Close X
Friday, November 1, 2024
ADVT 
Global Indians

Vikram Patel named chair of Harvard's global health dept

Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Jun, 2023 10:26 AM
  • Vikram Patel named chair of Harvard's global health dept

New York, June 5 (IANS) Mumbai-born psychiatrist and researcher Vikram Patel will be the next chair of the Harvard Medical School's Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, starting September 1.

Patel, who succeeds Paul Farmer, is the Pershing Square Professor of Global Health in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School and a well-known expert in global mental health.

"Vikram is both a worthy successor and uniquely prepared to carry the torch. A venerable and a charismatic educator, Vikram (Patel) was recruited to HMS in 2017," said George Q. Daley, dean of Harvard Medical School (HMS).

Patel's appointment comes at a time of increasing awareness of a growing mental health crisis around the world, Daley said in a statement released by the HMS, announcing the appointment.

At Harvard, Patel heads Global Mental Health@Harvard, an interdisciplinary initiative that reaches across the University, as well as the Mental Health for All Lab, housed within the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine.

He launched the EMPOWER program in 2020 as part of the Global Mental Health initiative to deploy a suite of digital tools and methods to enable frontline health workers to learn, master, and deliver evidence-based psychosocial interventions needed to effectively address mental health issues in their communities.

"I am deeply honored to serve as the chair of the department. I am motivated by the potential of this role at this critical juncture in the long and storied history of a department committed to the goal of health equity in this country and globally," Patel said.

Globally, Patel has served on several World Health Organization advisory committees and has served on multiple Lancet commissions on global mental health, most recently leading the Lancet-World Psychiatric Association Commission on Depression.He was a co-founder of Sangath -- a community-based NGO in India which won the MacArthur Foundation's International Prize for Creative and Effective Institutions in 2008.

He was a member of a group constituted by the Union Ministry of Health tasked with writing India's first mental health policy and designing the National Mental Health Program for the period of 2012-17.

In 2015, he was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people of the year, and in 2019, he was awarded the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award, considered the most prestigious global health prize.

MORE Global Indians ARTICLES

Indian-origin Ajay Banga becomes 14th President of World Bank

Indian-origin Ajay Banga becomes 14th President of World Bank
Banga was born in Pune, Maharashtra. He graduated in economics from St Stephen's College in Delhi and did his masters in business administration from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Indian-origin Ajay Banga becomes 14th President of World Bank

British-Indian Meera Syal to be awarded BAFTA TV fellowship

British-Indian Meera Syal to be awarded BAFTA TV fellowship
Her work has scored multiple BAFTA nominations and wins, features on school and university syllabuses, and was said to be among Her Majesty the Queen's favourite TV programmes. 

British-Indian Meera Syal to be awarded BAFTA TV fellowship

Indian-American Arizona state rep announces run for Congress

Indian-American Arizona state rep announces run for Congress
An emergency physician for over 15 years, Shah, a Democrat, has been representing districts in the Phoenix area as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives since 2019.

Indian-American Arizona state rep announces run for Congress

Indian-American lawyer to be inducted to Maryland Business Hall of Fame

Indian-American lawyer to be inducted to Maryland Business Hall of Fame
India-born Murthy graduated from Stella Maris College in Chennai and the University Law College in Bengaluru, after which she immigrated to the US and enrolled in Harvard Law School.

Indian-American lawyer to be inducted to Maryland Business Hall of Fame

NYC Mayor names Indian-American to racial advisory board

NYC Mayor names Indian-American to racial advisory board
Tambar most recently served as Vice President of Community Health at Northwell Health and is currently the President and CEO of New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) -- the largest non-profit youth tennis and education program in the country, serving 85,000 K-12 NYC youth.

NYC Mayor names Indian-American to racial advisory board

India-born academic named in task force to expand US-India univ partnerships

India-born academic named in task force to expand US-India univ partnerships
Seen as a "natural fit" for the task force, Bendapudi, who is the president of the Pennsylvania State University, comes with a 30-year career as a leader in higher education and business, a Pennsylvania State University release said.

India-born academic named in task force to expand US-India univ partnerships