Dr Hemalatha —Former Director of ICMR-NIN and a distinguished medical nutrition researcher—specializes in maternal and child health and nutrition. She is widely recognized for developing the "My Plate for the Day" guidelines for a 2000 kcal diet and for her instrumental role in formulating the Nutrient Requirements, EAR, and RDA for the Indian Population (2020).

She authored the landmark report "What India Eats" and led the Diet and Biomarkers Study-India (DABS-I), a pioneering initiative that will provide critical data for evidence-based public health nutrition policies. Recently, she spearheaded the development of India’s Dietary Guidelines, a key contribution to preventive healthcare in India, which was honoured with the Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar Aarogya Ratna Award by Rethink India Institute on June 21, 2024.

Dr. Hemalatha has been the expert member on various government committees, including the NFSA Committee. She has also held leadership positions as President of the Nutrition Society of India (NSI) and Chairperson of the National Committee for the International Union of Nutrition Sciences (IUNS).

Her outstanding contributions have earned her numerous prestigious awards, including the Dr. Srikantiah Memorial Oration Award, Dr. Rajammal P. Devadas Memorial Award, Dr. Kamla Puri Sabharwal Memorial Award, Prof. M. Viswanathan Memorial Gold Medal, Dr. Anandi Goyal Best Nutritionist Award (2022) and the Ponduri Venkata Ramana Rao Gold Medal. She has also received Lifetime Achievement Award from the Federation of Asian Nutrition Societies (FANS), and is a Fellow of IUNS, the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) and TAS.

Through her pioneering research and leadership, with more than 200 research publication, Dr. Hemalatha continues to shape nutrition landscape and drive impactful public health initiatives.

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