Team

Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath, PhD, is the Director of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health India Research Center and the Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He holds a joint appointment at the McGraw-Patterson Center for Population Sciences at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is Faculty Director of the Health Communication Core, Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the Harvard Cancer Consortium (HCC), Director of the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, and founding Director of DFCI/HCC’s Enhancing Communications for Health Outcomes Laboratory.

His work centers on equity in translational communication science and on engaging community organizations and stakeholders through participatory research to advance population health and social change. He has published more than 340 journal articles and book chapters and co-edited/authored 7 books. Dr. Viswanath has an extensive track record of research on the role of health communication in health and well-being, with a particular interest in the issues of inequalities and poverty. His research portfolio, funded by U.S. federal agencies as well as various national and international foundations, includes studies on the use of new information and communication technologies in health promotion; the role of communication in public health emergencies; vaccination; tobacco control; and cancer prevention.

Dr. Swati Bakshi joined the India Research Centre as Deputy Director in January 2025, where she oversees its programming, administration, and operations. A seasoned public health professional, she brings extensive experience in designing, managing, and implementing health programs across India.

Swati has worked with leading international and national organizations to advance initiatives in Maternal and Child Health, Digital Health, Nutrition, Quality of Care, and Health Systems Strengthening. She holds a Master’s in Health Administration from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and a Master’s in Population Studies from the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS). She has also studied Climate Change and Health from Yale School of Public Health, deepening her understanding of the intersection between environmental factors and human health.

Swati is deeply committed to evidence-based policymaking and sustainable healthcare solutions that empower communities and improve health outcomes. She believes that public health is not just about systems and policies—it is about people, their stories, and the collective effort to build a healthier future.

Beyond her professional endeavours, Swati is passionate about writing on a range of topics, particularly public health issues. In her personal time, she finds solace in reading, meditation, and embracing silence as a path to mindfulness and spiritual growth.

Khushboo joined the India Research Center as a Project Coordinator in March 2022. She comes with experience running large-scale digital education programs at Pratham, an education non-profit, and CSR consulting at Samhita Social Ventures. Khushboo has studied accounting and finance at the University of Mumbai; gender studies and human rights at the University of Oxford; and the Young India Fellowship, a diploma in Liberal studies at Ashoka University. She is passionate about the development space, always doing a little bit of a lot of stuff, and enjoys learning new things.

A trained doctor by profession (B.H.M.S.), Safdar joined the India Research Center as administrative assistant to support the Center’s financial processes like processing invoices, assisting in accounts of IRC-related invoices, and vendor management. He also provides administrative support like organizing and coordinating meetings, events, training and capacity building initiatives.

Kaizeen Balsara joined the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health India Research Center as an Intern in April 2025. She supports the Center’s work across research, training, and knowledge translation and communication. Kaizeen is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health at the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG) and holds a degree in Life Sciences from Jai Hind College, University of Mumbai.

Alongside her internship, she is co-authoring a scoping review on global health futurity through the International Working Group for Health Systems Strengthening (IWGHSS), under the leadership of Daniel Krugman, Brown University and Zoha Salem, McMaster University. She has previously worked with the Foundation for Medical Research (FMR) and the Foundation for People-Centric Health Systems (FPHS), contributing to projects on communicable and non-communicable diseases. She is also a certified Menstrual Health Educator and volunteers with the Paddling Foundation, where she supports outreach efforts. She is interested in understanding how themes like health economics, sustainable technology intersect to shape more equitable public health systems.