Notable People

Dr. Suraj Samtani is a Chilean medical oncologist of Indian heritage, born and raised in Iquique. He studied medicine at the Universidad del Desarrollo, specialised in internal medicine and medical oncology, and trained at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Harvard University.

He has led oncology at Clínica Las Condes and Hospital Clínico Félix Bulnes, and now directs the University Cancer Institute at Universidad Finis Terrae. His research focuses on lung cancer, immunotherapy and precision medicine, with more than 50 scientific publications. He was the only Latin American named in “40 Under 40 in Cancer” in his year, and is Medical Director of Chile’s first lung cancer foundation.

Komal Dadlani is a Chilean biochemist and social entrepreneur of Indian heritage, born in Arica. She studied biochemistry at the Universidad de Chile, where she also earned a master’s degree.

In 2013 she co-founded Lab4U, which turns smartphones and tablets into science instruments so students can learn science by doing it, even without a laboratory. Lab4U has reached more than 200,000 students in Chile, Mexico and the United States, and in 2026 joined the US education nonprofit Britebound, with Komal continuing as CEO.

Her recognitions include the Cartier Women’s Initiative (2015), MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35 in Latin America, Ashoka Fellow, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2020) and, for Lab4U, the Global EdTech Award at the QS Reimagine Education Awards (2025). In 2026 she was featured in the “Somos Chile” exhibition at Santiago International Airport.

Jennifer Mayani is a Chilean actress and model of Sindhi heritage, born in Punta Arenas. Since her debut in the Hindi film Dus (2005), she has built a career in Bollywood, appearing in films including Heyy Babyy, Om Shanti Om, Golmaal 3 and Desi Boyz, as well as in Indian television commercials and fashion shows.

In 2025 she joined President Gabriel Boric’s state visit to India as a representative of Chile’s audiovisual industry.