Pragya D. Yadav
{{Short description|Indian virologist and researcher}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox scientist
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| name = Pragya D. Yadav
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1978|07|01}}
| birth_place = Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
| other_names = PD Yadav
Pragya Dhruv Yadav
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| citizenship = {{IND}}
| nationality = Indian
| fields = Molecular biology
Virology
Biocontainment
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| education = B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
| alma_mater = Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University
University of Pune
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| known_for = Research contributions in the field of communicable diseases and pathogenic viral infections.
Animal studies to develop Covid-19 vaccines Covaxin and ZyCoV-D in India.
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| awards = Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar: Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award by Government of India (2024) Bharat Bhagya Vidhata Award by Ministry of Culture (2022)
NAMS's Dr. Vinod Kumar Bhargava Award (2021)
ICMR's Major General Saheb Singh Sokhey Award (2017)
ICMR's Dr. T Ram Chandra Rao Award (2012)
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Pragya D. Yadav (born 1 July 1978) is an Indian scientist at the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), who is known for her research contributions in the field of communicable diseases and highly pathogenic viral infections, such as Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Nipah, Ebola, leading to improvising national public health surveillance policy for interventions and management. Yadav is among the scientists who detected the first three COVID-19 pandemic cases in India.{{cite news |last1=Bhardwaj |first1=Shalini |title=ICMR played crucial role in India's COVID-19 fightback: Scientist |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/icmr-played-crucial-role-in-indias-covid-19-fightback-scientist20220402110005/ |publisher=Asian News International |date=2 April 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Faisal |first1=Mohd |title=भारत ने कोरोना पर पाया काबू, वैज्ञानिक प्रज्ञा यादव ने कहा- ICMR ने इस लड़ाई में निभाई महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका |url=https://www.jagran.com/news/national-icmr-played-crucial-role-in-india-covid19-fightback-scientist-pragya-yadav-22592113.html |publisher=Dainik Jagaran |date=2 April 2022 |language=Hindi}}{{cite news |last1=Rana |first1=Chahat |title=The hits and misses of India's ambitious COVID-19 genome sequencing project |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/health/the-hits-and-misses-of-indias-ambitious-covid19-genome-sequencing-project |publisher=The Caravan |date=13 May 2022}} She headed the team that developed Covaxin, the first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine in India {{cite news |last1=Biraia Jaiswal |first1=Pooja |title=Hope for a better tomorrow reigned supreme at THE WEEK's Women's Day event |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/specials/2022/03/11/hope-for-a-better-tomorrow-reigned-supreme-at-the-weeks-womens-day-event.html |publisher=The Week |date=13 March 2022}}
She was conferred the 2017 Major Gen Saheb Singh Sokhey Award in October 2019 by the Indian Council of Medical Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.{{cite news |title=Harsh Vardhan honours three National Institute of Virology scientists |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/pune-harsh-vardhan-honours-three-national-institute-of-virology-scientists-6078598/ |newspaper=Indian Express |date=20 October 2019}} She was selected as fellow of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japan. She was elected fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India.
Early life and career
She was born on 1 July 1978, in Kui Kol, Sant Kabir Nagar district, in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. She studied at Sarswati Shishu Mandir in Tanda, Ambedkar Nagar, from 1984 to 1989 and attended Vidyut Parishad Intermediate College, Tanda, from 1989 to 1995. She holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University. She completed a Doctoral degree at the ICMR-National Institute of Virology in affiliation with the University of Pune in 2004.{{cite web |title=Pragya D Yadav |url=https://naas.org.in/detail.php?id=811 |website=Naas.org.in |publisher=National Academy of Agricultural Sciences |date=2021}}
Work
Yadav joined ICMR-National Institute of Virology in 2003. In 2006, she traveled to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, for Biosafety level four laboratory (BSL 4) management training. After returning from the US, she was involved in setting up the BSL 4 lab at NIV, which was operationalized in 2013.{{cite news |title=Vaccine women |work=Spectrum |publisher=The Sunday Tribune |date=8 May 2022 |location=Chandigarh}} She is in-charge of Biosafety level 4 (BSL 4) laboratory at the National Institute of Virology (NIV). Yadav was instrumental in isolating the SARS-CoV-2 virus and conducting animal studies to develop indigenous Covid-19 vaccines Covaxin and ZyCoV-D. She has expertise in Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Nipah, Ebola, Hantaan orthohantavirus, Kyasanur Forest disease, Viral hemorrhagic fever and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. Her clinical research includes co-authoring 226 peer-reviewed articles in the past 17 years.{{cite web |title=Pragya D. Yadav, ICMR National Institute Of Virology Pune, MH |url=https://www.medifind.com/doctors/pragya-d-yadav/314228145 |website=Medifind.com |access-date=2 August 2022}}
Yadav is a member of the Advisory Council of the International Society on Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in 2017. She is a Task Force member of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Standards Assays Nipah in 2019. She is also a member of the WHO SEARO Expert Reference Group on the Nipah virus in 2020.
