Ramakanta Sahu

Visionary Librarian and Knowledge Management Leader with 21+ years of progressive experience across higher education, pharmaceutical R&D, archival governance, and scientific information management. Proven expertise in transforming libraries and archival centres into digitally enabled, research-driven knowledge ecosystems aligned with academic excellence, institutional accreditation, regulatory compliance, and organizational innovation. Demonstrated success in strategic library leadership, digital library transformation, research intelligence services, scientific information retrieval, archival governance, collection development, institutional repository management, and cross-functional stakeholder engagement.

Extensive experience supporting scientists, researchers, faculty members, clinical teams, and academic leadership through evidence-based information services, knowledge analytics, and advanced research support. Recognized for implementing modern library automation systems, optimizing budgets and resources, strengthening digital access infrastructure, and developing user-centric knowledge services that enhance institutional research productivity, operational efficiency, and academic impact.

Head of Knowledge Resource Centre (Library) at Azim Premji University (2025-03 – Present)

• Provide strategic leadership for the University Knowledge Resource Centre, aligning library services with institutional teaching, research, outreach, and academic excellence objectives.
• Lead end-to-end management of library operations, developing collections, digital services, resource planning, policy development, and user engagement initiatives for students, staff, faculty members, researchers, and academic centres.
• Implemented data-driven MIS and analytics systems to monitor library usage patterns, optimize collections, and support evidence-based strategic decision-making.
• Strengthened institutional knowledge systems through collaboration with faculty, researchers, Corporate Communications, and IT teams.
• Spearheaded initiatives for digital resource accessibility, research awareness programs, and academic outreach workshops to enhance library utilization.
• Developed and managed library budgets, procurement strategies, vendor coordination, and resource optimization frameworks.
• Established policies and operational procedures for circulation management, referencing services, digital access, and data governance.
• Built and managed comprehensive print and digital collections supporting multidisciplinary teaching and research activities.
• Led and mentored library staff, fostering a culture of service excellence, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Supported institutional readiness for academic quality standards and accreditation-oriented library development initiatives.

Head of Archive Facility at Cliantha Research (2021-11 – 2025-03)

• Directed strategic planning, operational governance, infrastructure management, and staff leadership for the organization's archival facility supporting clinical research and R&D operations.
• Spearheaded the development of a modern archival facility, significantly enhancing operational efficiency, document accessibility, and long-term records preservation capabilities.
• Managed annual budgets, archival infrastructure expansion, resource allocation, and process optimization initiatives.
• Led SOP development, records governance, inspection readiness, and documentation compliance programs aligned with regulatory requirements.
• Served as the primary coordinator for audits and regulatory inspections, ensuring successful compliance outcomes.
• Streamlined archival workflows and document retrieval systems to improve operational turnaround and research documentation accessibility.
• Collaborated extensively with global teams, R&D divisions, QA departments, and operational stakeholders to strengthen records management processes.
• Designed and conducted staff training programs focused on archival governance, compliance practices, and operational excellence.
• Established standardized archival policies and procedures for information lifecycle management, document preservation, and controlled access systems.

Head of Library & Information Management Centre at Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited (2014-09 – 2021-11)

• Led modernization of the Alembic Library & Information Management Centre through advanced ICT implementation, digital library systems, and knowledge management initiatives.
• Developed a state-of-the-art digital library and archival infrastructure supporting scientific research, regulatory documentation, and innovation management.
• Managed strategic collection development, licensing negotiations, vendor relationships, and procurement of scientific and technical information resources.
• Delivered high-value scientific information services to scientists, pharmacologists, biotechnologists, clinical researchers, regulatory teams, and business leadership.
• Conducted systematic literature reviews, evidence-based information searches, patent intelligence searches, pharmacovigilance literature retrieval, and clinical evidence analysis.
• Supported biosimilars, API development, biotechnology, sterile manufacturing, and pharmaceutical formulation research programs through scientific intelligence and knowledge support services.
• Provided competitive intelligence, market intelligence, and global research trend analysis supporting R&D strategy and innovation planning.
• Assisted researchers with scientific publications, conference proceedings, journal selection strategies, and scholarly communication support.
• Conducted advanced database training programs and research workshops for scientists, research scholars, QA/QC teams, and clinical professionals.
• Implemented current awareness services including journal alerts, regulatory updates, clinical trial alerts, patent notifications, and drug safety updates.
• Managed budgets, digital subscriptions, procurement strategies, and resource optimization to maximize information access and cost efficiency.
• Developed operational policies, service frameworks, and digital knowledge repositories supporting organizational learning and research productivity.

