By Dr. Kailash Gupta | PGP 1971
I have not studied biology after eighth class. Even then, being curious, a risk-taker, and adaptable, I am pursuing research related to the medical sciences. My research vision is to explore the on-site treatment of wounds and tissue transplantation at a catastrophe site under resource constraints. The search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Defence, Fire Brigade, Ambulance, and Police send wounded patients and human remains to the nearby permanent hospitals. This process takes time, resulting in mortality or worsening of morbidity. Before treatment begins.
We are pursuing research for wound treatment and tissue transplantation in a mobile field hospital (if needed by airlifting), under a frugal, resource-constrained, unfamiliar environment, and time pressure at the catastrophe site to decrease mortality and morbidity. My profession, “Transdisciplinary Disasterologist,” is an unscripted call.
I, as a Principal Investigator (PI) with a team of two Co-PIs and eight Co-Investigators, submitted in March 2025 a research proposal “Tissue Transplantation of Sudden Trauma and Burns Injured at Disaster Site under Resource Constraints” to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in response to the call for “Investigator-Initiated Research Proposals for Small Extramural Grants – 2025.” Before that, I persuaded the then nodal officer of cadaver transplantation, professor and head of department of neurosurgery to be a PI and the then professor and head of anatomy, both of SMS Medical College, Jaipur to be Co-PI, with me and four others, as Co-Investigators and submitted the proposal “Injury Tissue Transplantation During Catastrophe” in response to ICMR call for proposals for “First time in the World Challenge 2024.” The Transplantation Unit of the World Health Organization (WHO) has written to me that they are not aware of this idea and of any literature on the topic.
As of now, we are a team of 20 transdisciplinary researchers in different medical and related fields who are willing to be deployed at a catastrophe site or remotely participate in the research related to the treatment of wounds and tissue transplantation at the catastrophe site. Our team includes the former Director General of NDRF, a former physician of SDRF, surgeons and physicians in different medical fields, a drone expert, psychologist, a legal expert, a medical device researcher, and others.
I got a PhD from the University of North Texas in 2013 at the age of 70 years for a dissertation on mass-fatalities management after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, funded by two grants of the US National Science Foundation. The Haiti earthquake killed 316,000 people, maximum by any disaster in modern times. I was a full-time student for ten years in four universities in two countries and got my PhD. My PhD transcript states 98 credit hours earned (of which 39 were for research-related courses), while the requirement was only 60.
I designed and instructed an elective course on Disaster Management at IIMA during 2014-15. In 64 years of history of IIMA, an elective course on Disaster Management was conducted only that time, never before, never afterwards.
As a Task Leader of a European Commission-funded project following the H1N1 pandemic, I, with a collaborator in 2015, coined “crisis participatory governance” that entails including citizens in risk communication and response to a crisis by engaging in policymaking and implementation (bottom-up) and published the report.
I joined the sick PSU Nepa Ltd., in Nepanagar, MP, as a Director (Finance) in 1998, hoping to turn it around by working in collaboration with the CMD. He was a corrupt person, and the Government of India had issued him a notice as to why he didn’t disclose that his wife was trading in the raw materials and finished products of Nepa Ltd. He arranged an assault on me, in which my left ear was perforated, and managed to file a false criminal case against me by the local police. There was a non-bailable arrest warrant against me from 2010 to 2023. This matter is part of Probity in Management, The WIMWIAN, February 2024 lead cover story “Thriving in Honesty, Despite being Declared an Absconder.”
I was a founder-member of Vadodara Stock Exchange Ltd. (VSEL). In 1998, VSEL expelled me from membership by making false allegations. My Civil Regular Suit filed against the expulsion in a Vadodara Court in 2004 was dismissed in 2024, after 20 years, due to lack of jurisdiction. Now, I have filed an appeal in the Securities Appellate Tribunal and am appearing in person. I just gave LL.B. III Semester Examination.
On 26th January, 2001, after the Bhuj earthquake, we ten amateur radio operators (hams) – nine from Mumbai and I from Vadodara – with our transreceivers, antennas, power supply and other equipment went to Ahmedabad. Two local amateur radio (ham) operators were coordinating our visit with the Gujarat Government officials. We divided into four sub-teams: Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar, and I at the State Emergency Operations Center (Control Room), Gandhinagar. We restored amateur radio emergency communication the next day. There was almost total failure of the command and control system. In that experience, I got my calling and became a full-time disaster management professional.
I lost jobs because of my ethical values, wandered, looking for a job, and worked in different functions, sectors, locations, sizes of companies, and as an entrepreneur. I design an unscripted career for myself; I explore, transition, and do out-of-the-box moves that people do not see or expect from an 82.5-year-old person. I am an iconoclast. I design my life irrespective of what the family, community, or society norms are. Currently, at the age of 80+, I am India’s 100m breaststroke medallist; represented India at the 23rd Asia Masters Athletics Championships 2025 in 10km, 5km, 1500m and 800m run; one of the best Garbha dancers awarded by United Way of Baroda in 2024; and am going to join the Kathak Summer Camp. Many unknown people, seeing my normal life while traveling, waiting, or taking part in conferences and events, come and tell me that I have an aura and they are inspired by me.
Author Bio:
Dr. Kailash Gupta, PGP 1971 was a Visiting Faculty for Disaster Management, IIMA, 2014-15, and President, IIMA Alumni Association, 1985-87. He is the Co-founder & Working Trustee of The International Emergency Management Society – India Chapter. He can be reached at kailashgupta@my.unt.edu.