In one of her research studies published in April 2022 by the Indian Journal of Medical Research, in which she wrote that there is no evidence to claim that bat coronaviruses can cause disease in humans and also bat coronaviruses have no relation with SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |title=Presence of 'bat coronavirus' found in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, says ICMR study |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/science/icmr-study-finds-presence-of-bat-coronavirus-in-two-indian-bat-species/1928630/ |newspaper=The Financial Express (India) |date=15 April 2020}}
Awards and recognition
Pragya D Yadav was awarded the Bharat Bhagya Vidhata Award by the Ministry of Culture (India) in March 2022. The award was presented by the former Union health minister J. P. Nadda at the Red Fort.{{cite news |title=NIV scientist awarded for work on vaccine development in India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/niv-scientist-awarded-for-work-on-vaccine-development-in-india/articleshow/90579686.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |date=1 April 2022}} The National Academy of Medical Sciences conferred the Dr. Pran Nath Chhuttani Oration Award for 2021-2022.{{cite news |title=NAMS Orations Awards - 2022-2023 |url=https://www.nams-india.in/downloads/cmeevents/NAMS-ORATION%202022-2023.pdf |work=Nams-India.in |date=23 May 2022}} She was awarded the Dr. K.M. Bhansali Oration award by the Indian Association of Occupational Health, Mumbai, in 2021 followed by the Dr. Vinod Kumar Bhargava Award by the National Academy of Medical Sciences in the same year. In October 2019, Yadav was honoured with the Major General Saheb Singh Sokhey Award 2017 by the Indian Council of Medical Research for research on the public health importance of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in India.{{cite web |title=ICMR Awards & Prizes 2017 & 2018 |url=https://sts.icmr.org.in/Result/ICMR_Award_2017-18_Booklet.pdf |publisher=ICMR |page=15}} The award was given by the Union Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan. In 2012, she was awarded the ICMR's Dr. T Ram Chandra Rao Award by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
She has received many other awards such as:
- Young Scientist Awards, by the National Academy of Vector-Borne Disease Association, 2013
- Research Foundation ICMR-NIV, Achievers of the year 2016-2017
- Exemplary Services Award by the Indian Council of Medical Research for work on Nipah virus, 2019
- Indian Virology Society Award, 2019
- COVID Worrier Award by the Governor of Maharashtra, 2020
- Amritsar Award, by the National Academy of Medical Sciences, Government of India, 2021
- Outstanding COVID-19 Frontline Warrior Award for the COVID-19 work, by the National Academy of Sciences, India, 2021
References
{{reflist}}13. Dr Pragya Yadav bags Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award; becomes 1st woman among ICMR scientists to win:https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/dr-pragya-yadav-vigyan-yuva-shanti-swarup-bhatnagar-award-woman-imcr-scientists-9505234/
14. Dr. Pragya from Ayodhya Honored by the President: Vice-Chancellor of Avadh Universityhttps://wortheum.news/award/@ayodhya-mandal/dr-pragya-from-ayodhya-honored-by-the-president-vice-chancellor-of-avadh-university
External links
- [https://niv.co.in/profiles/pdyadavpr.htm Pragya D. Yadav's Profile] on National Institute of Virology
- [https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/understanding-monkeypox-protection-spread-consequences-7939675/ Monkeypox is largely a self-limiting disease, but high-risk groups can have severe consequences] at Indian Express
- [https://mobile.twitter.com/indiatoday/status/1510266312643256322 Dr Pragya Yadav's interview] with India Today
- {{Google Scholar ID | id= F2KFdPUAAAAJ}}
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Category:Indian Council of Medical Research
Category:Scientists from Uttar Pradesh
Category:20th-century Indian scientists
Category:21st-century Indian scientists
Category:Savitribai Phule Pune University alumni