  • Public Health
    Her focus on micronutrient enhancement contributes to addressing nutritional deficiencies.

  • Rural Development
    Promotes low-cost technologies that can be adopted by small-scale food producers.

🧭 LEGACY AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS

Dr. Thivya’s forward-looking research initiatives include:

  • Scaling Eco-Friendly Packaging Technologies
    Making sustainable food packaging materials commercially viable.

  • Nutrition-Focused Food Innovation
    Creating fortified food products for school meal programs and rural health schemes.

  • Policy Input
    Potential to influence food safety, packaging waste, and nutrition policies through evidence-based research.

 ✅CONCLUSION

Dr. P. Thivya represents a new generation of food scientists committed to sustainability, public health, and innovation. Her interdisciplinary approach combines engineering, nutrition, and environmental science to tackle real-world food system challenges. Her ongoing work in biodegradable packaging and functional food development is poised to leave a lasting impact on both academia and society.

 🔬NOTABLE PUBLICATION:

Title: A review on biopolymer-based oil and water-resistant functional paper coating for food packaging

  • Authors: Thivya Perumal, Carolina Krebs de Souza, Thaís Costa Nihues, Prachi Jain, Kirtiraj K. Gaikwad, and Swarup 
  • Journal: Food Bioscience
  • Year: 2025