Brain, Mind & Consciousness Video Book
Authors & Contributors
Padma Shri
Dr. B. N. Gangadhar
Chairman, National Medical Commission, New Delhi
Padma Shri Dr. B. N. Gangadhar is the current Chairman of the National Medical Commission (NMC), New Delhi. He is a renowned psychiatrist and formerly served as the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS). With over 30 years of experience in mental health, Dr. Gangadhar has contributed significantly to clinical research and education in psychiatry.
He earned his MBBS from Bangalore Medical College in 1978 and completed his MD in Psychiatry in 1982. Following this, he joined NIMHANS as a faculty member and later became its Director. His work has been recognized with the prestigious Padma Shri award for his contributions to medicine and mental health.
As the Chairperson of the NMC, Dr. Gangadhar is responsible for overseeing medical education and professional standards in India. His leadership is expected to drive transparency, ethical medical practices, and improvements in healthcare education and regulation
Prof. Harald Walach
K S University, Vilnius, Lithuania
Prof. Harald Walach is a clinical psychologist, philosopher, and historian of science. He is currently a Professorial Research Fellow at the Next Society Institute of Kazimieras Simonavicius University in Vilnius, Lithuania. His work spans psychology, philosophy, and complementary medicine, with a focus on consciousness studies, mindfulness, and alternative medicine research.
He holds a PhD in Philosophy and History of Science from the University of Vienna and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Basel. Over his career, he has held various academic and research positions, including at the University of Northampton (UK) and Europa Universität Viadrina (Germany). He has contributed significantly to research in complementary medicine, particularly regarding homeopathy, meditation-based therapies, and integrative health practices.
Walach has been involved in controversial research, such as studies on COVID-19 mask effects and vaccine efficacy, which led to some scrutiny and retractions in the scientific community.
Dr. Wayne Jonas
Professor of Medicine, Georgetown University, USA
Dr. Wayne Jonas, MD, is a widely published investigator, practicing family
physician, and professor of medicine at Georgetown University and at
Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. He is also a retired
lieutenant colonel in the Medical Corps of the United States Army. Dr.
Jonas was the director of the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National
Institutes of Health from 1995 to 1999 and led the World Health
Organization’s Collaborative Center for Traditional Medicine.
Prior to that, he served as the director of medical research fellowship at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. He now advises national and international organizations on ways to implement evidence-based healing practices in their medical systems. He serves as the President of Healing Works Foundation.
Dr. Andrew Newberg
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital,
Philadelphia, USA
Dr. Andrew Newberg is a professor at Thomas Jefferson University and the director of research at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health. He is board-certified in internal medicine and nuclear medicine. His research primarily focuses on neurotheology—the study of the relationship between the brain and religious or mystical experiences. He has used brain imaging techniques to explore how religious practices such as prayer and meditation affect brain function and overall health.
Dr. Newberg has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles and 14 books, including How God Changes Your Brain and Neurotheology: How Science Can Enlighten Us About Spirituality. His work has been featured in major media outlets like Newsweek, Time, National Geographic, and The New York Times.
Dr. Madhavan Chandran
Associate Professor, Physiology, AIIMS Kalyani
Dr. Madhavan Chandran is an Associate Professor of Physiology at AIIMS Kalyani and the In-charge of the Diagnostic EEG Lab at the institution. He holds an M.B.B.S and M.D. in Physiology from Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, along with an M.Sc. in Yoga Therapy from Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University. With prior academic roles at JIPMER and AIIMS, he has contributed significantly to physiological research, particularly in sleep studies, autonomic function, and yoga therapy. His research also includes studying the effects of music on the brain, specifically the impact of listening to the Indian raga Bhimpalasi on EEG power spectrum in healthy adults.
His ongoing projects explore AI-based neonatal cry analysis, genetic influences on sleep, and transcranial magnetic stimulation in depression. Dr. Madhavan has authored Physiology Residency Made Easy and co-edited Lippincott Illustrated Reviews of Physiology (2nd South Asian Edition, 2023). He has delivered invited talks on neuroplasticity, reproductive physiology, and yoga research, and has conducted workshops on EEG techniques. A member of prestigious organizations like the American Physiological Society and the Indian Society for Sleep Research, he continues to advance the field of physiology through teaching, research, and professional collaborations.
