London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Educational/professional background

MBBS, MD (Community Medicine), Senior Residency at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.

I am a Medical Doctor with MD in Community Medicine from Dr NTR University of Health Sciences, Andhra Pradesh India. I have worked as a Senior Resident in the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh for about 2 years.

With about 8 years of experience in health service delivery and health systems strengthening, I started my career as a Medical Officer and advanced through roles with organizations like the World Health Organisation, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Piramal Swasthya and PGIMER. I have worked closely with Local, State and National Health departments in India, contributing to key initiatives aimed at improving healthcare access and quality across the country.

Research interests or career goals

I am particularly interested in health systems, with a focus on policy, governance, and Human Resources for Health. I am keen to explore the utility and application of implementation research in technology-driven health interventions to prevent the preventable disease, mitigate disability and suffering due to multiple long-term conditions, to develop evidence-based health policies and improve governance globally. I aim to utilize my knowledge and skills to contribute to health system strengthening efforts across the world, enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of healthcare delivery for better health outcomes. My ultimate career goal is to contribute to global health leadership by designing and advocating for policies that integrate all the essential health services into primary care for all, ensuring universal health coverage and improving public well-being.

Why I chose LSHTM/my programme

I chose MSc Health Policy, Planning & Financing (MSc HPPF) because of its multidisciplinary structure, hosted by two of the world’s leading institutions—LSHTM and LSE—both globally renowned and top-ranked in public health and social sciences. Similarly, the unique opportunity to engage with world-class professors and a diverse cohort from around the globe to learn, share, exchange ideas, and improve my skills and analytical abilities in health policy, economics, and planning is a major reason for choosing LSHTM.