Punita Kumar

Consultant , Institutions of National Importance, National and International Non Profit

Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Public Health Leader, Social Researcher with 15+ years of experience bridging policy, evidence and grassroots action. Led Chhattisgarh’s NPCCHH Technical Cell under NHM, strengthening climate-responsive healthcare. Expertise in health systems, stakeholder collaboration and community empowerment, advancing equitable health outcomes for underserved rural and tribal populations.

Contact Punita Kumar
Area of Expertise:
  • Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
  • Environment, Climate, Energy, Water, Sanitation
  • Human Rights, Law, Migration, Conflicts, Justice
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research
  • Social, Gender, Education, Youth, Child
Professional Experience:

PUNITA KUMAR
Public Health & Social Development Practitioner | Social Worker & Researcher
Community Engagement | Climate & Environmental Health | Health Equity & Social Justice

Professional Overview
Public health professional and social worker with 15+ years of experience connecting policy, research and grassroots action. Expertise spans health systems, community development, environmental health and programme management, with a focus on rural, tribal and industrially affected communities.
Current Engagement | IISER Pune – CARE Project
Programme Associate & Chhattisgarh Lead (Part Time) | April 2025–Present
Coordinates field research and institutional partnerships linking environmental risks, health and education. Works with Samagra Shiksha, Regional Science Centre and district stakeholders. Develops programme frameworks, technical briefs and participatory initiatives with teachers and communities.

## Climate Change and Human Health Leadership | SHRC

Consultant, Programme Associate & Programme Coordinator | 2017–2025
Led Chhattisgarh’s Technical Cell for the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH), supporting NHM. Facilitated state and district action plans, government coordination and training for Medical Officers, nurses and Mitanins/ASHAs. Supported climate-health monitoring and local implementation.
Community Health and Social Work
Emmanuel Hospital Association | Project & Program Manager | 2012–2016

Managed maternal and child health work across '146 villages' in Mahasamund, supervising frontline teams, strengthening referrals and managing plans, budgets and monitoring.
BIRDS Heal, Bengaluru | Programme Associate | 2010–2012

Supported tribal rights, resource access and capacity building on the Forest Rights Act and Gram Sabha processes.
Research and Technical Contributions
Experienced in qualitative and operational research, environmental assessments, community monitoring, case studies and policy analysis. Contributed to publications on **air quality in Chhattisgarh** (*Indian Journal of Public Health*, 2023) and **climate-change knowledge among healthcare workers** (*The Journal of Climate Change and Health*, 2022). Prepared technical reports on pollution, health needs and climate-health programmes.
##Policy Engagement and Representation

Represented SHRC at the **G20 co-branded Climate Change and Health event**, Goa (2023). Presented at forums associated with WHO and CAPHER-India at AIIMS New Delhi. Worked with the Global Climate and Health Alliance, Health Care Without Harm and the Healthy Energy Initiative on climate-health advocacy, strategic planning and community environmental monitoring.

## Professional Leadership and Collective Action
Initiated the 'medico friend circle (mfc) Chhattisgarh Chapter' for field-based public health evidence and advocacy. Served on the **Board of Sphere India' and as 'State Convenor, Inter-Agency Group, Chhattisgarh', supporting humanitarian coordination.
Core Competencies
Programme management • Government coordination • Climate-health planning • Community engagement • Workforce training • Qualitative research • Field monitoring • Budgets • Technical writing • Policy analysis

Professional Approach
Combines social work values, research and public health practice to connect lived experiences with policy, strengthen frontline systems and advance health equity, dignity and environmental justice.
Languages: English, Hindi and Chhattisgarhi.

Education:

Academic foundation in Social Work and Public Health Management, complemented by 15+ years of professional experience in public health research, health systems strengthening, community engagement and social development. Integrates social work principles with public health practice, focusing on health equity, community empowerment and evidence-based interventions.
Pursuing Master's of Arts in Environmental and Occupational
Health , IGNOU
Diploma in Public Health Management -National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi - 2016 - 2017
Master of Social Work - Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Agra - 2005 - 2007
Bachelor of Arts - Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Agra - 2002 - 2005

Affiliations and Achievements:

Additional Professional Engagements, Representation and Leadership
• Initiated and organised the medico friend circle (mfc) Chhattisgarh Chapter, bringing
together health professionals, public-health practitioners and grassroots workers to
examine health-system challenges, generate field-based evidence and advocate for
policy reforms.
• Represented the State Health Resource Centre at India’s G20 Presidency Co-Branded
Event on “Climate Change and Health,” organised by the Asian Development Bank and
United Nations Environment Programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare, Government of India, in Goa on 20 April 2023.
• Presented programme and research experience at national and international
conferences and technical forums, including platforms associated with the World
Health Organization and CAPHER-India at AIIMS New Delhi.
• Collaborated with the Global Climate and Health Alliance, Health Care Without Harm
on climate-health and science-based public-health advocacy.
• Served as a consultant on Community Environmental Monitoring for the Healthy
Energy Initiative supporting community-based evidence generation on pollution and
health.
• Contributed to the strategic-planning process of Health Care Without Harm.
• Served on the Board of Sphere India and supported humanitarian coordination as
State Convenor of the Inter-Agency Group, Chhattisgarh

Available for:

  • Consulting assignments
  • Job opportunities
  • Being headhunted – make me an offer

Years of Experience:

15-20 years

Highest Qualification:

Masters

Languages:

English, Hindi, Urdu

Nationality:

Indian

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