Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, India's foremost epidemiologist, will be part of a 26-member expert committee assembled by the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate the origins of diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 that might cause pandemics. Dr Gangakhedkar previously served as the Indian Council of Medical Research's chief of epidemiology (ICMR).

Dr Gangakhedkar, a paediatrician and public health expert, was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020. He worked significantly on HIV/AIDS issues, including assisting HIV-positive individuals in forming the National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India. He received a Masters in public health from the ICMR and he has since been involved in researching outbreaks and epidemics across the country, notably the Nipah outbreak in Kerala.

He is the only Indian in SAGO. According to the SAGO statement, "the rapid emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 highlighted the importance of being prepared for future events, to be able to identify novel pathogens early and to address risk factors that contribute to their emergence and spread.’’