About Rakesh Kumar
Dr. Kumar is an honorary senior scholar of the University of Memphis School of Public Health. A senior civil servant, public health practitioner and a global health leader from India with training in Medicine, fellowships in Pediatrics and Neonatology, having more than 29 years of experience in designing policies, implementing large public health programs including Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, Vaccines, Nutrition, Gender, Non-Communicable diseases & Tobacco Control, SDG integration and localization, leading the state and national level implementation and research portfolios at various government ministries and UN agencies (including UNICEF and Chief Advisor UNDP) in India. Significant experience in improving governance and accountability systems with an expertise in national and international healthcare advocacy for policy reforms and an active member of various policy think-tanks and institutions. Recipient of 15 awards for contribution in public health sector including the prestigious SKOCH Challenger Award-2018, the highest civilian award by an independent organization in India, WHO-SEARO's SEAPHEIN Award, Distinguished Services Award by Asian Influenza Society etc. Recently completed prestigious fellowship in Global Health Leadership at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London.