Our Team
IIHMR Bangalore
Dr. R. Sarala
Dr. R. Sarala
Professor & Dean Research & Publications
DOJ: 6 September 2011
Brief Biography
Dr. R. Sarala is a Social Scientist with PhD. in Sociology from the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore, one of the renowned Social Science Institutions in India. She also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. She was a recipient of a research fellowship from the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) to pursue
a PhD. She has also passed the National Eligibility Test (NET) for Lectureship in Sociology, conducted by the UGC, New Delhi. She has more than 10 years of teaching experience in the field of Health Policy, Healthcare Delivery Systems, Research Methodology, Health Systems Research, and Human Resource Management. She has a profound experience in public health research projects with skills in concept development and implementation. She is proficient in carrying out Evaluation and Implementation Research, Health System Research and Social and Behavioural Change Communication (IEC materials-content development & pre-testing) in the area of Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and WASH among Tribal and Urban Slum communities. She has been involved (as PI and Team Member) in various projects funded by national and international organisations such as ICMR, UNICEF, Alive & Thrive (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), United Way and HCL Foundation, etc. She has good experience in collecting qualitative data and analysing quantitative data using statistical packages such as SPSS.
Areas of expertise:
1. Maternal and Child health
2. Health Policies & Health Systems Research
3. Project Evaluation & Implementation
4. Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) & Strategy
Published Journal Articles / Books / Chapters
- Sarala Raju, M K Gupta, Fehmida Visnegarwala, ‘An Educational Intervention to Empower and Engage the SHG Women against Cervical Cancer’, International Journal of Health Sciences & Research, Vol.6, Issue: 5, May 2016
- Sarala Raju, Priya Thomas and Reshmi R.S., Nutritional Status of Tribal Children in India: An Overview, International Journal Of Development Research, Vol. 05, Issue, 08, Pp. 5276-5278, August, 2015
- R. Sarala, Coping Strategies of the Slum Dwellers during Health Aliments and Child Birth, The International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences’, Vol 3, Issue 3, March, 2015
- R. Sarala, ‘Social Networks in Rural-Urban Migration: A Case Study of a Slum in Bangalore City’, Urban India, Vol.31, No.2, July- December 2010.
- 5. R. Sarala, Social Network Among Women Workers in the Unorganized Sector: A Case Study of Bangalore Slum, The ICFAI University Journal of Urban Policy, October 2007, Vol. 11 (No. 2), Pages 56 – 67.
Selected Research Projects
-
Position: Principal Investigator
‘Empowerment and Engagement of Community in Strengthening Child Health Among Tribal Population’, Funding Agency: Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) -
Position: Program Coordinator
‘Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and Comprehensive Health Centre in Urban Slums of Bangalore' – Urban Project Scheme of ‘Uday’. Funding Agency: HCL Foundation -
Position: Principal Investigator
'Pre-testing of IEC Materials on Nutrition Intervention (MIYCN) for Behavioural Change Strategy in UP and Bihar' Funding Agency: Alive & Thrive, New Delhi -
Position: Co-Principal Investigator
'Baseline Study for Strategic Behaviour Change Communication Intervention for Maternal Health and Child Development in Karnataka' Funding Agency: UNICEF, Hyderabad -
Position: Team Member
'Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Sustainability of Sensitizing Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to Reproductive Health Via Empowerment and Engagement.' Funding Agency: Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)
Ongoing Research Projects
-
Position: Principal Investigator
Task Force Project: 'Improving the Healthcare Access and Quality in the Context of Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Among Scheduled Tribes in Tumkur District': An Implementation Research Funding Agency: Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) -
Position: Project Coordinator
'Svasti-Nutrition for Women and Children Program in Kolar and Tumkur District, Karnataka' Funding Agency: Bhoruka Charitable Trust, Bangalore
MDP/Certificate Course/ Trainings Organised
- Organised TOT along with the Food & Nutrition Board, GoI from 24th – 28th June 2019 at IIHMR, Bangalore (Technical Partner). Trained on Adolescent Nutrition and Health and IEC materials preparation for BCC.
- Organised TOT along with the Food & Nutrition Board, GoI 19th June- 23rd June, 2017 at IIHMR, Bangalore (Technical Partner). Trained Anganwadi Supervisors/CDPO on ‘Care during Pregnancy, lactation and Post Natal care, Social Causes of Malnutrition, WASH & Safe Drinking Water.’
Consultancy (IIHMR-B)
- Health and Nutritional Status of Children during Pre and Post COVID-19 in Anganwadi Centres, Jigani and Anekal Taluk, Bangalore: A Qualitative Study
Professional Memberships
- Indian Public Health Association
| EDUCATION | COURSE / DEGREE | YEAR | INSTITUTION |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest Qualification |
PhD |
2010 |
Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore |
|
Masters |
MA, M. Phil
PGDHRM |
2003 |
Bharathidasan University, Trichy
Allagappa University, Karaikudi |
|
Graduation |
BA |
2002 |
Holy Cross College, Trichy |
|
Any Other Fellowships |
Recipient of Research Fellowship by the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) for pursuing PhD in Sociology.
Qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) for Lectureship in Sociology |
December 2002 |
University Grants Commission UGC, New Delhi. |
