Meet Our Advisors

Dr. Arvind Kumar is Vice President — R&D at Optym, where he leads global research initiatives and innovation efforts in optimization, advanced analytics, and decision automation for transportation and logistics.

With a PhD in Operations Research from the University of Florida, he brings over two decades of experience in developing and applying complex optimization models and algorithms to real-world logistics, mobility, and scheduling systems.

Before taking on his current role, Arvind held senior leadership positions at Optym, including Managing Director of India Operations, where he oversaw large development teams, and earlier as Director of Applied OR Solutions working across rail, trucking, and mobility domains.

In his work, Arvind combines deep academic insight with a pragmatic, systems-engineering mindset to deliver optimization intelligence that drives business value. He is also a frequent speaker at industry and academic conferences, where he shares best practices on applying optimization in real-world industries.

Beyond his core responsibilities, Arvind actively supports the startup ecosystem and mentors technology ventures in fields such as e-mobility and applied analytics.

Dinesh Madhavan serves as President, Group Oncology & International at Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, where he leads the strategic growth and global expansion of the oncology business. With over two decades of leadership experience in healthcare, he has been instrumental in introducing cutting-edge modalities, building international partnerships, and scaling comprehensive cancer care programs.

Under his leadership, Apollo has launched advanced capabilities such as the AI-Precision Oncology Centre to deliver truly Personalized cancer care and has expanded proton-beam and CAR-T therapy initiatives across India and beyond.

Dinesh is a strong advocate for making high-precision oncology accessible to all. He has driven impactful collaborations to bring world-class cancer care to underserved regions and continues to champion innovation, accessibility, and quality in cancer treatment globally.

Gautam Khanna is the Chief Executive Officer of P.D. Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre in Mumbai, where he oversees the strategic growth, operational excellence and research-driven culture of this leading healthcare institution.

An alumnus of IIT Kanpur (B.Tech) and IIM Calcutta (M.B.A), he brings over three decades of leadership experience spanning medical-technology, hospital operations and healthcare systems. Prior to his current role, he spent more than 20 years at 3M Healthcare, where he served as Executive Director and Country Business Leader for India and Sri Lanka.

Under his leadership, the hospital has deepened its focus on patient-centric care, innovation, accreditation and institutional partnerships. Gautam also contributes actively to India’s healthcare ecosystem through roles in national industry forums and quality-improvement initiatives.

He is passionate about elevating care standards, bridging technology with compassion, and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Dr. Kamala Kalyani Maddali is a US-based internationally recognized expert in cancer research, precision medicine, and AI-driven healthcare innovation. Trained as a veterinarian and pharmacologist (DVM, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, and PhD, University of Missouri–Columbia), she brings over two decades of leadership across Fortune 100–500 companies, including Merck & Co., Quintiles, Quest Diagnostics, and ConcertAI.

Her expertise spans AI applications in oncology, biomarker discovery, and multimodal data integration, bridging clinical research, digital pathology, and real-world evidence to accelerate patient-centered innovation. Dr. Maddali has established clinical collaborations with leading Key Opinion Leaders in oncology at Mayo Clinic, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) etc advancing translational research and precision oncology strategies.

She serves on multiple boards, including Harvard University’s “Science and Spirituality” initiative and the University of Missouri Department of Biomedical Sciences, fostering dialogue between science, ethics, and healing. Recognized by PharmaVOICE’s Top 100 Most Inspiring Leaders and NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes, she is also a TEDx speaker and the author of Becoming a Kamala and Lola to Lalita: The True Becoming.

Rooted in her conviction that hope, when infused with science and innovation, becomes medicine itself, Dr. Maddali continues to unite technology and empathy to advance global cancer care.