Indian Roots, Global Reach
Hailing from a tiny Kerala village, Dr Sreeraj Gopi is among the top 2% scientists in the world
While his friends played in the green fields and playgrounds of Annanad village, Kerala, a young Sreeraj would head to the library and find solace in the company of books. It was during his 4th Standard that Sreeraj Gopi dreamt of becoming a scientist someday. Little did he know that 20 years later, he would be ranked among the top 2% scientists in the world by Stanford University. His forte lies in the field of medical and biomolecular chemistry. Dr Sreeraj is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American College of Nutrition.
Chemicals & Compounds
“From a very early age, I developed a strong fascination for chemicals,” says Dr Sreeraj Gopi, Managing Director of Molecules Group, Kinfra, Koratty, Kerala. His fascination with chemicals compounded as he grew up. Thanks to an inspiring chemistry teacher. At Christ College, Irinjalakuda, a professor (T.I. Johnson) saw something unique in Sreeraj. He encouraged him to apply to Madras Christian College for higher studies, and that changed everything. Sreeraj’s father was the main driving force. His father’s discipline, hard work and sincerity left a deep impression on him.
Given his qualifications and credentials, many multinational companies lured Dr Sreeraj to join them. After working for a few years with some big companies, Dr Sreeraj decided to follow his heart and take science from labs to the streets, to reach people.
The initial days of building his own research institution were extremely challenging. “My car became my office,” he says, “I wanted to prove that world-class research can happen here too. That Kerala can be on the global innovation map.”
Future Plans
Dr Sreeraj wants to make Kerala a hub for liposomal research and make India a global leader in this field. “I chose the tougher road because I wanted to give back to my own soil,” he adds. Having studied in a Malayalam-medium school in a remote village, Dr Sreeraj knows how true talent can sometimes go unnoticed in rural areas. “That was one of the reasons for starting my own institution so that no young person feels limited by where they come from.” Today, his Innovation Centre at Kindra, Koratty, is one of the biggest dedicated facilities for liposomal research in Asia. The company is valued at `100 crore and employs over 50 scientists. Most of them hail from rural Kerala.
Dr Sreeraj adds, “If someone like me from a small village school could dream of becoming a scientist, then I strongly believe there are thousands of others out there with equal or even greater potential.”