Research Scientist (Librarian) – Informatics Division at Wockhardt Limited (2007-07 – 2014-09)

• Delivered scientific and technical information services supporting drug discovery, biotechnology, biosimilars, vaccines, clinical pharmacology, API manufacturing, and novel therapeutic research.
• Conducted advanced literature reviews, patent searches, clinical evidence retrieval, pharmacovigilance searches, and competitive intelligence analysis using global scientific databases.
• Supported pharmaceutical R&D productivity, clinical trial planning, publication quality, and innovation strategies through evidence-based information services.
• Provided research intelligence support to scientists, clinical researchers, regulatory affairs professionals, QA/QC teams, and hospital clinicians.
• Managed institutional repositories, scientific archives, digital libraries, and knowledge portals containing publications, clinical reports, patents, SOPs, and scientific presentations.
• Supported preclinical and clinical research through medicinal chemistry references, toxicology databases, pharmacokinetic literature, genomic information, and bioinformatics resources.
• Delivered regulatory intelligence support aligned with WHO, USFDA, EMA, CDSCO, GMP, GLP, GCP, and ICH guidelines.
• Assisted researchers with publication support, citation management, plagiarism awareness, and journal selection strategies using Zotero, Mendeley, and Turnitin.
• Conducted information literacy and scientific database training programs for research teams, clinical staff, and scientific professionals.
• Developed current awareness and selective dissemination services covering drug safety, clinical trials, regulatory updates, patents, and emerging research developments.
• Supported hospital and clinical network doctors with evidence-based medicine services, clinical information retrieval, and therapeutic guideline support.
• Managed specialized scientific resources including pharmacopoeias, biotechnology journals, toxicology databases, vaccine research literature, and drug information systems.

Executive – Quality Assurance at Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited (2005-12 – 2007-07)

• Managed pharmaceutical documentation systems including SOPs, BMRs, BPRs, validation documents, pharmacopoeias, technical manuals, training records, and regulatory documentation.
• Streamlined document circulation, indexing, version control, retrieval management, and archival preservation processes for QA documentation systems.
• Supported QA and Regulatory Affairs teams through regulatory information retrieval and scientific documentation access.
• Assisted in migration of SOP documentation into SAP systems, improving document accessibility and process standardization.
• Maintained archival and records preservation systems supporting compliance and audit readiness.
• Delivered literature searches, regulatory updates, and current awareness services for quality and compliance teams.
• Supported controlled document management practices aligned with pharmaceutical quality systems and regulatory requirements.

Library Intern at Dhirubhai Ambani University (2004-10 – 2005-12)

• Supported academic library operations including circulation, cataloguing, classification, reference services, institutional repository management, and digital library initiatives.
• Assisted in cataloguing and metadata management using DDC, MARC21, and library automation systems.
• Worked extensively with SLIM++ library automation software and digital information management systems.
• Supported institutional repository development, digitization initiatives, and digital content organization.
• Assisted students and faculty members in literature searching, information retrieval, OPAC usage, and access to scholarly databases.
• Contributed to information literacy sessions, orientation programs, and awareness initiatives for academic users.
• Coordinated resource-sharing activities through DELNET and ADINET networks.
• Supported bibliographic data management, authority control, accessioning, barcoding, shelving, and stock verification activities.
• Assisted in current awareness services, selective dissemination of information, and document delivery support.

PhD in Library & Information Science – Berhampur University

Master of Library & Information Science in Library & Information Science – Sambalpur University (2004)

Bachelor of Science in Science – Sambalpur University (1998)

Diploma in Information & System Management – APTECH (1999)