Founder · Counterpoint Impact Advisory
Working at the intersection of public health, gender equity, and climate resilience for over 25 years.
I have worked at the intersection of public health, gender equity, and — more recently — climate resilience across a career spanning 25 years. A core area of my work has been strengthening how institutions design and deliver essential health services: public health systems and planning at the national and state levels, innovations and implementation across all levels of the health system, capacity building, and leveraging human resources for health to deliver high-quality services.
The areas closest to my heart are sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). I have worked extensively on contraception, abortion care, and maternal and newborn health — and, as a service pathway, on introducing and strengthening midwifery-led care. These are areas central to women's autonomy, maternal survival, and long-term social and economic outcomes, with a consistent focus on women's leadership.
My work has included building coalitions and partnerships to work collaboratively on priority issues. I spent over a decade convening practitioners, implementers, legal experts, and policymakers to support amendments to India's abortion law — helping align clinical evidence, service realities, and legislative reform.
One of the pieces of work I am most proud of is spearheading the coordinated introduction of two new contraceptive technologies in India. The first, DMPA-SC, is a three-month injectable hormonal contraceptive that women can self-administer once prescribed by a trained provider — saving time and effort while increasing convenience. The second was the transformative introduction of sub-dermal contraceptive implants, which offer five years of contraceptive cover. Contraception is not just a clinical service but a pathway for women to exercise reproductive autonomy — making informed choices about if, when, how many, and with whom they choose to have children. This required working closely with government, manufacturers, and partners to expand method choice and improve access pathways.
Working with young people has always been a priority in my ambit. I have been intentional in ensuring adolescents and young people are prioritised in national programmes. From 2009 to 2011, I was the national consultant for adolescent health at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Over the years, I have led initiatives engaging adolescents and young people with a focus on SRHR and improved quality of life — grounded in gender equity, leveraging voice, and enhancing participation.
My work over the years has combined policy analysis with strategy and planning for improved developmental outcomes. I have designed costed implementation roadmaps for governments and implementing non-profits, conducted stakeholder and political economy mapping, and built coalitions that align diverse actors toward shared outcomes. Known for connecting high-level strategy with operational realism, I work to ensure ambition is matched with feasible pathways for execution — offering deep institutional insight, partnership-building capacity, and the ability to design solutions that are both technically sound and systemically durable.
Led the Program Advocacy portfolio for family health, immunisation, and infectious diseases. Partnered with the Government of India to support the introduction of new contraceptive options (DMPA-SC and sub-dermal implants), developed costed implementation plans in priority states, launched a multi-country youth coalition of over one million members on SRHR and employability, and spearheaded the introduction of midwifery-led care in India.
As national consultant for adolescent health, played a critical role in drafting and implementing India's first national strategies on adolescent reproductive and menstrual health. Led national and state-level efforts to expand women's access to comprehensive abortion care.
Collaborated with leading organisations on evidence-informed policy, the introduction of innovations and services at national and state levels, prioritising adolescents and young people, and health system strengthening. Honorary Fellow of the Indian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and author of several peer-reviewed publications and thought pieces on reproductive rights, midwifery, and access to care.
Get in Touch
To discuss strategy, convening, or knowledge work with Medha and the Counterpoint network, reach out directly.