India RISE

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Steering Committee & Core Team

Steering Committee

Dr. Anita Shet

Steering Committee Co-Chair and India RISE Program Director

Steering Committee Co-Chair and
India RISE Program Director

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Dr. Anita Shet is a pediatrician and a public health specialist and director of the Johns Hopkins Maternal and Child Health India program that focuses on addressing health issues among women, infants and children, and strengthening public health capacity in India. Her interests span maternal and child nutrition, pediatric and adolescent HIV, dengue infections, social determinants of health, childhood immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases. Her practice areas include addressing pandemic-related disruptions of routine childhood vaccination and essential health services, and advocacy efforts to expand vaccine access in India and globally. At present, she also focuses on empowering disadvantaged children and youth to live with good health and dignity.

Topics

Child health | Infectious Diseases | HIV | Vaccines | Mental Health and Resilience

Steering Committee Co-Chair

Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru)

Dr. Prabhdeep Kaur is Professor and Chair, Isaac Centre for Public Health, Division of Medical Sciences Associate Faculty, Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. She is a physician and public health researcher with expertise in chronic disease prevention, surveillance, and outbreak investigations. She has led major implementation science projects to scale health innovations in India. Currently Dr Kaur leads interdisciplinary public health research at IISc, Bengaluru.

Topics

Health Systems | Infectious Diseases | Non-Communicable Diseases | Public Health | Community Health

Prabhdeep Kaur

Prabhdeep Kaur

Kamini Walia

Steering Committee Co-Chair

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Government of India

Dr. Kamini Walia is Senior Scientist, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, Government of India. She is a microbiologist and public health expert at Indian Council of Medical Research leading India’s Antimicrobial Resistance Initiative. Dr Walia is Scientist G and Head Descriptive Research Division and has served on key WHO and Lancet expert panels on global health and diagnostics.

Topics

Microbiomics | Infectious Diseases | Antimicrobial Resistance | Diagnostics | Public Health | International Health

Wm. Polk Carey Distinguished Professor

Carey School of Business

Ritu Agarwal is the Wm. Polk Carey Distinguished Professor of Information Systems and Health at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. She is also the founding co-director of the Center for Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence (CDHAI) Dr. Agarwal is an expert in the strategic use of information technology, digital transformation of healthcare, health analytics, and artificial intelligence applications in health. Prior to joining the Carey School, she was a Distinguished University Professor and the Robert H. Smith Dean’s Chair of Information Systems at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park. She was also the Founding Director of the Center for Health Information and Decision Systems (CHIDS) at the Smith School. As a scholar working at the intersection of social science, data science and technology, Dr. Agarwal’s research seeks to apply advanced digital technologies to healthcare practice and delivery, and to unravel the underlying behavioral, psychological, and social processes that enable and constrain successful healthcare interventions. She has been a pioneer in research related to digital technologies and health among scholars in leading business schools, and has devoted her research efforts towards improving healthcare quality, promoting equity and access, and reducing costs. She has published over 100 articles in leading business and healthcare journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, Management Science, Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, and Health Affairs.

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Topics

Business of Health | Digital Health

Ritu Agarwal, PhD

Damini Agarwal

Damini Agarwal

Chief Technology Officer

Infinite Biomedical Technologies (IBT)

Damini Agarwal is the Chief Technology Officer at Infinite Biomedical Technologies LLC, a medical device company based out of Baltimore that develops electronics and control systems for upper limb myoelectric prosthesis systems. She graduated with a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and currently oversees the development, manufacturing and regulatory approvals of commercially available FDA Class 1 and Class 2, CE marked devices which are a combination of cutting edge technologies in flexible electronics, hardware, advanced machine learning algorithm design and app based clinician and patient user interfaces. Damini, is also leading LMIC expansion of the company to help bring life changing prosthetic control technologies to underserved markets. Damini finds that working with amputees and developing next generation technology for upper limb prosthetics is a very rewarding use of her technical leadership and she enjoys it very much.

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Topics

Digital Health | Engineering | Health Security | Injury Prevention

Professor and Dean of International Relations
Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
Prof. Bushra Ateeq is highly acclaimed researcher in the field of molecular oncologist and cancer genomics researcher at IIT Kanpur, where she holds the Joy Gill Chair. Her work focuses on understanding genetic and epigenetic mechanisms driving cancer progression and drug resistance.

Topics

Basic Science | Genomics | Drug Discovery | Molecular Biology | Cancer

Bushra Ateeq

Robert (Bob) Bollinger

Robert Bollinger
MD, MPH

Raj & Kamla Gupta Professor of Infectious Diseases
Professor of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Dr. Bollinger is the Raj & Kamla Gupta Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine. He is Founding Director of the Center for Clinical Global Health Education (CCGHE), Associate Director for Medicine of the JH Center for Global Health. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine and infectious diseases.

Topics

Infectious Diseases | COVID-19 Hepatitis | HIV | Pneumonia | Tuberculosis

Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Vice Dean for Graduate Education at the Whiting School of Engineering

Whiting School of Engineering
Sridevi Sarma, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and vice dean for graduate education at the Whiting School of Engineering, develops computational, data-driven, and biological approaches to advance the knowledge and treatment of diseases of the nervous system including epilepsy, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, and insomnia. She also harnesses dynamical systems and control theory to understand how the brain governs complex behaviors, including motor control and decision making.

