Thirteen Indian forensic medicine experts and researchers were included in Stanford University's Top 2% Scientists list for 2025, a source of great pride for India's scientific and medical community. This global recognition says a lot about their superior quality research work, clinical acumen, and contribution to developing the science of forensic medicine.

The ranking, published every year by Stanford University, orders researchers globally by career-span citation influence, h-index, and co-authorship-adjusted measures—parameters that consider both the amount as well as the quality of published work. Indian experts being included show the nation's increasing contribution to global forensic research and innovation.

Saluting India's Forensic Pioneers

They are also accompanied by Dr. Shankar M. Bakkannavar, Dr. Ashith Acharya, who has also been included on the list for five years in a row, Dr. Tahir UL Gani Mir, and Dr. Sweety Sharma.

Their identification not only speaks volumes of individual merit but also proves to be an indicator of India's growing education and research platform in forensic sciences. These specialists have made immense contributions to areas such as forensic pathology, toxicology, medico-legal examination, and forensic odontology, which have made the country's medico-legal framework even stronger.

Global Impact and Future Outlook

As India continues to invest in forensic research and education, these success stories motivate the next generation of scientists to excel in research. Acknowledgment of these thirteen professionals is the proof of India's new dominance in the area of forensic medicine and its contribution to world health and justice.

Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday underscored the revolutionary role forensic science would serve in India's revamped criminal justice system.

Addressing the All India Forensic Science Summit 2025 in New Delhi, organized by the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Shah expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for transforming the justice system in India with a focus on scientific and technology-based investigations. He went on to add that contemporary crimes are likely to go beyond borders, as is enabled with advances in communications and information technologies, so strong forensic capability is more than ever essential.

The home minister emphasized that these laws replace colonial codes, which are antiquated, and bring in contemporary tools like e-documents, digital summons, and forensic evidence into the legal system. Forensic analysis is now being made compulsory for offenses punishable by over seven years in prison—a very important step towards enhancing the existing conviction rate at 54 percent.

Shah referred to recent instances wherein trials of rape and murder cases were concluded and convictions were obtained within weeks. He emphasized the police's digitization of infrastructure: 100% of police stations are networked with Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) now, with over 14 crore First Information Reports (FIRs) and connected information online. These types of systems such as electronic Forensics (e-Forensics), National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), and electronic Prison Management System (e-Prison) are constructing a humongous national database, which will shortly be augmented by Artificial Intelligence (AI) for predictive policing and crime prevention.

Seven campuses are already functioning, nine more are opening shortly and ten more will be set up, which will give it a pan-India presence, claimed the home minister.

All the campuses would focus on a specific niche—like drone, marine, or corporate forensics—and the university would be producing about 36,000 forensic professionals every year, he said.

The home minister promoted the creation of a more humanized judiciary and suggested psychological counseling and criminal classification according to the nature and intent of the offense. A prisoner rehabilitation system with a forensic-oriented perspective would be established in the upcoming two years, he stated.

Shah also discussed the creation of the Modus Operandi Bureau, which would have a study on criminal behavior to further the crime prevention strategy. He demanded greater coordination between NFSU and the Ministry of Home Affairs, and praised young entrepreneurs for their performance during the hackathon of the summit and for popularizing the application of Hindi in forensic science.

Shah again emphasized that India is firmly on a mission to create a crime-free, fair, and technologically advanced society.

Forensic science is a growing career that gives scientists the opportunity to become specialized in a number of different techniques. Two of the reasons that people are drawn to the forensic science field are to be involved in preventing crime and witnessing justice. Forensic scientists gather evidence from the crime scene and test the evidence in a laboratory.

Evidence at a crime scene can include bodily fluids, fibers and weapons. Crime fighters that use chemical and biologic technology to analyze the evidence they can recover are forensic scientists. They document their observations in photographs and sketches and reconstruct crime scenes. 

Cleveland Miles, the deputy director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab, learned about forensics while interviewing a lab technician at the GBI crime lab. He was working as a drug chemistry technician at the time and went back to school after two years to take a course in biochemistry so that he could apply to be a scientist.

The GBI subsequently promoted him to forensic biologist, in which capacity he worked in the serology and DNA sections. The GBI trained him in those sections. He was "working cases and working evidence," which was very fulfilling for him as a scientist, he states.

"I was doing science and I was helping people," Miles says. "They were victims of crime. Some of them were killed. We could investigate the evidence that arrived and connect some factual detail about it that could help that investigation and lead to someone being arrested, or clear someone who was falsely accused."

He spent five years or so working as a scientist before transitioning into management. He saw there was room to help more junior professionals who had career aspirations in forensics.

To work in his department, applicants must pass drug and polygraph tests. When Miles talks to young individuals about a career in forensics, he warns them that they should be ready for such tests, something he has seen a lot of applicants fail at.

Along with these qualifications, as stated by the BLS, technicians may also be subject to taking proficiency tests in such fields of laboratory science, for example. 

The BLS also predicts employment growth in forensic science will be robust – it will increase 13% from 2024 to 2034. In May of 2024, the median for forensic science technicians was $67,440.

The bureau also reports scientific and technological progress will increase the application of forensic data available to courts, and consequently will require more employees working in conjunction with law enforcement administrators.

Thanks to crime investigation television shows and films, competition for jobs will probably be stiff, say experts.

The students asked for the type of course, and Meader persuaded administrators to allow her to pilot it. She consulted with police department acquaintances and also attended an American Academy of Forensic Science conference, where she picked the brains of forensic experts about how to prepare her course to best effect.

