From building a biotechnology laboratory with limited infrastructure to teaching thousands of learners through SWAYAM, Prof. Sanatombi’s journey highlights research, mentorship and women’s leadership in science.
IMPHAL, September 29, 2026: The academic and research journey of Prof. Keithellakpam Sanatombi, Professor and Head of the Department of Biotechnology at Manipur University, has been featured in IndiaBioscience’s Resilience and Representation in Research series, which documents the experiences of women researchers across India.
The profile, published by IndiaBioscience on January 30, traces a career shaped by teaching, research, mentorship and the challenges of building a scientific career while navigating professional and family responsibilities.
Prof. Sanatombi began her academic journey with a BSc from MCM DAV College, Chandigarh, followed by an MSc from Panjab University. After securing a CSIR-JRF fellowship, she returned to Manipur to pursue her PhD. Her doctoral research also took her to institutions in Jorhat and Kolkata to learn new techniques as her work progressed.
Her entry into Manipur University coincided with the formative years of the Department of Biotechnology. Building a research programme at the time meant working with limited infrastructure and a small workforce while contributing to the development of the department itself.
Between 2009 and 2011, she concentrated on preparing research proposals and subsequently secured the SERB Fast Track Young Scientist grant and the DBT BioCARE-Women Scientist grant. These grants helped her establish her laboratory.
In 2013, she received a DBT agricultural biotechnology project that supported her work on plant cell cultures.
Her research interests today include plant molecular biology, in-vitro secondary metabolite production and genetic profiling of plants. Manipur University records also show an extensive body of research publications covering chilli, medicinal plants, plant tissue culture and related areas.
Taking the classroom beyond Manipur
One significant part of Prof. Sanatombi’s academic journey has been her involvement in digital education.
In 2019, she launched two Massive Open Online Courses on the SWAYAM platform — Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology and Cell Biology.
According to the IndiaBioscience profile, the courses run in alternate semesters and attract around 2,000 to 3,000 learners from across India.
The initiative allowed a classroom originating in Manipur University to reach students far beyond the university campus.
Women and leadership in STEM
Prof. Sanatombi was also selected for the 2024 cohort of the Women Leadership in STEM programme conducted by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Grand Challenges India and WomenLift Health.
The programme exposed participants to different approaches to leadership, resilience, networking and professional development in science.
As part of the leadership programme, Prof. Sanatombi undertook an outreach initiative in Manipur to popularise the role of biotechnology in sustainable development, particularly among girl students in schools and colleges.
The initiative required her to visit educational institutions and interact directly with students, expanding her engagement beyond the university laboratory and classroom.
Mentoring the next generation
Mentorship remains another important part of her academic work.
Most of the PhD scholars working in her laboratory have been women, and five scholars had already completed their doctoral programmes when the IndiaBioscience profile was published.
Her own experiences have also influenced how she approaches younger researchers facing questions of career choices, professional pressure and work-life balance.
For Prof. Sanatombi, teaching and research are closely connected. She describes teaching as deeply fulfilling and sees the classroom and laboratory as spaces where curiosity, critical thinking and new knowledge can grow.
Her journey also points to something larger for universities in the Northeast: strong research careers do not always have to be built away from home.
With research support, institutional opportunities, mentorship and scientific networks, laboratories in Manipur can contribute to national research while also training the next generation of scientists.
The IndiaBioscience series seeks to place such journeys in a wider conversation about women in science — recognising not only research achievements, but also the leadership, mentorship, personal responsibilities and support systems behind them.
