Dr. Soumya Swaminathan is a globally recognized paediatrician and researcher with 30 years of experience in tuberculosis and HIV. Most recently, she served as the Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), where she led the creation of the Science Division and played a key role in coordinating global scientific efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the establishment of Covax to ensure equitable vaccine distribution. Before that, she was WHO’s Deputy Director-General for Programmes. Dr. Swaminathan has previously held high-level positions in India, including Secretary for Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research. With over 450 peer-reviewed publications, she is a Fellow of the US National Academy of Medicine and the UK Academy of Medical Sciences, and she holds honorary doctorates from institutions such as EPFL Lausanne and the London School of Tropical Medicine. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Karolinska University and Tufts University.