"It was a great experience that mushroomed into something bigger than anything I ever could have dreamed," she says.

Meador explains how the students learn to apply their categorical science in a three-dimensional context: looking at a crime scene from biology's perspective, the availability of living tissue; chemistry, in chemical reaction; and physics, taking into consideration angles such as the way a gun was shot.

She informs them that what they are used to viewing on a Hollywood show is not real. "It is not always possible to solve a crime in 45 minutes. Not that it can happen, but the whole process from receiving a call about a crime to what the end result of the crime is, is a time-consuming process."

Careers in Forensic Science

The majority of Meador's forensics students have gone into law enforcement and homicide investigation, she says. "I have some students who went into the lab work doing DNA research in biology and chemistry, students who've gone into medicine, and some who've gone into doing law."

Toxicology is a very interesting field of science in which experts learn about the dangerous impact of chemicals, drugs and environmental toxins on living organisms. The day of a toxicologist is never the same since it consists of a combination of laboratory work, data analysis and even courtroom testimony. To any person who is thinking of taking up this profession, a glimpse into their daily life provides great information about the challenges and benefits of the profession.

What do toxicologists do daily?

Two questions that linger on the mind of every student aspiring to be a toxicologist are: 

Q: What does a toxicologist do every day?

A toxicologist spends their day testing biological samples, analyzing toxins, consulting with doctors or investigators, and preparing scientific reports.

Q: Why is toxicology important?

Toxicology protects society by ensuring the safety of drugs, food, chemicals, and the environment while also supporting justice in forensic cases.

These are the students who are serious about a career in toxicology and refer to google &  chatgpt to know everything about the field, including a day in the life, roles & responsibilities, and the significance of this job. Apparently, a typical day for a toxicologist involves a range of responsibilities, from analysing samples to reporting findings. Here’s what their routine often looks like: 

Reviewing Cases and Samples

At the beginning of their day, most toxicologists review a case file, medical record, or laboratory sample. Their work often involves:

• The analysis of blood, urine, or tissue to identify toxic substances.
• Reviewing evidence from industrial accidents, poisoning cases, or drug overdoses.
• Designing experiments to learn the interaction of various chemicals with human body.
• This step is very sensitive to details because any slight error will be translated to wrong conclusions. 

Research and Laboratory Work.

A major part of the day of a toxicologist is the lab:

• Forensic toxicologists identify drugs, alcohol, or poisons in biological samples for law enforcement.
• Clinical toxicologists consult with hospitals to help treat poisoning cases. 
• Environmental toxicologists research the impacts of pollutants on the environment, wildlife and human health.
• They make chemical solutions, conduct experiments with the aid of high-tech equipment such as the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and document the accurate measurements. This information is used to identify levels of toxins and their biological impacts.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Toxicologists then examine their results statistically after testing. Reports may be made on:
• Patients under hospital care.
• Secured workplaces.
• Chemical control agencies of the government.

Reporting should be clear and accurate since these findings may frequently have an impact on a legal case, health decision or policy-making. 

Cooperation and Consultation

Toxicologists do not usually work in isolation. They have repeated contacts with doctors, environmental scientists, law enforcers and regulators. Others can even come in court as expert witnesses to interpret the evidence of toxicology in either a criminal or civil court.

On-going learning and research

A toxicologist does not just work in a lab daily. The innovations in nanotechnology, pharmaceuticals and environmental risks imply that they have to keep on updating their information. Professional development is a basic component of reading scientific journals and attending conferences and undergoing training.

The Problems of a Toxicologist Day

On the one hand, the job is rewarding, but on the other hand, it is also challenging:

• There is pressure to provide correct data fast, particularly during medical emergency situations.
• Work with hazardous  materials, where strict safety measures are necessary.
• Emotional weight where cases are fatal or have severe health effects.
• However, each problem makes their work in defending the health and the justice of people even stronger.

Why Does This Career Matters? 

A toxicologist might be a stranger to the average person, but their effort touches everyday life. Toxicologists make a silent, yet mighty contribution to protecting society, from their work on ensuring the safety of food and medicines to their work on suspicious deaths. They are the intermediaries of chemistry, biology, medicine, and law. 

FAQs

Q: Where do toxicologists work?

Toxicologists can work in different places, including  forensic labs, hospitals, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, food safety agencies, government regulatory bodies, and academic research institutions.

Q: How do I become a toxicologist in India?

Anyone seeking a career in toxicology in India must by clear their 10+2 from science stream, get a science-related bachelor’s degree, followed by specialized postgraduate courses or a PhD in toxicology, pharmacology, or biochemistry.

Q: What are the main skills needed to be a toxicologist?

There are some skills of toxicologists like analytical thinking, laboratory expertise, attention to detail, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and up-to-date scientific knowledge,  that play a significant role in shaping the career.

Q: How much does a toxicologist earn in India?

8.6lakhs is the average annual salary for a toxicologist in India, with higher salaries potential for people in research, regulatory or forensic roles in government sector or with experience.

Q: What are some typical tasks of a toxicologist?

There are some day-to-day tasks of a toxicologist, they are as follows: 

• Collecting and analyzing samples (blood, urine, tissues)
• Performing risk and safety assessments
• Toxicology reports making 
• Advising on chemical safety and regulation
• Testifying as an expert in courts 
• Conducting fieldwork for environment-related studies.