Dr. Sukanto Sarkar
HOD, Psychiatry, AIIMS Kalyani
Dr. Sukanto Sarkar is an accomplished psychiatrist currently serving as the Additional Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS Kalyani. He holds an MBBS, DPM, and MD in Psychiatry and has accumulated over 18 years of experience in the field. His professional journey spans work in both mental hospitals and general hospital psychiatry units, where he has gained extensive expertise in handling adult, child, and adolescent psychiatry cases. His specialization includes psychiatric emergencies, deaddiction, consultation-liaison psychiatry, and community psychiatry.
As an educator, Dr. Sarkar has been actively involved in teaching undergraduate, postgraduate, and nursing students. He has chaired various academic sessions, including seminars, case conferences, and journal clubs, contributing to the overall development of psychiatric education. His research acumen is evident in his extensive publication record, with more than 30 research papers published in national and international indexed journals. He has also led and participated in several funded research projects, focusing on the neurobiological basis of psychiatric disorders.
His primary areas of interest include neuropsychiatry, the etiology of mental disorders, research methodology, and medical education. Dr. Sarkar’s research contributions include studies on alcohol dependence syndrome, transcranial magnetic stimulation in addiction treatment, depressive disorders in schoolchildren, and sleep deficits in schizophrenia patients. His work has been widely recognized, earning him prestigious awards such as the Leelabati Bholanath Award (2008) for his research on sleep architecture in schizophrenia patients, Best Poster & Paper Awards at SBV Research Week (2016 & 2017), and a Gold Medal for academic excellence in a postgraduate diploma in health professional education (2018).
Beyond academia and research, Dr. Sarkar is known for his disciplined and efficient administrative skills, ensuring optimal patient care and fostering a collaborative work environment. His contributions to psychiatry continue to influence both clinical practice and academic research, making him a respected figure in the field.
Varun Agarwal
Director, Bhaktivedanta Institute Kolkata
Varun Agarwal serves as the Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata, where he leads initiatives that bridge science, philosophy, and spirituality. With a strong academic foundation and a keen interest in the philosophical implications of modern science, Mr. Agarwal has been actively involved in organizing academic conferences, seminars, and outreach programs that explore topics such as quantum mechanics, consciousness studies, and Vedantic thought. His leadership reflects a commitment to fostering inquiry that transcends disciplinary boundaries.
As Director, Mr. Agarwal plays a key role in expanding the Institute’s global collaborations and educational efforts. He is dedicated to nurturing a new generation of thinkers who are not only scientifically literate but also spiritually aware. Through his efforts, the Institute continues to promote meaningful dialogue between scientists, scholars, and spiritual practitioners, aiming to contribute to a more holistic understanding of reality and human existence.
Vasudeva Rao
President, Bhaktivedanta Institute Kolkata
K. Vasudeva Rao is the President of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata, a pioneering institution dedicated to exploring the interface between science and spirituality. With a background in both scientific inquiry and philosophical thought, he has played a central role in advancing the Institute’s mission to promote dialogue between modern physics, life sciences, and Vedantic wisdom. Under his leadership, the Institute has organized numerous national and international conferences, seminars, and publications aimed at fostering interdisciplinary understanding.
Mr. Rao is deeply committed to the vision of integrating scientific knowledge with spiritual insight for the betterment of humanity. His guidance has been instrumental in engaging scholars, scientists, and students in meaningful discourse on consciousness, the nature of reality, and the spiritual foundations of science. Through his efforts, the Bhaktivedanta Institute continues to serve as a unique platform for intellectual and spiritual exploration.
Dr. Roshan Tiwari
Alumnus, IISER Kolkata, India
Dr. Roshan Tiwari is a physicist driven by a lifelong curiosity about the deep nature of reality and consciousness. He currently works as a Research Scientist at the Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata, where he explores how ideas from quantum physics and information theory may shed light on the mystery of conscious experience. He completed his M.S. and Ph.D. in Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata in 2023, after earning his B.Sc. in Physics from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, in 2014. During his doctoral studies, he worked across a wide range of topics from spectroscopy and bio-inspired waveguides to microscopy, sensing, and optical trapping, publishing his work in leading international journals.
Beyond technical research, Dr. Tiwari is deeply interested in the philosophical and foundational questions: What is the role of information, observation, and agency in nature? How might the quantum description of the world connect with first-person conscious experience? At the Bhaktivedanta Institute, he is developing theoretical frameworks that bring together modern physics and insights from the Indian contemplative tradition.