Anupma Harshal W

Dr. Anupma Harshal Wadavlikar is a Mumbai-based Biochemist, Foldscope International Fellow, and AMR Ambassador with over 24 years of experience in science education and outreach. Holding a PhD in Biochemistry from Mumbai University, she has conducted 350+ Foldscope-specific workshops across India, from government schools in Ladakh's Zanskar Valley and Arunachal Pradesh's remote northeast to gifted learner programmes at Ashoka University. She is a SaS (Superheroes Against Superbugs) Fellow, a Foldscope Instruments Inc. International Fellow (2024), and was named Foldscoper of the Month in June 2025. Her work, grounded in the philosophy of frugal science, uses the paper microscope to give children in low-resource settings their first encounter with the living microcosm beneath their feet: fungi, bacteria, plant cells, and insect wings. A former faculty member at KC College Mumbai and a current consultant with the Kotak Education Foundation and IISER Pune's COESME, Dr. Harshal has been supported by DBT, the Ministry of Science & Technology, UGC, and international science bodies. Her work reaches Grade 4 students through to postgraduate researchers across 14 Indian states.