Dr. Narendra Malhotra gave the POGS oration on fetal origins of adult diseases. He has had an illustrious career as an obstetrician and gynecologist in India, holding many leadership positions and publishing extensively. His research has shown that adverse conditions in the womb and early life can program the fetus's development and permanently increase risks for diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease later in adulthood. Maternal nutrition, infections, and other environmental factors during pregnancy can influence the fetus through hormonal and epigenetic changes leading to effects on organs like the pancreas, kidneys and blood vessels that manifest as disease in later life.