


About the Centre
The Elephant Research Centre [Centre for Elephant Disease Control and Prevention (CEDCP) & Elephant Formulary] at VISTAS, Chennai, India was inaugurated by the Chancellor of VISTAS Dr.Ishari K Ganesh & Vice- President (Planning & Development), VISTAS Prof. Dr. A. JothiMurugan on Friday 27 October 2017.
Our Elephant Research Centre is our country’s unique Elephant Research Centre which primarily
focusses on Elephant Formulary.
Mission
Elephant Research Centre [Centre for Elephant Disease Control and Prevention (CEDCP) & Elephant Formulary] is dedicated to the health (Treatment, Drugs and Dose), welfare of elephants and the sharing of information among elephant professionals, Forest Departments, State and Central Ministry of the Government of India.
How we are organised
Elephant Research Centre is made up of members from National and International Universities / Research Institutions / Forest Departments.
Elephant Research Centre | |
---|---|
Chief Patron, Patron & Members Of VISTAS | |
Dr. Ishari K Ganesh![]() |
Founder & Chancellor, VISTAS |
Dr. Arthi K Ganesh![]() |
Pro Chancellor - Academics, VISTAS |
Ms. Preethaa K Ganesh![]() |
Vice-President, Vels Group of Institutions |
Dr. A. JothiMurugan![]() |
Pro Chancellor - Planning & Development, VISTAS |
Dr. S. Sriman Narayanan![]() |
Vice-Chancellor, VISTAS |
Dr. P. Saravanan![]() |
Registrar, VISTAS |
Dr. P. Swaminathan![]() |
Advisor - Assessment & Accreditation, VISTAS |
Elephant Research Centre (ERC) International & National Advisory Committee |
|
Dr. Susan K. Mikota ![]() |
Diplomate American College of Animal Welfare Director of Veterinary Programs and Research Elephant Care International 166 Limo View Lane, Hohenwald, TN 38462, USA |
Dr. Janine L. Brown ![]() |
Reproductive Physiologist Head National Zoological Park's Endocrine Research Laboratory Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Center for Species Survival (CSS) MRC 5534 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal Virginia VA 22630 USA |
National Advisory Committee | |
Dr. Raman Sukumar ![]() |
Professor and Chairman Centre for Ecological Sciences Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Bangalore, Karnataka State, India |
Dr. Jacob Cheeran ![]() |
Professor (Retd) Senior Scientist (Drug Immobilisation) HOD - Pharmacology and Toxicology College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala State, India |
Dr. S.R. Srinivasan![]() |
Professor (Retd), Former Dean Faculty of Basic Sciences Madras Veterinary College (MVC) Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) Chennai, Tamil Nadu State, India |
Dr. R. Sridhar![]() |
Professor and Head Department of Veterinary Pathology Madras Veterinary College (MVC) Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), Chennai, Tamil Nadu State, India |
Dr.M.G. Jayathangaraj ![]() |
Professor and Head Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine Madras Veterinary College (MVC) Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Chennai, Tamil Nadu State, India |
Padma Shri Dr.Kushal Konwar Sharma ![]() |
Chairman, Expert Committee Wildlife Practice of India, Veterinary Council of India Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Government of India & Professor and Head Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology College of Veterinary Science Assam Agricultural University Guwahati, Assam State, India |
Dr.Arun Zachariah ![]() |
Forest Veterinary Officer Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary Kerala State, India |
Dr.N.S. Manoharan ![]() |
Regional Joint Director Veterinary services Coimbatore & Nilgiris Government of Tamil Nadu India |
Dr.K. Senthil Kumar![]() |
Assistant Professor Post graduate Research Institute in Animal Sciences Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) Kattupakkam - 603 203 Tamil Nadu State India |
Mr.Parthasarathy ![]() |
Chief Priest Former Dharmakartha Adikesava Perumal Temple (“Sri Ramanujar Temple”) Sriperumpudur Tamil Nadu State India |
Dr. E.K. Easwaran![]() |
Chief Forest Veterinary Officer "EdamanaMatom", Aruvikkara PO Thiruvananthapuram Kerala state - 695 564 India |
Dr. P. Sriram![]() |
Professor & Head, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Madras Veterinary College, TANUVAS Chennai - 600 007 Tamil Nadu India |
Dr. Jawaharlal Singh![]() |
Professor, VMD / Additional DSW Coordinator Wildlife Disease Diagnosis & Health Management Department of Veterinary Medicine (Wildlife Medicine) College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology (GBPUAT) Udham Singh Nagar, Pantnagar Uttarakhand India |
Steering Committee (SC) – Elephant Research Centre | |
Dr. V. Santhosh Kumar ![]() |
Founder Chief Elephant Research Centre Chair - Steering Committee Professor Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Dr. P. Shanmugasundaram![]() |
Co-Chair – Steering Committee Director School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Dr. M. VijeyAanandhi![]() |
Professor & Head Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Dr. S. Satheesh Kumar![]() |
Professor & Head Department of Pharmaceutics School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Dr. S. Jayakumari![]() |
Professor & Head Department of Pharmacognosy School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Dr. T. S. Shanmugarajan![]() |
Professor Advisor – Stem Cell Club Department of Pharmaceutics School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Sub Committee | |
Dr. Malarkodi Velraj![]() |
Professor Department of Pharmacognosy School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Dr. A. Vijayalakshmi![]() |
Associate Professor Department of Pharmacognosy School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Dr. E. Suchithra![]() |
Assistant Professor Department of Pharmacognosy School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Mr. Ramachandran![]() |
Assistant Professor Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) VISTAS |
Interschool / Interfaculty / Interdepartmental Advisory Committee - VISTAS | |
Mr. V. Sri Raman![]() |
Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry School of Life Sciences VISTAS |
Dr. T. Ilango![]() |
HOD i/c – Civil Engineering School of Engineering VISTAS |
Achievements
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, VISTAS organised an Elephant Conference on 02 January 2017.
