Anant Darshan Shankar is the Vice Chancellor of the Trans-Disciplinary University (TDU), Bangalore. During 1980-92, Darshan has lived and worked for twelve years in a tribal district in Maharashtra on projects related to S&T applications for tribal development. During the last 25 years FRLHT-TDU has inspired research and outreach in the field of Ayurveda-biology a new transdisciplinary domain that combines systemic perspectives of Ayurveda with the molecular approaches of biology. Darshan's work has garnered several national and International Awards like the Normal Borlaug Award (1998) for contributions to conservation of wild populations of medicinal plants and Columbia University's International Award (2003) for recognition of FRLHT's outstanding contributions to revitalization of traditional systems of health-care in India. In recognition of Darshan Shankar's, pioneering work in promoting integrative health sciences, he was awarded the Padma Shri, by the Government of India in 2011. He has held several honorary positions like Advisor (ISM), Planning Commission, Government of India (GOI), Member, National Wild Life Board, GOI and Member of the National Bio-Diversity Authority, GOI.