Clinical Psychologist by profession, trekker by passion, Divyanshu Ganatra is a self-made social entrepreneur. We find out how one can be all this while being blind. In 1998, after a severe bout of tuberculosis, 21-year-old Divyanshu Ganatra’s health had started giving up on him. As he lay on the operating table with a ruptured lung, the doctors, unwilling to operate, were in a haste to declare him dead, before he blurted out, “Just hurry up and cut me open will you? I’m still alive, what the heck!” A near death experience narrated with natural nonchalance by the clinical Psychologist. Ganatra ..read more

It is four pm, and sounds from ‘Arogyavedi’, a programme in the local dialect wafts into Kunjamma’s home, from the radio set by the window. The show on Radio Mattoli, a community radio station, is not only informative, telling her about ailments and illnesses she wasn’t previously aware of, but is presented in the local dialect that she is at home with, narrated by a friendly voice that she can relate to. Since 2005, community radio in India has been making waves, playing a huge role in taking social messages to masses who have limited access to other forms of media, and sometimes, empowering ..read more

Arup Sengupta carries his oxygen cylinder where he goes. Seven years ago, he had been detected with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Neither illness nor exhaustion stops this 70-year-old tuberculosis survivor from going to his second home Notun Jibon — a Kolkata-based NGO he founded to rehabilitate sex workers and their children. “Notun Jibon means new life and I will continue to serve those in need and give them a chance at a new life until my last breath,” Arup tells me. He started his organisation four years ago and today it supports and educates more than 40 children of sex wo ..read more

In November 2018, 50-year-old Nandini (name changed), an HR Executive in a software firm in Bengaluru, found a lump at the back of her neck. She tried traditional ways of treating it, but when it persisted, she visited an ENT specialist. He was not happy with how it looked and sent her for further investigation. She was referred to a private hospital, one of the hubs identified under the Joint Effort for Elimination of Tuberculosis (JEET) Project. It is one of the country’s largest public-private partnerships (PPP) working towards eliminating tuberculosis (TB). A clinical examination was done ..read more

Of the world’s 10 million people in the world diagnosed with both tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant tuberculosis in 2017, 2.7 million live in India, making us a country with the highest burden of the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Using the contact-free sensor that’s placed under your mattress, Dozee tracks and analyzes your heart health, respiration, sleep quality, stress levels and more.  What’s worse, many remain undiagnosed and those who are detected with TB are only diagnosed weeks after they get it. With this delay, these unsuspecting carriers spread the ..read more

Of the world’s 10 million people in the world diagnosed with both tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant tuberculosis in 2017, 2.7 million live in India, making us a country with the highest burden of the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Using the contact-free sensor that’s placed under your mattress, Dozee tracks and analyzes your heart health, respiration, sleep quality, stress levels and more.  What’s worse, many remain undiagnosed and those who are detected with TB are only diagnosed weeks after they get it. With this delay, these unsuspecting carriers spread the ..read more

I was a carefree 24-year-old architect starting a new job. Seven years later, I am a survivor of Extremely Drug Resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB). I battled TB for seven long years and was recently declared TB-free. It was nothing short of a miraculous escape from death. But survival was a struggle until a few years ago. Today, I focus on finally picking-up my dreams and living life to the fullest! While it may sound like an inspirational tale of extraordinary struggle and strength, in reality, however, every day is a fight; and the scars are everywhere. Tuberculosis is the world’s oldest disea ..read more

Health Heroes – This article is part of a series to celebrate some of India’s most amazing doctors and to understand the incredible work they are doing. “TB exists on an epic scale in India and stubbornly remains our most pressing public health problem—infecting nearly 300 million people, and killing two every three minutes. Unfortunately, this grim statistic has not changed over several decades,” says Dr Zarir Udwadia. In a one-on-one with this renowned chest physician at Hinduja Hospital, Dr Priyamvada Chugh discusses India’s ticking time bomb—tuberculosis. Dr Udwadia has authored more than ..read more

The year 2018 is ending with spectacular success of Indian scientists and technologists in space and defence sectors, with a series of high impact missions. But that’s not all Indian scientists achieved in 2018. Several scientific developments, new techniques and promising technologies – in fields ranging from nanotechnology to space weather – made headlines during the year. Here is a collection of 15 such stories that gives a glimpse of important developments reported by Indian scientists during the year. A gel that can protect farmers from toxic pesticides Most farmers do not wear any protec ..read more

“How did the stigma against Tuberculosis (TB) impact you?” I asked her. She didn’t have much to say. As the conversation progressed, and as I interviewed more women about their experiences as TB survivors, I came to see that there is no way to give a single answer to that question. Stigma permeates every step of a TB patient’s journey and defines their daily reality, and because of the trappings of gender roles, the stigma is compounded for women. DebshreeA woman’s worth is so tied up in her marriageability and ability to bear children that, when 30-year-old Debshree, at the lowest point in he ..read more