Institutional Review Board

Dr. Indrani Gupta boasts a rich and diverse career spanning over four decades, primarily focused on academics and research. With a remarkable tenure of 25 years within the Health Policy Research Unit at the esteemed Institute of Economic Growth, she has significantly contributed to shaping health policies and research agendas in India. Her extensive experience underscores her profound understanding of health systems, policy frameworks, and research methodologies.

Throughout her illustrious career, Dr. Gupta has been a stalwart in the domain of ethics and scientific committees. Her active involvement in numerous committees reflects her commitment to upholding ethical standards and promoting rigorous scientific inquiry. Notably, her contributions have been pivotal in various institutions and projects, where she has lent her expertise to guide decision-making processes and ensure the integrity and quality of research endeavors.

Currently, Dr. Indrani Gupta holds esteemed positions as a member of the Institute of Economic Growth Ethics Committee and the Sri Ganga Ram Hospital Ethics Committee. These roles underscore her dedication to fostering ethical practices and ensuring the responsible conduct of research activities. Additionally, her involvement in prestigious committees such as the Scientific Advisory Committee at the ICMR-National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases (NICED) and the Scientific Advisory Group at the Socio-Behavioural & Health Systems Research (SBHSR) Division, ICMR, further exemplifies her leadership and expertise in the field.

Dr. Gupta’s profound contributions to these committees and groups highlight her expertise and dedication to advancing healthcare and research in India. Her breadth of experience, coupled with her unwavering commitment to ethical research practices, positions her as a key influencer in shaping healthcare policies and driving impactful research initiatives in the country.

Dr. Patel is currently working as Deputy Director at Population Council Institute. Dr. Patel is a highly accomplished development, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL), and public health expert with a PhD in Population Studies, a master in Statistics and an MBA. With nearly two decades of experience, he has led high-impact initiatives in strategy, partnerships, organizational development, CSR, research, policy analysis, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement. His expertise spans a diverse range of sectors, including public health, population dynamics, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), gender and women’s empowerment, RMNCH+A, youth, aging, clean energy, climate change adaptation, disease burden, livelihoods, migration, and human-cantered design (HCD). He has worked extensively across India, South Asia, Central Asia, and Africa, driving evidence-based decision-making and policy influence.

Dr. Patel has a proven track record in capacity building, providing strategic and technical guidance to governments, NGOs, UN agencies, and academic institutions. He is highly skilled in designing and executing Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental studies, and mixed-methods approaches for program monitoring and impact evaluation. Throughout his career, he has led and contributed to nearly 50 evaluation, research, advocacy, and communication projects, many of which have informed national and international policy frameworks. His work emphasizes translating research insights into actionable strategies through engagement with government bodies, think tanks, donor organizations, and international agencies. An accomplished researcher and thought leader, Dr. Patel has authored over 100 publications, including program evaluations, impact studies, and policy reports. He has played a pivotal role in supporting the Government of Haryana in implementing the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in collaboration with NHSRC, MoHFW, and NACO, GOI. His expertise extends to managing large-scale national projects, including UDAYA, the National Nutrition Survey, IBBS, Behavioral Tracking Surveys, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey – India, National Family Health Survey-3, NFHS-2 Follow-up Survey, and key initiatives under the Avahan Program, MGRN, DRE, SHWP, M-AFHC, SHG, and NRHM programs.

Beyond his national contributions, Dr. Sangram has extensive experience managing multi-country projects, working with international donors and partners across South Asia, the United States, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ecuador. His ability to navigate complex project landscapes and foster cross-sectoral collaboration enables him to drive sustainable development outcomes and maximize program impact in diverse global contexts.

A medically qualified with post-doctoral in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (PGIMER, Chandigarh, India), who have held leadership role in end-to-end process of pharmaceutical product development, medico-marketing planning, and execution. This included experience of ethical medico-marketing in emerging markets (Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa) for Branded Generic and Innovation Products and 20 years’ experience in Clinical Research and organisation of Clinical Trials with experience of leading development of new NCE and NDDS products – complete with medical, research and regulatory strategy. Managed alliances and working interaction with international scientists and organisations and fund-raising efforts for development of drugs in various therapeutic areas. 37 International Publications in peer-reviewed Journals, Editor of Newsletter on Antibiotic Resistance.

Dr. Anirban Mandal is a General Physician and Paediatrician in Qutab Institutional Area, Delhi and has an experience of 15 years in these fields. Dr. Anirban Mandal practices at Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science & Research in Qutab Institutional Area, Delhi. He completed MBBS from NRS Medical College and Hospital in 2009 and MD – Paediatrics from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi in 2012.

Vishwajeet Ghoshal is a seasoned Child Rights and Social Development professional with over 24 years of experience, half of which has been in leadership positions. He possesses strong policy analysis, research, and program management skills, with a track record of directing program innovations and managing institutional development and policy advocacy initiatives.

His expertise lies in the management, design, and execution of qualitative and participatory research studies focusing on child sexual abuse, anti-trafficking issues, and adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health rights. Vishwajeet is a specialist in desk/secondary research, particularly in international/national conventions, laws, programs, and studies related to access to justice and child protection.

Vishwajeet has served as an International Consultant with Good Weave International, where he developed a Remediation Policy document addressing Adult Victims of Human Trafficking, Forced and Bonded Labour in the Supply Chain of Carpet, Home Textiles, and Apparel Industries in South Asia. He has also collaborated with the Freedom Fund to develop strategies for curbing the demand for Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) in North India.

