Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar
Distinguished Fellow Recognition by the American Society for Nutrition –
Sukrit Vijayakar and Amit Kothare
Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar, Chairperson of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University, has been honoured as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition (DFASN) – the highest recognition bestowed by the society  for lifetime achievements in nutrition science.
Dr. Dhurandhar is internationally recognised for his ground breaking work exploring the link between viruses and obesity
Let us meet this luminary academic personality from our community.
What are your memories of growing up in the community?
Our community has rich culinary and cultural traditions which are with my family even today.
It played a major role in my development as an individual.
It gave me the confidence to speak in public. My first public speech was delivered at the age of seven at a community gathering organized by Pathare Prabhu Social Samaj at Blavatsky Lodge in front of about 300 to 400 people. I was nervous the night before, but once I spoke, I discovered that I enjoyed public speaking.
The Prabhu Tarun magazine, in particular Mr. Suhas Kothare and Mr. Vihang Nayak encouraged me to write and I eventually became their managing  editor for some time. This experience helped me assume the role of Editor in Chief, International Journal of ObesityÂ
I also learned a lot from a long, personal association with Shri Pramod Navalkar (Pramod kaka). During a book review function in Prabhu Seminary, I received very affectionate encouragement for my presentation from Pramod kaka, which hugely boosted my confidence.
I can unequivocally state that  this early opportunity built my confidence in public speaking, writing, and institutional leadership  helped shape my future career significantly.
I truly believe that community platforms provide valuable opportunities for young people to develop confidence and skills.
What inspired you to choose nutrition and obesity research as your profession?
My father  is  considered the father of obesity practice in India.
He began treating obesity in 1962 and continued for 50 years, treating around 200,000 patients for obesity, by the time he retired.
After completing my medical education, I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and help people suffering from obesity.
In that sense, it became a family tradition that continues even today, as my son and daughter-in-law are also involved in obesity research.
Could you briefly share your educational journey and the institutions that shaped your career?
I completed my schooling at Parle Tilak Vidyalaya in Mumbai and attended Parle College for my college education till B.Sc.
I then pursued my medical studies at the Bombay  Homeopathic Medical College.
Later, I went to the United States to pursue a Master of Science degree at North Dakota State University.
After returning to India, I joined the PhD program in Biochemistry at the UDCT in Matunga, Mumbai.Â
When I returned to the United States a second time, I received additional training as a post doctoral fellow at North Dakota State University and for 6 years at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, before starting my career as a faculty member at Wayne State University in Michigan for 6 years, followed by tenure at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center of Louisiana State University, and now for about 12 years at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.  Â
These institutions played a significant role in shaping my scientific thinking and research career.
You had the option to continue a successful clinical practice in Mumbai. What led you to pursue research instead?
I did start my practice in Mumbai and practiced for about eight years, treating nearly 15,000 patients.
While I was financially and reputationally highly successful, over time, I realized that we were not achieving lasting success.
Patients would lose weight and then gain it back. It was a constant cycle.
For more effective treatment and to better help patients, I wanted deeper knowledge and structured training in nutrition and obesity treatment.
At that time, such specialized education was not available in India. That is why I decided to pursue advanced studies abroad.Â
When back in Mumbai, a chance conversation with renowned researcher Dr. Sharad M. Ajinkya later led me to explore the possibility that a virus could cause obesity, and that idea eventually shaped my research career.Â
After my PhD, we returned to US to pursue this novel line of research, which was not easy to do at that time in India. Â
Your work on viruses causing obesity was pioneering. What challenges did you face while pursuing such a new idea?
The biggest challenge was skepticism.
When I first proposed the idea that a virus could cause obesity, many people strongly opposed it.
Some even said that since such research had not been done in the United States, so it should not be attempted in India.
It was an annoying suggestion (from an Indian researcher in Mumbai) that we in India should not bother with original novel research, but we should only repeat research that is pioneered by western researchers.
However, I believed in my data. There were moments of self-doubt, but I continued conducting experiments and collecting data.
Today, many researchers around the world have confirmed our findings, and the concept is widely accepted.
Did your research lead to the development of modern obesity drugs like Mounjaro or Ozempic?
No, those medications are not directly connected to our research.
Our research is in a different direction.
While studying the virus that causes obesity in animal experiments, we discovered that it also improves diabetes.
That discovery led us to begin developing a potential treatment for diabetes, and we are working toward regulatory approval to begin clinical trials.
You have published more than 200 scientific papers. Which achievement gave you the greatest satisfaction?
The moment that gave me the greatest satisfaction was when another independent research group confirmed our findings for the first time.
For several years, we were the only ones reporting this result. Then another team replicated the same findings. While many such papers were published later by others, that first confirmation was deeply gratifying because it validated our work.
What practical guidance would you offer to young people striving for academic or professional success?
Instead of calling it advice, I would share what worked for me.
Three things made the biggest difference:
Strategy — Look at the big picture and decide direction early and stick to it. Course correction can be / should be made, only if appropriate
Perseverance — Continue working steadily, even when progress is slow. This mostly came to me due to my unshakable trust in scientific approach and data. Â
Listening to Results — Even unexpected at times, outcomes are always telling you something. I tried to learn from them and adjust path accordingly.
These principles are useful in research as well as in any profession
How can students or young professionals connect with you for guidance or mentorship?
Anyone can contact me by email –Â Nikhil.Dhurandhar@TTU.EDUÂ
I am always happy to share my perspective with students who have questions about careers, education, or research paths. While the internet provides information, personal guidance can sometimes make a meaningful difference.
We sincerely thank Dr. Dhurandhar for sharing his journey, insights, and experiences. His story reflects the power of curiosity, perseverance, and scientific thinking, and we hope it inspires young members of our community to pursue excellence in their chosen fields.
For such inspiring Excellence, Amcha Manach Mujra to Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar