Dr. Anju Viswan K is an accomplished medical entomologist and vector-borne disease researcher specializing in malaria elimination, mosquito vector surveillance, insecticide resistance monitoring, and integrated vector management. She completed her postgraduate degree in Applied Zoology with specialization in Entomology and obtained her Ph.D. from the Department of Zoology, University of Calicut, Kerala, India, for her research on “Biochemical Detection of Insecticide Resistance Mechanism in the Selected Species of Mosquito Vectors.” She also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health Entomology from Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan.

With extensive expertise spanning academia, national health programmes, and international organizations, Dr. Anju Viswan has made significant contributions toward understanding and controlling vector-borne diseases, particularly in malaria-endemic and tribal regions of India.

Professional Experience & Research Contributions

Dr. Anju Viswan began her career as a Lecturer at the University of Calicut in 2009 and later served as Consultant Zonal Entomologist at Kozhikode, Kerala. She subsequently worked as State Consultant for Vector Borne Diseases at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, contributing to surveillance, outbreak investigations, vector control strategies, and public health interventions.

During 2019–2021, she served as Deputy Assistant Director (Entomology) at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Jagdalpur Branch, Chhattisgarh. Her work focused on malaria elimination initiatives in tribal regions, capacity building, entomological surveillance, community engagement, evaluation of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), and monitoring of vector-borne diseases including malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, and lymphatic filariasis.

From 2021 to 2023, Dr. Anju Viswan worked with the World Health Organization (WHO), India, supporting malaria elimination programmes through strategic planning, epidemiological and entomological surveillance, integrated vector management, and strengthening malaria control activities in high-burden tribal districts of Chhattisgarh.

Currently, she is serving as Scientist-C at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research, Government of India, at the National Institute for Vector Control Research (NIVCR), Koraput Field Station, Odisha. Her research focuses on malaria transmission dynamics, vector biology, insecticide resistance, molecular xenomonitoring, and evaluation of novel vector control tools.

Research Expertise & Scientific Contributions

Dr. Anju Viswan has developed expertise in:

• Malaria elimination strategies, surveillance, and vector control.
• Epidemiological and entomological analysis of malaria, lymphatic filariasis, dengue, and Japanese encephalitis.
• Molecular, biochemical, and conventional techniques for insecticide resistance monitoring.
• Mosquito taxonomy and vector bionomics.
• Molecular xenomonitoring for vector-borne disease surveillance.
• Phase II and Phase III evaluation of public health pesticides and long-lasting insecticidal nets.
• Capacity building, programme implementation, monitoring, and impact assessment.

She has played an important role in national-level malaria elimination initiatives, including contributing to the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination in India (2023–2027), particularly in the areas of entomological monitoring and integrated vector management. She has also served as an expert member in national entomological stakeholder meetings and as an independent expert member of the Subnational Malaria Elimination Verification Committee of India.

Research Projects & Innovations

Dr. Anju Viswan is actively involved in several national research projects addressing critical challenges in vector-borne disease control, including:

• Residual malaria transmission analysis in tribal districts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
• Insecticide resistance mechanisms among malaria vectors.
• Longitudinal malaria transmission studies in endemic regions.
• Molecular characterization of dengue vector resistance.
• National Integrated Molecular Xenomonitoring Network (iMX-NET).
• Evaluation of novel LLINs such as HILNET, MAGNet, and Veeralin.
• Studies on antimalarial resistance and primaquine compliance.
• Development of eco-friendly vector control approaches.
• Assessment of occupational pesticide exposure among vector control workers.

Publications & Academic Achievements

Dr. Anju Viswan has published more than 35 research articles in peer-reviewed national and international journals and contributed chapters in scientific books related to malaria and lymphatic filariasis. Her research publications cover mosquito resistance mechanisms, malaria epidemiology, vector ecology, molecular surveillance, and innovative vector control strategies.

She has presented her research findings at more than 25 national and 15 international conferences, workshops, and scientific forums, including international platforms such as the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting.

Awards & Recognitions

Dr. Anju Viswan has received several prestigious awards and recognitions for her outstanding contributions to medical entomology and vector-borne disease research, including:

• ASTMH Travel Award – 2025 for participation in the ASTMH Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada.
• Young Scientist Award – 2025, Indian Society for Malaria and Other Communicable Diseases.
• Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Sustained Performance for Prevention & Control of Vector-Borne Diseases in Tribal Areas – 2024.
• Ratan Singh Award for Best Scholar in Malaria Research – 2023.
• Absolute Human Care Foundation Honour Award – 2023.
• Dr. H.G. Sharma and Mrs. Kanti Devi Award in Medical Entomology – 2022.
• SOMA Young Scientist Award – 2021.
• Women Scientist Award – 2021.
• Multiple best oral and poster presentation awards at national and international scientific conferences.

Impact on Public Health & Society

Dr. Anju Viswan has significantly contributed to malaria elimination efforts in challenging ecological settings, particularly tribal and hard-to-reach areas. Her work has strengthened evidence-based decision-making, improved vector surveillance systems, enhanced community participation, and supported national strategies for controlling and eliminating vector-borne diseases.

Her dedication to scientific research, public health innovation, and capacity building has positioned her as a leading contributor in the field of medical entomology and vector-borne disease elimination.

Eligibility for Iconic Women Scientist Award 

Dr. Anju Viswan K is highly eligible for the Iconic Women Scientist Award in Scientific Laurels in recognition of her exceptional scientific achievements, pioneering research contributions, leadership in malaria elimination programmes, extensive publications, international collaborations, and impactful service toward public health.

Her remarkable contributions to vector biology, malaria elimination, insecticide resistance research, molecular surveillance, and integrated vector management, along with her leadership in national and international disease control initiatives, demonstrate excellence, innovation, and sustained commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and improving global health outcomes.