Neurologist Dr. Rahul Chawla alleged delayed royalty payments from Galgotia Publications for his bestselling NEET guide Biology at Your Fingertips, which sold over 10,000 copies.
He claimed royalty cheques issued to him were returned unpaid, forcing him to pursue legal action to recover his dues.
Dr. Chawla stated the experience discouraged him from authoring further books despite the commercial success of his publication.
The allegations surfaced amid separate controversy involving Galgotias University’s presentation of a commercially purchased robot at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
Renewed scrutiny also follows the resurfacing of a previously retracted COVID-19 hypothesis paper linked to a Galgotias University research scholar, raising broader academic credibility concerns.
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Neurologist and medical author Dr. Rahul Chawla has alleged that he faced a prolonged royalty dispute with Galgotia Publications after his bestselling medical entrance preparation book Biology at Your Fingertips sold more than 10,000 copies. The allegations, shared in a public LinkedIn post, have prompted discussion regarding royalty transparency in academic publishing and surfaced amid broader scrutiny involving Galgotias University.
Dr. Chawla, who trained at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, stated that despite the commercial success of his book, he did not receive royalty payments for several years. He further alleged that cheques issued toward royalty dues were returned unpaid, prompting him to pursue legal action to recover the amount.
Galgotia Publications, named in the allegations, is part of the Galgotias education group, which also includes Galgotias University.
In his LinkedIn statement, Dr. Chawla wrote that he authored Biology at Your Fingertips at the age of 21 while still a medical student. He stated that the book became a bestseller, with more than 10,000 official copies sold.
According to Dr Chawla, royalty payments were delayed for several years despite the book’s sales. He claimed that he eventually recovered the dues after pursuing a court case.
He also noted that he had depended on the expected royalty income during his medical training and that the experience discouraged him from writing further books.
As of publication, Galgotia Publications has not issued a public response addressing the specific allegations mentioned in Dr Chawla’s post.
Biology at Your Fingertips: A Complete Guide for the Medical Entrance Examinations is a medical entrance exam preparation book authored by Dr Rahul Chawla and published by Galgotia Publications.
Retail listings and book descriptions classify it under medical and competitive examination preparation resources. The book is described as a guide covering biology topics relevant to medical entrance examinations and is based on notes prepared during the author’s own entrance exam preparation.
It has been categorized under medical exam preparation on major book retail platforms and is positioned as a comprehensive biology review resource for aspirants.
In his public statement, Dr. Chawla stated that the book sold more than 10,000 official copies, contributing to its recognition among medical entrance candidates.
In his social media post, Dr. Chawla referred to the artificial intelligence summit controversy involving Galgotias University and wrote, "BUT, this isn't the first time," before recounting his own royalty dispute with Galgotia Publications.
The controversy occurred during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, held from February 16 to February 20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
At the summit, Galgotias University displayed a robotic dog referred to as "Orion" at its exhibition pavilion. During a media interaction, a university representative described the robot in connection with the institution’s Centre of Excellence initiatives, which led to public perception that it had been developed by the university. The robot was later identified as the Unitree Go2, a commercially available quadruped robot manufactured by the Chinese robotics company Unitree and widely used for robotics training, research, and demonstration purposes.
The discrepancy triggered criticism on social media and public discussion regarding how the technology was presented during the exhibition. Summit organizers subsequently asked the university to vacate its stall following the controversy.
Galgotias University later issued a clarification stating that the robot had been purchased and was being used as an educational tool to help students learn artificial intelligence and robotics. The university stated that it had not developed the robot and attributed the situation to miscommunication during the presentation.
Amid ongoing scrutiny, earlier academic controversy associated with a researcher affiliated with Galgotias University has resurfaced in public discussion.
In 2020, a paper titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis” was published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs. The author was listed as a research scholar from the Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University, Greater Noida.
The paper proposed that sound vibrations produced by utensils such as plates or bells could potentially affect coronavirus particles. The article was later retracted, as recorded by Retraction Watch, an independent organization that tracks scientific retractions.
Retractions are issued to correct the scientific record when research is found to contain unsupported claims, methodological issues, or reliability concerns.
The retracted paper was unrelated to Dr. Chawla or his book.
The resurfacing of the retracted paper has further contributed to scrutiny surrounding academic standards and research credibility associated with the institution, adding broader context to ongoing discussions involving Galgotias University.
(Rh/MSM)