Since a young age, I have actively volunteered at non-profit organizations in West Bengal, India, to alleviate poverty for mentally challenged children. These experiences led me to pursue Sociology as my major, where I studied how social processes affected the population on a global scale. While completing my Bachelor’s thesis, ‘Lives of Rural Women in India: A study on intersection of health care disparities, gender and socio-economic status,’ I began understanding complex phenomena surrounding health care in an overpopulated nation, and I attempted to unravel these through qualitative and quantitative research. Henceforth began my journey, to make an impact in the realm of public health with my commitment to understanding why health disparities exist, and how these can be eliminated.
Inspired by the thesis findings, I founded a non-profit organization that collaborated with struggling local non-profits, allowing them an opportunity to reduce debt and revive their organizations. I conducted bake sales as a method to raise funds, which were used to purchase food and medication for individuals belonging to non-profits such as Calcutta Blind School and Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy. Upon completing my bachelor, I began working in Market Research for a national hospital chain. Utilizing research methodologies, I revealed areas of improvement in the quality of healthcare in North East India. I conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with individuals and analyzed quantitative surveys to determine appropriate pricing strategies for over-the-counter medication and feminine hygiene products.
I am currently pursuing postgraduate studies in Business Management at the University of Michigan, to learn how organizations function, and their decision-making processes. Having been exposed to a wide array of coursework in microeconomics, business analytics, market research, and more, I am equipped with strong quantitative skills to make informed decisions using large sets of data. As a current student, I was also selected to serve on the One-Year Master’s Student Council as President of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Committee, where we created a safe and inclusive space for students. We also work towards promoting awareness regarding mental health concerns.
My interest in global health arose from my dedication to helping people lead healthier lives. The Master of Science in Global Health and Population will provide me with research tools that are necessary to examine issues in global health and population as well as a chance to conduct an independent research study. I could work with leading faculty members who are engaged in global health research. In particular, the work of Professor Goodarz Danaei on the role of risk factors on health disparities across countries is extremely intriguing to me as a path for future research. Additionally, the summer internship as well as the field courses would aid me to apply the knowledge learned from the program to real-world settings. I am also enthusiastic to study GHP 265: Ethics in Global Health Research to learn more about the role of obligations for researchers, in ethics.
Further, I am motivated to join T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s campus diversity initiatives to continue working towards incorporating diversity and inclusion at School. Upon completing the program, I will work to address the fundamental needs of women by reinforcing health systems in India with solutions grounded in gender equality, through health research at a national or international government agency. Further, I plan on working towards developing affordable healthcare solutions for the vulnerable population in India. The skills gained from this program will aid me to improve the living standards of those in need by allowing equal access to healthcare, which is a fundamental human right.
