Prof. Lakhon Kma’s Professional Profile

Dear Visitors,
Prof. Lakhon Kma was born on 4th September 1976 in Shillong, Meghalaya. He completed his Class X and XII (Science) from JNV, Mahadevpur, A.P. He completed his B. Sc. Honours in Zoology from St. Anthony’s College, Shillong (1997); M. Sc. (1999) and Ph. D. (2004) in Biochemistry, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong. He joined the Department of Biochemistry, NEHU as a faculty (Lecturer/Assistant Professor) in April 2002, became Associate Professor (2014) and Professor (2017). He did his Post-Doctoral Research in the Medical College of Wisconsin, USA (2009-2010). Prof. Kma was also awarded the BOYSCAST Fellowship, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, to undertake research in Florida International University, Miami, USA. Currently, he is the Head of the Department of Biochemistry, NEHU, Shillong. Prof. L. Kma has been teaching M. Sc. Biochemistry for about 22 years. He has also been teaching the Pre-Ph.D. courses since its introduction in NEHU. Prof. Kma has also been involved in examination related matters for Under-graduate, Post-graduate and Pre-Ph.D. courses since 2002. He is actively involved in research in the field of cancer and radiation countermeasures for more than 20 years. One of the research focus of Prof. Kma is on early detection of cancer and has contributed immensely in making poly-ADP-ribosylation of blood lymphocyte proteins as a reliable marker of initiation of cancer in mouse model, which has been tested in human blood lymphocytes as well. Other field of research interest includes chemical radioprotectors that can be used in radiation countermeasure strategy. Currently, Prof. Kma is also focussing on research involving natural products. He is working on using herbal products in radiation countermeasure strategy and also in radiosensitization of cancer cells. Prof. Kma has 71 publications which include papers in National and International journals, book chapters, edited books and magazines, with an h-index of 12 and i10-index of 13. His research has been funded by ICMR New Delhi, UGC New Delhi, BRNS-DAE Mumbai, SERB-DST, New Delhi & IAEA, Vienna, Austria. He has also guided many doctoral students. He has presented his research work in several National and International conferences/seminars in India and abroad. He is also life members of several professional bodies, editorial board member and reviewers of many journals. Prof. Lakhon Kma has attended several important workshops in other fields in last few years. One of them was as a delegate from NEHU on ‘Janjatiya Anusandhan-Asmita, Astitva evam Vikas’, organized by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, 27-28 November 2022 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The programme was concluded on the 28th of November with the address by the Hon’ble President of India, Her Excellency Smt. Droupadi Murmu at Rastrapati Bhawan and interacted with the delegates which was followed by the dinner hosted by her at Rastrapati Bhawan complex. The workshop was organized by the Commission to open new avenues for further research on the issues concerning Janjati (Tribal) communities. As the Director, Sports Department NEHU, Prof. Kma also represented NEHU in the All-India Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Universities on Sports Development, 24th January 2023, held at NDMC Convention Centre, New Delhi, organized by Ministry of Youth Affairs ad Sports, Government of India for the overall upliftment of Games and Sports activities across all universities in the country. He has been part of the Organising Committee of several important seminars/conferences/symposia in NEHU which includes the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and 96th Indian Science Congress. Prof. Kma has also participated and organized several professional development activities. Prof. L. Kma is also very interested in extension programmes and co-curricular activities. He has represented NEHU in the Meghalaya Inter-Office Badminton Tournament. He is also the Winner of NEHU Open Marathon 2013 and Badminton Tournament 2014. He has been the Programme Coordinator, National Service Scheme (NSS) Cell, NEHU (2013-2016; 2016-2019). As Programme Coordinator, he has helped several villages across the State of Meghalaya by providing them with dams for drinking water, solar street lights, washing sheds, bus sheds, community toilets, footpaths, classrooms, etc. through the NSS Cell NEHU and its Units across different colleges in Meghalaya. He has also empowered villagers and students by providing them with hard and soft skill development programmes for employability and self-sustenance. Currently, Prof. Kma is holding the post of Director, Sport Department, NEHU Shillong in addition to his normal academic duties. Prof. L. Kma has contributed immensely to the growth of NEHU Teacher’s Association (NEHUTA). He was the General Secretary and Vice-President on different occasions and Member of the Executive Committee for 3 terms. He has drafted the Constitution of NEHUTA which was approved by the General Body and the University’s statutory bodies and is being used currently. He was elected as the President of NEHUTA in 2022-23. He was also the Joint Secretary of Meghalaya Tribal Teacher’s Association (MeTTA-NEHU) and was holding the post of the President till October 2022. He has contributed immensely in drafting the Constitution of MeTTA-NEHU as well. Indeed, Prof. Kma holds the distinction of being the only person in the entire history of NEHU to hold the post of President of both-NEHUTA and MeTTA at the same time. As the leader of these Associations and as a faculty, he had upheld the rights and dignity of NEHU teachers, and the students, particularly from Meghalaya, without fear or favour. Prof. Lakhon Kma was re-elected as President of NEHUTA for the term 2023-24 in the election held on the 2nd of June 2023. Prof. Lakhon Kma can read, write and speak in English, Khasi-Pnar and Hindi and can speak and understand Assamese, and to a certain extent, Bengali and Nepali. He is also a freelance writer and has contributed more than 40 articles in ‘The Shillong Times’ and Khasi dailies and other dailies on different socio-political and developmental fronts since 2007.