Renowned Scientist Girish Sahni, Former CSIR Director General, Dies

Former CSIR Director General Girish Sahni, renowned for his work on clot busters for cardiovascular disease treatment, passed away on Monday at the age of 68, according to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The CSIR expressed their sorrow in a post on X, stating, "The CSIR family mourns the loss of its former Director General, Dr Girish Sahni."

Significant Contributions in Biotechnology

Sahni's expertise lay in protein engineering, molecular biology, and biotechnology. He made substantial contributions to the development of protein cardiovascular drugs, particularly clot busters and their mechanisms within the human body. His team was instrumental in creating India's first indigenous clot busters, including natural streptokinase and recombinant streptokinase.

Born on March 2, 1956, Sahni completed his PhD at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. His postdoctoral career included positions at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Rockefeller University in New York, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Technological Innovations and Licensing

One of Sahni's notable achievements was developing clot-specific streptokinase. In 2006, the licensing rights for this drug were sold to Nostrum Pharmaceuticals in New Jersey, USA. Former CSIR Director General Shekhar Mande remarked on X, "His work on streptokinase was a blockbuster, what he used to call as a clot buster. His was one of the most visible tech transfers in Indian Academia."

Sahni joined the CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology in Chandigarh in 1991 and became its Director in 2005. He later served as CSIR Director General from 2015 to 2018.

Sahni's legacy includes significant advancements in biotechnology and protein engineering. His contributions have had a lasting impact on cardiovascular treatment options and scientific research within India.