Dr Tamang is a pioneering food microbiologist. His work centres on the interpretation of ethno-microbiology to metataxonomics and metagenomics associated with fermented foods and beverages prepared and consumed by different ethnic peoples of the Himalayan region of Bhutan, India, and Nepal. He studies a wide range of subjects – from microbiome diversity and food safety to nutrition and probiotics – and has published several books and more than 155 research papers.

Dr Tamang was born in Darjeeling, India. He completed his PhD in microbiology from the University of North Bengal, India, in 1992; his post-doctorate research in molecular microbiology from the National Food Research Institute, Japan, through the United Nations University – Kirin Fellowship in 1995; and another post-doctorate research from the Institute of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene, Germany in 2002 through the Volkswagen Foundation Fellowship.

Dr Tamang has received several prestigious awards such as the United Nations Association of University Women Award in 1996; National Bio-Science Award of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India in 2005; and the Gourmand World Cookbook Award in 2010. He has been a fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India since 2013; the Indian Academy of Microbiological Sciences since 2010; and the Biotech Research Society of India since 2006.

Dr Tamang has been teaching microbiology and biological sciences for 33 years and has supervised several doctoral and post-doctoral students. At Sikkim University, he served as the officiating Vice Chancellor from 2017 to 2018, and is presently Dean of the School of Life Sciences and Professor of Microbiology, Department of Microbiology.