Topics

Data Science | Engineering

Sridevi Sarma, PhD

Core Team

Neetisha Besra

Program Director

Neetisha Besra is the Director for the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute (GKII) in India at Johns Hopkins University. Based in New Delhi, she leads GKII’s India strategy, partnerships, and operations to strengthen US–India collaborations in research, education, and policy. As the Institute’s founding India Country Head, Neetisha has built and led a high-performing team across India and the US, forged multiple partnerships with premier institutions, and has overseen the design and delivery of several flagship initiatives. Previously, Neetisha has worked in public sector consulting and private sector operations management. As a Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellow with the Government of India, she led large-scale community development and citizen service delivery programs. Neetisha holds an MPA in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School, a Master’s in Development Practice from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and a Bachelor of Technology from IIT Kanpur.

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Program Advisor

Kunal Pal is the Executive Director of the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Previously, he spent eight years at the University of Chicago where he led the International Innovation Corps and the Applied Data Fellowship programs as Executive Director. During his tenure, he led strategy, growth, and operations for both programs, while overseeing project development and outcomes in India and the United States. Under his leadership, the International Innovation Corps grew to be the pre-eminent social impact fellowship program in India, with 250+ Fellows and alumni across 40+ projects with the Indian Government and social sector organizations. He co-founded the US-based Applied Data Fellowship in 2018, growing it to 200+ Fellows and 100+ partner organizations since launch. Previously, he founded and ran a technology-driven admissions consulting firm in India that linked prospective applicants to current students. He also worked in business development and events at a leading public relations firm in India, during which time he worked closely with C-Suite executives to create and execute partnerships and national campaigns. Kunal holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with concentrations in marketing management, managerial & organizational behavior, and strategic management. He also earned his BA (cum laude) in English from Franklin & Marshall College. He spent his formative years in Kolkata, India and later attended The Doon School in Dehradun.

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Kunal Pal

Beth Romanski

Beth Romanski

Curriculum Director

Beth Romanski is the Program Manager at the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University. She is a transformative influence in professional education, known for her ability to turn visionary concepts into tangible learning opportunities. With a collaborative approach, she blends educational leadership, strategic planning, and relationship-building to drive innovation. Beth is a resilient leader of continuing education with over 20 years of experience in versatile roles; spearheading strategic educational operations, overseeing the development of portfolios 80+ online micro-credentials, leading new online degree and certificate programs, and forging strategic partnerships for higher education institutions. Her vision for delivering accessible, superior-quality learning experiences has elevated global learner engagement and significantly impacted learners worldwide. Beth’s expertise in curriculum development, instructional design, data analysis & research, enrollment management, project management, event coordination, and marketing complement her commitment to promoting lifelong learning and student success in diverse settings. With a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration and Leadership and specialized training in Instructional Design, Beth actively contributes to numerous industry organizations in leadership roles. Beth is also a certified Health Coach and Workplace Wellness consultant, integrating her specialized knowledge to support the mission of the JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health and Department of International Health. In her appointment as the U.S.-based GKII Program Manager, Beth is dedicated to elevating the impact of JHU GKII’s educational and student engagement initiatives.

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Research Specialist

Dr. Aastha Kant is Assistant Director of Research Programs at the Johns Hopkins Maternal and Child Health Center India. She is based in India and is the point of contact for programmatic activities undertaken by the Maternal and Child Health Center India.
Dr. Kant holds a Ph.D in Social Sciences from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and received her training in Sociology with her Master of Arts (MA) from the University of Pune and Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi.
She has previously worked at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health India Research Center, TISS, and the Population Council India Country Office. She is broadly interested in the social and behavioral aspects of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health.

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Aastha Kant

Siddharth Mohite

Program Coordinator

Siddharth Mohite is a Program Coordinator for the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute (GKII) at Johns Hopkins University, and the India RISE Fellowship. He supports the implementation of GKII’s flagship programs, events, delegation visits, and activities in India, with a particular focus on the Women in STEMM Fellowship and the Nexus Conference. Prior to joining GKII, Siddharth worked with the Election Commission of India as a Consultant, where he supported programs, outreach efforts, and policy interventions. He has experience in program management, stakeholder engagement and strategic initiatives. Siddharth holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi.

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Communications Lead

Srishti Kapil is a communications consultant at GKII-JHU, based in New Delhi, India. She previously led digital communications and strategy at Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) and The Quantum Hub (TQH), two sister organisations advancing civic engagement and policy consulting in India. Her work spans program implementation, social media strategy, performance marketing, policy advocacy, and stakeholder engagement. She brings a data-driven lens to public engagement and has led several high-impact digital campaigns, working closely with academics, corporations, state actors, and civil society partners. Her experience also includes roles at Jawaharlal Nehru University, The Ideaz Factory, and Touchstone Partners, along with fellowships at Slam Out Loud, Impact Academy, and the Centre for AI Safety. Academically trained in English Literature (Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi) and Media and Cultural Studies (Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai), Srishti transitioned from corporate operations and advertising to the impact sector after discovering effective altruism. Guided by a deep commitment to evidence-based impact, she is passionate about using strategic communications to connect ideas, institutions, and individuals working to solve the world’s most pressing problems.

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Srishti Kapil

Anushka Singh

Design and Communications Intern

Anushka Singh is a Research and Communications Associate at the Isaac Centre for Public Policy (ICPP), based in Delhi, India. Her work sits at the intersection of public policy, civic engagement, and macroeconomics, with a focus on research communication, data visualisation, and stakeholder engagement for government and institutional audiences.
Her instinct for clear and effective communication has taken shape across spaces including Girl Up India, Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC), and now the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute.
Anushka holds a Bachelor’s degree (Honours) in Economics and is an alumna of the Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University, where she specialised in Technology Law and Policy.

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