Development Projects
My work in public health and development has spanned research, programme design, implementation, health systems strengthening, grant and stakeholder management, and capacity building. Before beginning my PhD, I worked across civil society and professional organisations in India, leading and supporting programmes in health systems, diagnostics, maternal and reproductive health, innovative financing, tobacco cessation, and urban development.
Swasti Health Catalyst
Portfolio Manager – Health Research | Technical Specialist, Health Practice
At Swasti, I led and supported a diverse portfolio of public health research and consulting assignments across health systems strengthening, health equity, diagnostics, RMNCH, family planning, innovative financing, COVID-19, and gender and social inclusion.
As Portfolio Manager for Health Research, I led a multidisciplinary research team and was responsible for developing the portfolio’s research strategy, designing proposals and research frameworks, guiding data collection and analysis, generating learning, and strengthening research capacity within the organisation. I also represented research assignments and organisational learning through workshops, conferences, and other external forums.
My work involved managing projects from design through implementation, including technical oversight, stakeholder engagement, donor and grant management, and dissemination. I worked on programmes supported by organisations including the Rockefeller Foundation, FIND Diagnostics, USAID, and MSD for Mothers, and contributed to securing substantial follow-on funding for the organisation’s public health work.
Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation
Senior Manager – Health, Youth & Urbanisation
At the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation, I managed portfolios spanning public health and urban development.
Within the health portfolio, I worked on the incubation and scale-up of tobacco cessation programmes, including strengthening the capacity of public health systems and healthcare institutions to deliver cessation services. I also conceptualised and co-created a patient-support platform designed to make information about healthcare services in Mumbai easier to access.
My work in youth and urbanisation included managing the India initiative of the UN-Habitat Urban Youth Fund. Through the programme, I supported and mentored young social entrepreneurs developing low-cost, youth-led solutions to challenges in health, gender, environment, governance, and urban systems.
Indian Dental Association
Senior Manager
At the Indian Dental Association, I worked on the conceptualisation, development, and management of national public health initiatives focused on oral health and tobacco cessation.
I helped establish and manage the National Oral Health Programme, an initiative aimed at expanding awareness of oral health and strengthening preventive approaches, and the Tobacco Intervention Initiative, which sought to integrate tobacco cessation into routine dental practice.
The role involved taking programmes from concept to implementation, working with health professionals and institutional partners, developing programme systems and resources, and supporting their delivery at scale. This period also marked my transition from clinical dentistry into public health and health programme management.