One Health Fellowship
Clinical Research and Training Programme
Supported by DBT Wellcome India Alliance
We are proud to present two One Health Fellowships for the year 2022-23 under the Clinical Research and Training Programme of the Zoonotic Vector Borne Disease Research and Training Centre implemented by IIPH Shillong and supported by DBT Wellcome India Alliance. The Fellowship is for a period of 3 years and is aimed at capacity building in infectious diseases and in particular the zoonotic vector borne diseases. Fellows will have the opportunity to be trained in different institutes in the country and abroad.
Riviarynthia Kharkongor
One Health CRTP Fellow
My journey from dentistry to public health has been a profound personal experience, transitioning from the confines of a dental clinic to the expansive realm of public health. I am grateful and pleased to have been awarded the One Health fellowship by the DBT/ Welcome Trust India Alliance. And as I embark on this new phase as a Clinical Research and Training Programme fellow with support from DBT Wellcome India Alliance, I am excited about the prospects and challenges it holds. I believe that this fellowship will provide me with unique opportunities to deepen my expertise in the field of Zoonotic and Vector Borne Diseases and engage in transformative research that has the potential to shape the future of healthcare.
Deepak Rajan
One Health CRTP Fellow
I am excited to announce that I have been selected for the CRTP One Health Fellowship and PhD program funded by DBT-Wellcome trust India Alliance at the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH)- Shillong!
After graduating with a Master of Public Health (MPH) from IIPH-Delhi, I worked as a District Epidemiologist at the National Health Mission. There, I gained experience in conducting surveillance and outbreak investigations, developing and implementing public health interventions, and working with communities to improve health outcomes. I have participated in various communicable disease prevention and control activities, including leading outbreak investigations for endemic diseases such as dengue, leptospirosis, hepatitis, West Nile virus etc. Additionally, I played a pivotal role in COVID-19 control activities, collaborating with various stakeholders from other departments. Later I joined the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) as a Consultant in the CP/CPHC division, I worked on conducting operational research and impact assessments to improve the design and rollout of CP-CPHC interventions and projects to strengthen the primary healthcare system in India.
The CRTP One Health Fellowship provides opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research on zoonotic vector-borne diseases. I look forward to make a positive impact in the field of public health and contribute to the fight against zoonotic and vector-borne diseases.
Dr. Benedicta Sthuti Kumar
One Health CRTP Fellow
“I am excited to join the IIPH Shillong team as a One Health Fellow under the Zoonotic and Vector Borne Disease Centre. After spending time working in rural Northeast India and seeing, first hand, the needs of the people here, it is my greatest desire to contribute to the betterment of their health through advocacy, education, research, and implementation.”
Dr. Benedicta Sthuti Kumar is a medical doctor with five years of clinical experience working in south and north-east India. In the three years before coming to IIPH Shillong, she worked in a rural, secondary hospital in the Barak Valley of Assam gaining experience in medical, paediatric and obstetric patient care. There, she had focused on research into maternal and neonatal health. While in her clinical role, she has treated and become familiar with infectious diseases in the Northeast Indian population, their clinical picture as well as the health policies and systems that are supposed to provide relief from them. It is this hands-on experience that she brings to the One Health Fellowship. She is also a Commonwealth Scholar funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for a masters degree in Global Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Balaplielad Warlarpih
One Health CRTP Fellow
I am deeply honored to be selected as a One Health Fellow in the Clinical Research and Training Programme of the Zoonotic Vector Borne Disease Research and Training Centre, supported by DBT Wellcome India Alliance and implemented by IIPH Shillong. This three-year fellowship is an exceptional opportunity to advance my expertise in zoonotic vector-borne diseases. With four and a half years of experience as a staff nurse and as a Programme Research Officer at the State Health System Resource Centre Meghalaya, where I conducted statistical analysis, field visits, and documentation, I eagerly anticipate the growth this fellowship will bring on my research knowledge and provide a foundation for implementing clinical insights into public health strategies. I am driven by a strong desire to expand my knowledge and skills, recognizing that my current understanding is only the beginning of what I aspire to achieve.
Suklang Malngiang
One Health CRTP Fellow
I am thrilled to have been selected for the CRTP One Health Fellowship and PhD program, funded by the DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance, at the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Shillong. This opportunity represents an exciting milestone in my academic and professional journey.
After completing my Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from IIPH, Shillong, I worked as a Project Technical Support III at NEIGRIHMS, where I gained invaluable experience in implementation research science. This role deepened my understanding of real-world challenges in public health and strengthened my commitment to bridging clinical insights with effective public health strategies.
Through this fellowship, I am eager to enhance my knowledge of the One Health approach, and contribute to addressing critical public health issues. I am passionate about leveraging this opportunity to make a meaningful impact in combating zoonotic diseases and advancing public health practices.
I believe this program represents a crucial step toward achieving my goal of driving evidence-based solutions in public health and fostering collaboration across disciplines to address pressing global health challenges.
India Research Management Initiative (IRMI)
India Alliance
DBT Wellcome
The India Research Management Initiative (IRMI) Fellowship presents an invaluable opportunity for me to enhance my proficiency in research project and grant management. By participating in this fellowship, I aim to contribute significantly to the establishment of a robust grants management cell at the Indian Institute of Public Health Shillong. My responsibilities will encompass identifying suitable funding opportunities, guiding researchers at IIPHS on proposal submissions, and optimizing the overall research grant administration process. This experience will enhance my capabilities in project execution and effectively communicate the institute’s key research outcomes to policymakers and the broader public, thereby bolstering the institute’s impact. Top of Form
Preeticia Dkhar completed her PhD at the Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. She served as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the DBT State Level Biotech Hub, North Eastern Hill University, and later as a Research Associate in the Department of Botany at St. Edmunds College, Shillong. Additionally, she has taught as a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry at St. Edmunds College. She is undertaking the IRMI fellowship with Dr Sandra Albert as the fellowship mentor at the Indian Institute of Public Health Shillong, Meghalaya.