Principal

 Prof. Dr. Rakesh Krishan Gupta is a distinguished academic leader, clinician, and institutional builder with four decades of exemplary service in the dental profession, including over three decades in dental education and healthcare. Born on April 6, 1962, he has built a reputation as an erudite visionary, administrator, and pioneer of research. He holds a BDS degree obtained in 1983 from the Government Dental College and Hospital, Osmania University, and an MDS in Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry from the College of Dental Surgery, KMC, Manipal, which he completed in 1992. Currently, he serves as the Principal and Director of PG Studies at Kalka Dental College in Meerut. 

Prior to his current role, Dr. Gupta served as the Principal and Dean of the Indira Gandhi Government Dental College (IGGDC) in Jammu starting in 2020. During his transformative tenure, he championed the institution's upgrade to a postgraduate level, successfully securing recognition for seven MDS specialties from the Government of India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He established robust infrastructure, including a CBCT machine, modernized lecture halls, a Wi-Fi-enabled campus, and an e-office system. Additionally, as the first Dean of Dental Sciences at Jammu University, he established the faculty of dental sciences and initiated key governance and curriculum reforms to build a progressive academic framework. 

At the national level, Dr. Gupta has been a member of the Dental Council of India (DCI) since 2017, playing a pivotal role in regulating dental education across the country and serving on core committees for policy formulation, ethical regulation, and academic inspections. His academic contributions are extensive, with 22 publications in national and international journals, three reference books, and a textbook chapter to his name. He frequently serves as an internal and external examiner across India, supervises postgraduate dissertations, and is a prominent speaker at national and international dental forums. 

Beyond academia, Dr. Gupta has held leadership roles in the Indian Dental Association (IDA) Jammu, including serving as its president, and is an active member of elite social clubs like the Amar Singh Club, Jammu Club, and Sidhra Golf Course. His exceptional service has earned him numerous accolades, such as a commendation award from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Cyano Dent Lifetime Achievement award, and distinguished recognition from the All India State Dental Council. On a personal front, Dr. Gupta is married to Dr. Sunita Verma, a dental surgeon with the J&K Health Services, and they have two children: a married daughter with a Ph.D. and a son pursuing a Ph.D. in Cyber Security at IIT. He maintains his permanent residence in Gandhi Nagar, Jammu.