Saravanan Thangarajan
Visiting Scientist
Ariadne Labs, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Other Positions
Associate of the Department of South Asia Institute
South Asia Institute -Other, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Related Links
Biography
Dr. Saravanan Thangarajan is a Harvard-trained clinician-scientist and global health strategist serving as Visiting Scientist and Academic Appointment at Ariadne Labs, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital. His research unites climate-related maternal mental health, oral-systemic and oncologic care, and AI-enabled system design to strengthen equitable and resilient models of health delivery.
He advises the World Health Organization (WHO) through its Global Dementia Observatory and the MISP-H3 Working Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings. He also serves on the Wellcome Trust Climate and Health Equity Committee and contributes to the NSF/MITRE Working Group shaping national AI data science proficiency standards. His leadership within the UNDRR Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism advances disaster-resilient health systems under the Sendai Framework (2015-2030).
At Harvard, he leads innovations in home hospital care, emergency medical services (EMS), and digital public infrastructure (DPI) that have improved access and preparedness for over 11 million people. Through rigorous Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks and cross-sector collaboration, his mission is to turn evidence into action - designing systems where technology, policy, and dignity converge for planetary health and equity.
Education and Training
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BDS, Dentistry
The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University -
MDS, Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research -
MBA, Hospital and Healthcare Management
Dr. M.G.R. Educational And Research Institute -
MMSc-GHD, Global Health Delivery
Harvard Medical School
Awards and Honors
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Friend of OWSD (Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World), 2025
UNESCO / OWSD Secretariat, Trieste, Italy -
Caswell A. Evans Population Oral Health Post-Professional Award, 2024
American Public Health Association (APHA) -
William E. Braden Fund Research Award, 2024
Harvard University Asia Center -
GHSM Graduate Scholarship, 2024
Harvard Medical School -
Summer Research Grant, 2024
The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute -
Don Lavoie Fellowship, 2024 - 2025
The Mercatus Center, George Mason University -
Societal Leadership Recognition for COVID-19 Pandemic Response, 2022
Government of Tamil Nadu -
Global Top 100 Doctors to Doctors Award, 2021
Global Summit Institute