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Ravi Gupta’s path to Ģ����ý began in India, where he became the first in his family to pursue veterinary medicine and the first to move abroad for higher education. Gupta is currently a graduate research assistant in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at Ģ����ý. His decision to continue his studies overseas marked a turning point not only in his own life, but in the story of his entire family.

Gupta’s interest in animal health began during his veterinary training in India. What started as a general excitement for caring for animals deepened into a commitment to understand infectious diseases.

He said that after unexpected mortality occurred in the broiler flock he managed during an entrepreneurship program, he felt hopeless at first but also determined to understand why. He saw firsthand how quickly disease can affect not only animals but also the families who depend on them for income.

That work experience stayed with him, and it became the foundation for his research interests and the reason he chose to pursue graduate studies focused on disease prevention and poultry health.

When Gupta received an offer from SDSU, he shared the news with his father first.

“Without hesitation, he said, ‘Go ahead.’ He had once dreamed of sending me abroad. And in that instant, I could see both pride and strength in his eyes,” Gupta said.

His mother’s reaction reflected both pride and the difficulty of watching her youngest child leave home. The moment that stayed with him most was the goodbye at the airport. He said the tears in his mother’s eyes are still something he can picture clearly and even thinking about them gives him goosebumps.

Gupta faced questions and doubts from others about leaving home. He had never been outside of India before coming to United States, and the new culture, and South Dakota winters, were challenging.

“Everything felt new: the environment, the culture, the people and even the daily routine,” he said. “I had never experienced such extreme cold in my life. Temperatures of minus 30 or even minus 40 degrees felt unreal at first.”

Through the obstacles and the ice, Gupta has had strong support from his new SDSU family. That support helped him move from feeling new to feeling capable. He said the moment he truly felt he belonged at SDSU was when he became confident enough to contribute ideas in the lab and present his work.

During his time at SDSU, Gupta has worked on an emerging respiratory disease in poultry called avian metapneumovirus subgroup B, a highly contagious respiratory virus affecting chickens and turkeys around the world. He has developed monoclonal antibodies, contributed to vaccine development and trials and is currently working on creating a diagnostic ELISA assay.

For Gupta, research is never just technical work. To him, animal lives truly matter. He does not see them as just livestock or production units. He sees the stories behind them and has seen firsthand how deeply families depend on their animals.

“I have seen farmers cry when their buffalo, cattle or goats fall sick or die. Their pain is real,” he shared. “Treating disease brings relief, but prevention brings protection.”

Gupta has presented his work at major conferences across the U.S., including the North Central Avian Disease Conference, where he received the Pomeroy Award for Best Student Oral Presentation. He also presented at the American Association of Avian Pathologists and the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnostics. In India, he earned the Best Poster Presentation Award at the Indian Veterinary Congress.

These experiences reflect the growing impact of his work and recognition he has earned within the field. Gupta sees his time in the U.S. as a foundation for strengthening disease prevention systems wherever they are needed. It has given him exposure to advanced laboratory tools, modern diagnostic systems and a broader perspective on disease prevention.

He hopes to help address gaps in rapid diagnostics, particularly in India, where outbreaks can spread quickly because early detection tools are limited or not readily available. Gupta’s long-term goal is to contribute to global preparedness for emerging diseases.

“Emerging diseases do not respect borders. The goal is not to just respond to outbreaks, but to be prepared for the next one,” he said.

Gupta’s story is grounded in the values he carries with him: responsibility, compassion and a commitment to protecting both animals and the people who depend on them. Every step — from India to Brookings, South Dakota, to his current work in industry — reflects a clear sense of purpose shaped by family, experience and a deep belief in the power of prevention.