Mr. Tamal Das during his second year of BDS in 2019 was selected for the Short Term Studentship (STS) by Indian Council Medical Research and awarded studentship in 2020 under the valued guidance of Dr Sunila B Sangappa , Reader Department of Prosthodontics and Convener Dental Education Unit, JSS Dental College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysore. Title of project was “Estimation of fasting salivary Malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma and salivary glucose levels in patients with and without type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” (Ref No. 2019-07738) He is currently pursuing Final year BDS at the Institute.

Dr.Sunila Sangappa Convener Dental education Unit having inducted the workshop of “Fundamentals in Research Methodology Workshop” as a routine program to the second BDS students since 2019 through Dental Education Unit, JSSDCH under the able guidance and leadership of Dr. Ravindra S Principal JSS Dental College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysore feels the need of introducing concepts of Research to students at early academic years to enable and empower their critical thinking and creativity. Special thanks for the encouragement and consistent support from Registrar Dr. B. Manjunatha and Director (Academics) Dr. Kushalappa P A JSSAHER that has

enabled us to set this benchmark of having for the first time a Second-year student qualify for ICMR STS Studentship and pursue research.

In his words Mr.Tamal Das quotes “As a second year BDS student I was not introduced to the field of research but it always fascinated me. I'm thankful to Dr. Sunila B Sangappa for reaching out and guiding me in this completely new project that made dentistry even more interesting to me. From preparing first study proposal to getting ethical clearance to preparing report every step of the way has either taught me something new or provoked me to think in an alternative way. The STS project by ICMR has exposed me in a new area where I got the opportunity to learn from some of the great Teachers, Researchers, Biochemists in JSSAHER, it not only enriched my academics also my communication skills. '