Advanced Workshop on Food Processing and Analysis

Gurmeet is a scientist, inventor, and innovator with 25 years of experience in academia and food industry R&D, focused on "food-first" solutions for health, wellness, and environmental sustainability. Currently a Professor and Head of the Centre for Ayurveda Biology and Holistic Nutrition, he researches sustainable food-based solutions addressing nutrient deficiencies, metabolic and brain health, and value-added botanicals. He holds 25 patents, 20 publications, and has edited a book; he is passionate about teaching and has developed curricula, delivered workshops, and volunteered to teach science to young students. Gurmeet has a B.Tech from IIT Delhi, a Ph.D. from Penn State, and previous roles include faculty positions at Penn State and IIT Delhi, as well as Global R&D Director for disruptive innovation at Unilever. His accolades include the Best Teacher Award at Penn State, Unilever’s Best Patent Award, and the Global Compass Award for Innovation.

Dr. Bhupendar Singh Khatkar is ranked consecutively for last 5 years in the most coveted list of "Top 2% World Scientists" published by Stanford University, USA. He is recipient of Commonwealth Scholarship Award, Lalji Godhoo Smarak Nidhi Award, Prof. Carl Hoseney Award, best paper awards by the AACC, USA; ICFP, Malaysia & AFST (I), Mysore. In recognition of his outstanding research contribution, he was given appreciation certificate by GJUS&T, Hisar. He was nominated to the Research Board of Advisors of American Biographical Institute (ABI), USA. He also served the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists of India (AFSTI) as its National President. He received his Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from the University of Reading, Reading, England with financial support of Commonwealth Scholarship and Master’s degree in Food Technology from CFTRI, Mysore. He served the Department of Food Technology at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar as Head for 15 years and also served the University as Dean, Faculty of Environmental and Bio-sciences & Technology, Dean Student’s Welfare, Librarian, and Chief Warden. He had pleasure of working with Nestle (I) Ltd, Moga; Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and Indian Organic Chemicals Ltd., Mumbai. He is now associated with Megastar Foods Ltd, Chandigarh as General Manager of the Company. Dr Khatkar has about 37 years of R&D experience on wheat quality covering diverse aspects such as wheat grain quality, wheat milling, flour quality, gluten quality, dough rheology, structure and functionality of gluten, value addition and processing. He has published 4 books, filed two patents and published about 200 papers in the journals of national and international repute and presented many invited papers in the International & National Conferences. He has guided 200 Master’s students and 25 Ph.D. students for research projects.