He brings extensive experience of working with other thematic portfolio managers across various sectors such as Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, Adolescent Health, Child Early & Forced Marriage, and Child Protection, providing technical inputs for large programs. Vishwajeet has also worked closely with thematic team leaders, finance, administration, HR, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) teams, contributing to overall program/project management including budget preparation, financial progress report review, and development of M&E indicators for specific projects.

Rajat Mittal is an accomplished Advocate-on-Record practicing in the Supreme Court of India, boasting over 13 years of extensive experience in handling a diverse range of legal matters. He is widely acknowledged for his exceptional expertise in Taxation laws, Foreign Trade Policy, General commercial disputes, and White-Collar Crimes.

Rajat is a trusted counsel regularly engaged by leading law firms and chartered accountancy firms to represent clients in Tax disputes before the Supreme Court and High Courts across India. His professional journey includes notable stints at prestigious law firms such as Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan, J. Sagar Associates, and Advaita Legal, where he honed his skills and gained invaluable experience.

With his wealth of experience, Rajat has earned a reputation as a highly skilled litigator, having represented clients at various forums including the Supreme Court of India, more than 15 High Courts across India, as well as ITAT & CESTAT.

In addition to his dispute resolution practice, Rajat is a sought-after tax advisor, providing strategic counsel to Multinational Corporations (MNCs), High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs), and impactful startups. He has also carved a niche for himself in the tech industry, specializing in structuring operations for blockchain companies.

Rajat is a prolific writer on legal issues, and his insights are regularly featured in esteemed publications such as Bar & Bench, Coindesk, BeinCrypto, Taxsutra, Taxman, among others. He is known for his thought leadership and analytical prowess, contributing significantly to the discourse on legal and taxation matters.

Samiksha Singh is an accomplished epidemiologist and dedicated public health specialist with over 14 years of extensive experience in various domains of maternal and neo-natal health, early childhood development, infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS, health systems, and quality improvement initiatives in India. Throughout her career, she has showcased exceptional leadership skills in evaluating complex public health programs and conducting comprehensive health systems research. Notably, Samiksha has played a pivotal role in leading evaluations of significant programs such as Dakshata and SCSL, focusing on quality improvement in clinical practices within labour rooms and newborn care units across both public and private healthcare settings.

With a deep understanding of maternal and neo-natal health issues, Samiksha has contributed significantly to evaluating obstetric referral systems, conducting maternal and peri-natal death reviews, implementing peri-conception healthcare initiatives, and assessing the utilization of maternal and child health services. Her expertise extends beyond research and evaluation to direct engagement with governments and various partners, where she has been instrumental in framing policies, implementing programs, and fostering collaborations aimed at reducing preventable maternal mortality rates.

Samiksha’s academic contributions are noteworthy, with over 30 articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, she serves as an academic editor for Plos One and contributes as a reviewer for several esteemed journals. Her dedication to public health and commitment to improving maternal and neo-natal healthcare outcomes are evident in her extensive experience, expertise, and contributions to the field. Samiksha Singh’s comprehensive understanding of public health challenges in India, coupled with her passion for addressing them, makes her a valuable asset in any initiative aimed at enhancing healthcare systems and reducing preventable mortality rates.

Sohini Paul is a development economist by training with more than 20 years of experience in public policy research. Her primary research interests include gender, health, food security, political economy, and empirical econometrics. Currently, Sohini is working on costing and cost-effectiveness analysis of women’s groups, maternal and child health and nutrition, and health systems in the Indian context, conducting implementation research on the school-to-work transitions programs for adolescent girls.

Roopal Jyoti Singh is a Senior Program Officer at the PC institute. She is a public health researcher with over 10 years of research experience. She has conducted mixed method studies, systematic reviews, evidence synthesis and Randomised Controlled trials and Quasi experimental evaluations in areas of maternal and child health, HIV, mental health, women’s health and women’s groups. Roopal has experience in handling and analyzing large datasets such as the National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) and National Statistical Survey Organization datasets (NSS) and has authored over 15 peer review publications and reports. Prior to joining the Population Council, she was at Institute of Economic Growth, University of Delhi.

With over 6 years of experience in the development sector, Ankit Nanda has extensive expertise in conducting impact evaluations, process evaluations, and literature reviews. He possesses research acumen, adept at collecting and analyzing data, and disseminating results from qualitative and quantitative studies employing cross-sectional and longitudinal designs.

His grassroots experience spans across Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, and Punjab, where he has worked on maternal and child health and nutrition, livelihood, and gender-related interventions through women’s groups. He has engaged with vulnerable populations from marginalized sections of society, including children, pregnant women, livestock rearers, and informal women workers such as domestic workers, street vendors, and home-based workers.

Ankit Nanda’s unique blend of experience in working with vulnerable populations across multiple states and profound understanding of research methodologies positions him as a fitting candidate to contribute significantly to the ethics committee.

Punit Mishra is a statistician, demographer, and RMLE expert with more than 14 years of expert level knowledge and experience in designing and managing research and M&E frameworks of several donor funded projects.
He is currently leading multiple research projects such as Research and Analyses for Scientific Transformation and Advancement (RASTA, USAID), Northeast India Health & Nutrition Research project (USAID), Evidence Building on Tribal Population (Piramal Foundation and Govt of India), and Diet Diversity and Undernutrition (Govt of Mizoram, India).
Punit has rich experience in establishing performance monitoring and review systems for monitoring and evaluation of results. He has designed and implemented several operations research, social and behavior change interventions, multi-round longitudinal studies, and analyzing large-scale data available in the public domain. He has also designed and conducted multi-round evaluation studies working with clients in the National and State Governments, multi-lateral donors, and non-profit organizations across India and Africa. Punit mentored a number of young researchers on RMLE, data analytics and data quality audits for government stakeholders, partners, and program teams.