Skip to content
Meet our Gut Health Experts
Pariksha Rao
Director - Nutrition & Medical Affairs Master’s (Advanced Human Nutrition); Diploma (Clinical Research and Clinical Behavior Science)
Afaaf Shaikh
Senior Lead - Gut Health Programs & Affiliates, M.Sc. (Dietetics & Food Service Management)
Kaynat Mirajkar
Lead - Nutrition, Regulatory & Medical Affairs, P.G. (Dietetics & Applied Nutrition)
Maitrie Kosambi
Senior Gut Coach, M.Sc. (Nutrigenomics)
Anokhi Darshil Khona
Senior Gut Coach, PGDM (Clinical Nutrition & Obesity Management)
Anjali Vijay Jaitapkar
Senior Gut Coach, PGD (Food, Nutrition & Dietetics)
Rabaa Ansari
Gut Coach, M.Sc. (DFSM)
Sahitya Sherigar
Gut Coach, M.Sc. (Sports Nutrition)
Afifa Ansari
Gut Coach, M.Sc. (Sports Nutrition)
Himanghi Pokar
Gut Microbiome Coach, M.Sc. (Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics)
Pariksha Rao
Director - Nutrition & Medical Affairs
A Forbes India-recognized trailblazer in precision nutrition, has over two decades of expertise in healthcare, public health, and pharmaceuticals. Honoured as one of TOI-World Brand Affairs’ 20 Indian Changemakers, she serves on the National Advisory Board for Impact for Nutrition and has trained at AIIMS and ICMR. A TEDx speaker, author, and seasoned advisor, Pariksha has guided major brands like Medtronic and Dr. Reddy’s. She launched 18 nutraceutical products, curated four digital therapeutics apps, and trained medical officers for NPCDCS. An IDF-certified Diabetes Educator with a Master’s in Advanced Human Nutrition, she is a driving force in health innovation.
Afaaf Shaikh
Senior Lead - Gut Health Programs & Affiliates
A Clinical Nutritionist with 10 years of expertise in nutrition, weight management, bariatric nutrition, and gut health. Certified in gut microbiome exploration from the University of Colorado Boulder, she is also a Certified Diabetes Educator and a Nutrition & Childcare Expert. She has even published her research paper in the Global Journal of Research Analysis. As the Senior Lead Nutritionist at The Good Bug, she heads the gut coaching team and healthcare affiliates, leads a vibrant gut health community. She keeps everyone updated on the latest nutrition and wellness trends, actively promotes continuing nutrition education with a focus on gut health.
Kaynat Mirajkar
Lead - Nutrition, Regulatory & Medical Affairs
With 10 years of experience in nutrition counseling, product development, and regulatory affairs, Kaynat is a senior nutritionist and certified diabetes educator. She co-authored research on Indian women’s skin health and excels in holistic nutrition strategies.
Maitrie Kosambi
Senior Gut Coach
Maitrie is a gut health expert specializing in personalized nutrition for optimizing gut microbiota. With her academic background and passion for gut health, anti-aging, and weight management, she uses evidence-based dietary interventions to promote well-being and sustainable health.
Anokhi Darshil Khona
Senior Gut Coach
With 5+ years of experience, Anokhi specializes in weight management, gut health, and pregnancy nutrition. Trained in acupuncture, graphology, and numerology, she takes a holistic approach to enhance physical and mental well-being.
Anjali Vijay Jaitapkar
Senior Gut Coach
Anjali is an expert dietitian specializing in metabolic and lifestyle disorders, and offers personalized, travel-friendly diet plans. With expertise in gut health and a passion for simplifying nutrition, she empowers clients with practical, sustainable strategies.
Rabaa Ansari
Gut Coach
Rabaa, with experience in therapeutic diets at a multispecialty hospital, excels in crafting personalized nutrition strategies. As a Gut Coach at The Good Bug, she focuses on optimizing gut health for improved overall wellness.
Sahitya Sherigar
Gut Coach
Sahitya, an expert in gut health and digestive wellness, empowers clients with tailored guidance for improved health. She simplifies nutrition concepts to help manage chronic conditions and foster overall well-being.
Afifa Ansari
Gut Coach
Afifa’s expertise spans athlete nutrition and gut health. She combines experience from working with Navy officers and a virtual internship to provide tailored diet plans as a Gut Coach at The Good Bug, enhancing client well-being.
Himanghi Pokar
Gut Microbiome Coach
Himangi Pokhar is a Gut Microbiome Coach at The Good Bug, specializing in microbiome, nutrition, and gene data analysis. With an M.Sc. in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, she creates personalized nutrition plans based on genetic and gut microbiome insights to optimize health.
Meet our Innovation Experts
Ricky Marfatia
Head - Fermentation
Dr. Abhishek Kanade
Senior Manager - Research & Product Development, PG (Product Management)
Shruti Sankpal
Lead - New Product Development, MBA (Project Management)
Sanjana Sawant
Lead - New Product Development, M.Sc. (Bioanalytical Science)
Arpita Pandirkar
Lead - Quality, M.Sc. (Food Processing and Preservation)
Ricky Marfatia
Head - Fermentation
Ricky, a law graduate from Government Law College, Mumbai, brings years of experience in the food and hospitality industry. After launching multiple restaurants from 2012 to 2015, his passion for nutrition led him to explore probiotics, discovering kefir in 2017. In 2019, he founded Kefir Culture, dedicated to crafting high-quality kefir, lacto-fermented pickles, kombucha, and more to support gut health. Now, as part of The Good Bug, Ricky continues his mission to make probiotic-rich nutrition simple, delicious, and accessible to all.
Dr. Abhishek Kanade
Senior Manager - Research & Product Development
Dr. Abhishek Kanade is a wellness expert with 15+ years in nutraceutical research and product development. He integrates Ayurveda, nutrition, and modern science to create innovative, clinically validated products. With a BAMS, a PG in Product Management & Analytics, and a Diploma in Nutraceuticals, he specializes in formulation science, clinical trials, and market-driven strategies, driving evidence-based wellness solutions.
Shruti Sankpal
Lead - New Product Development
Shruti, a Lead - NPD, with a B.Tech in Food Technology and an MBA in Project Management drives innovation in gut health-focused solutions. With expertise in food technology and execution, she excels in developing market-ready formulations that align with consumer needs, industry trends, and sustainability.
Sanjana Sawant
Lead - New Product Development
A key member of the New Product Development (NPD) team at The Good Bug, she has 5 years of experience in the nutraceutical industry. She has a deep understanding of nutraceutical concepts and is passionate about creating value-added formulations that strike the perfect balance between health and taste. Sanjana plays a crucial role in developing and launching new products, ensuring they meet the highest standards of efficacy and innovation.
Arpita Pandirkar
Lead - Quality
A highly experienced Quality Person with 11 years in QA/QC and regulatory compliance. Holding a Master’s degree and certifications in Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and ISO/FSSC 22000 Lead Auditor, she is leading food safety, regulatory, and HACCP teams. Specializing in food safety systems, regulatory compliance (FSSAI, BIS, Legal Metrology,FDA,etc), and quality assurance, this professional ensures that all products meet stringent quality standards. With expertise in quality assurance and control, she also conducts audits and work on continuous improvement initiatives to drive company success.
