India Research Center celebrates ten years of partnership and impact
On September 26, Harvard Chan alumni, faculty, supporters, and friends gathered in Boston to celebrate ten years of the Harvard Chan India Research Center (IRC) and reflect on a decade of collaboration advancing public health across India.
Hosted by IRC Advisory Council member Anthony Dias, MPH ’04, A Celebration of Ten Years of Partnership and Impact recognized the Center’s achievements and explored opportunities for its next decade of research, training, and partnership.
Established in 2017 to strengthen connections between Harvard Chan researchers and institutions in India, the IRC has developed into a platform for collaborative research, capacity-building, and education to address critical public health challenges in India. Its work spans a range of critical issues, including air pollution, maternal and child health, and noncommunicable diseases. Through partnerships with government agencies, academic institutions, and community organizations, the Center works to ensure that research informs solutions that support the greatest needs of communities across India.
Advancing public health through collaboration
The evening featured a panel discussion moderated by K. “Vish” Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication and director of the India Research Center. Joining him were Shruthi Mahalingaiah, Mark and Catherine Winkler Associate Professor of Environmental Reproductive and Women’s Health; Rifat Atun, Julio Frenk Professor of Public Health Leadership and Dean for Education and Innovation; and Gaurab Basu, assistant professor of environmental health and faculty member at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment (Harvard Chan C-CHANGE) and the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. Their conversation explored India’s evolving public health landscape and the opportunities for research to inform policy and strengthen health systems. It underscored the importance of sustained partnerships and interdisciplinary approaches to complex challenges, from understanding how environmental exposures affect women’s reproductive health to examining how flooding and other climate-related changes affect vulnerable communities.
The event concluded with a reception, giving guests an opportunity to connect with faculty, alumni, and fellow supporters and continue conversations about the future of public health research, partnership, and philanthropy in India.
Looking ahead to the next decade
A decade into its work, the IRC remains focused on turning scientific knowledge and collaboration into meaningful public health impact—and on building the partnerships that will carry that work forward. In its next decade, the IRC will deepen its long-term collaborations, expand locally grounded research, and invest in the people and institutions working to improve health in India.
For more information about the IRC, visit the Center’s webpage.
