Dr. D. Khanna

Dr. D. Khanna is an Assistant Professor of Physics in the Division of Physical Sciences, School of Sciences, Arts and Media, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Bharathiar University, with doctoral research focused on monitoring environmental radiation levels in the Sattankulam and Tiruchendur regions of Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu, in the eastern zone of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project site. He completed his M.Sc. in Physics from Bharathiar University and his B.Sc. in Physics from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University.

His research expertise encompasses environmental radiation monitoring and medical radiation physics. His work includes establishing baseline environmental radiation data, large-scale environmental survey programmes, measurement of primordial radionuclides, radon and thoron monitoring, indoor gamma-dose measurements using TLD phosphors, dissolved radon measurements in water, and radon exhalation studies from soil and building materials. His medical radiation physics research focuses on dose-delivery accuracy, daily quality assurance, patient-setup errors, treatment-planning algorithms, dosimetric correction factors, and statistical uncertainty analysis. His recent publications address advanced radiotherapy planning, VMAT optimization, stereotactic radiosurgery, high-dose-rate flattening-filter-free beams, and radiotherapy delivery systems.

Dr. Khanna has contributed to funded research through a DST-FIST project of Rs. 138 lakhs for establishing an Environmental Isotope Hydrology and Geochemistry Facility for sustainable water management in semi-arid regions of peninsular India. He has also been associated with the Isotope Application Mission and research activities in environmental radiation and medical physics. His academic contributions include publications and book chapters on environmental radiation, radionuclide migration and uptake, radiation health, and solid polymer electrolytes. He has received the Achiever’s Award 2025 for securing the DST-FIST grant, JRF and SRF fellowships from the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, Division of Atomic Energy, the Medal for Organizer for coordinating the Youth Astronomy and Space Science Congress 2025, and the Best Oral Paper Presentation Award at the National Conference on Luminescence in 2013.

He has guided six Ph.D. scholars whose research covered respiratory motion and small-field dosimetry, VMAT treatment planning and delivery, stereotactic irradiation, advanced radiotherapy techniques, high-end radiotherapy systems, and Monte Carlo-based treatment planning. His current research group works on dosimetric evaluation of VMAT with flattened and unflattened photon beams, dose-calculation accuracy, patient-specific quality assurance, stereotactic radiosurgery, treatment effectiveness, and treatment-planning systems. He is a member of the Institute of Physics, London, European Physical Society, Indian Association of Physics Teachers, Indian Society for Radiation Physics, Luminescence Society of India, and Evangelical Teachers’ Fellowship. His professional collaborations include institutions engaged in environmental radiation and medical physics research.