Born in India, Dr. Panigrahi completed his primary and secondary education followed by undergraduate education. Thereafter he obtained an MBBS degree from VSS Medical College, Burla, India. He worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Cardiology at Glostrup Hospital in Copenhagen until the mid-seventies and completed an Internal Medicine residency followed by Cardiology Fellowship at the Wayne State University Hospitals, Detroit, Michigan in the early eighties. Afterwards, he moved to Norfolk/Virginia Beach and established a Cardiology Practice. The practice had expanded and this was incorporated into the current Sentara Medical Group of Cardiology Specialists. Besides the clinical cardiology practice, he joined as a community faculty in the division of Internal Medicine at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. In addition, he established the Cardiovascular Wellness Clinic in the practice and established the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program for Sentara Health Care. He is active in patient care, clinical research, and teaching. He serves as the advisor to the Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG) of medical students at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). He has been fortunate to have been affiliated with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and particularly participating in the area of clinical research on diabetes remission with a plant-based diet.