- Our Elephant Conference was recognized by the United Nations in their official website UN World Wildlife Day.
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, VISTAS organised an Elephant Conference 2 on April 11, 2018.
- Theme of Elephant Conference 2 - "Save The Elephant".
- Shared Elephant Formulary to elephant veterinarians of four states Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Assam and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.
International MoU
Elephant Research Centre, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences signed a MoU with Elephant Care International, TN, USA
Purpose
- Identifying and planning of Elephant Research Projects
- MoU initiative with State Forest Departments, Wildlife Institutes and Central Forest Academy
Facts about Elephants
Elephants are the largest of all land animals in the world. There are two species, the African and the Asian Elephants.
Why Elephants Matter?
Elephants are among the most intelligent of the creatures with which we share the planet. Elephants are also keystone species, playing an important role in maintaining the biodiversity of the ecosystems in which they live. During the dry season, elephants use their tusks to dig for water. Elephants provide water for other animals that share harsh habitats. When forest elephants eat, they create gaps in the vegetation. These gaps allow new plants to grow and create pathways for other smaller animals to use. They are also one of the major ways in which trees disperse their seeds. .
Why Save Elephants?
Elephants are Asia’s and Africa’s gardeners and landscape engineers, planting seeds and creating habitat wherever they roam.

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
Credit: http://wildlifeday.org/aboutOn 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 3 March, the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as
UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. The UNGA resolution also designated the CITES Secretariat as the facilitator for the global observance of this special day for
wildlife on the UN calendar. World Wildlife Day has now become the most important global annual event dedicated to wildlife.
In line with the UN General Assembly Resolution proclaiming World Wildlife Day, the CITES
Secretariat calls on all member States and organizations of the United Nations system and other global, regional and sub-regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and all interested individuals, to: observe
and raise awareness of the theme for World Wildlife Day in an appropriate manner; to associate the celebrations with major national and international conservation events, where appropriate; to organize campaigns to reduce
the demand for illegal wildlife and their products using targeted strategies in order to influence consumer behaviour; and to make use of the World Wildlife Day logo as widely as possible.
Governments, law makers,
enforcement officers, customs officials and park rangers across every region are scaling up their efforts to protect wildlife. It is also up to every citizen, young and old, to protect wildlife and their habitats. We all
have a role to play. Our collective conservation actions can be the difference between a species surviving or disappearing.
What is CITES?
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
CITES and Elephants?
Every three years the world’s governments, NGOs and intergovernmental organizations come together for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is the single most powerful forum for deciding the future of elephants.
Conference & Events
Elephants Rejuvenation Camp Visit, on 15 Jan 2020
Elephant Conference 2, organised by Dept of Pharmacology, on 11 Apr 2018
Inauguration of Elephant Research Centre, Dept of Pharmacology, on 27 Oct 2017
Elephant Conference 1, organised by Dept of Pharmacology, on 02 Jan 2017
Publication
Therapeutic management of wounds in Asian elephants - Vol 11 - Special Issue 2
Contact Us
Dr. V. Santhosh Kumar, M.Pharm, Ph.D.Professor & Founder Chief
Elephant Research Centre
Chair - Steering Committee
Department of Pharmacology
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS)
VISTAS
E-mail: natu9sea@gmail.com