President & Co-FounderOperation ASHA
I am the President & Co-founder of Operation ASHA, an NGO serving 9 million disadvantaged in India and Cambodia. We extensively work with local people and governments to carry out TB (Tuberculosis) detection and treatment. As a Senior Obstetrician, Gynecologist & Laparoscopy Surgeon, I was initially engaged in private practice. In 1991, I went into the heart of the slums in Delhi to ‘reach the unreached’, and started providing provided pro-bono life-saving operations. After more than a decade, my focus shifted to TB, the biggest infectious disease killer, which had largely been neglected by policy makers, donors and NGOs alike.
I have lectured at major universities, including Harvard School of Public Health, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan and Indian Institute of Science. I was declared an Ashoka Changemaker in view of my innovations in TB treatment. Recently I was invited by the World Bank in Oct 2014 to do a TEDx talk.
I have received multiple awards, including the Exemplary Contribution Award for selfless work given by the Indian Medical Association. In 2014, I was selected as Social Entrepreneur of the year by Schwab Foundation.