Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Dr Lata Das

Assistant Professor
Mumbai Campus,
Chairperson, Centre for Lifelong Learning, School of Social Work - Mumbai Campus
Centre for Lifelong Learning, School of Social Work - Mumbai Campus

Qualification

MSW ( Pune University) Ph.D. (TISS)

Contact

lata.das[at]tiss[dot]ac[dot]in

lata.das@tiss.ac.in

022-25525685

Dr. Lata Das holds a Ph.D. in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and brings extensive experience in outreach, training, administration, and the management of health-related interventions. Her work spans a range of marginalized social groups, including street children, sex workers, and migrant workers, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS prevention.

Her research interests are diverse and include:

Mental Health
Children at Risk
HIV/AIDS
Lifelong Learning
Creative Arts for Wellbeing

Dr. Das has been with TISS for over a decade, contributing significantly to adult learning through both teaching and research. She is currently a faculty member at the Centre for Lifelong Learning in the School of Social Work.

Dr. Das was awarded the prestigious ICMR Senior Research Fellowship from September 2008 to May 2013, which supported her research in health and social work. She is also trained as an arts-based therapy practitioner.

Key Roles & Responsibilities:

Faculty Programme Coordinator for the Ladder-based Counselling Skills Programme (January 2014 – Present)
Member, Women and Gender Development Cell, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (2019 – Present)
External Member, Women’s Development Cell, Homi Bhabha National Institute (2017 – 2019)
Her interdisciplinary approach, combining social work, mental health, and arts-based therapies, continues to have a lasting impact in her fields of research and practice.

Research Interests:

Children at Risk

Family and Children Social Work Intervention HIV/AIDS

Health and Mental Health

Qualitative Research

Lifelong Learning and Adult Learners

Peer-Reviewed Journal:
• Das, L ( 2013)-"Listening to the Voices of Children - their Experience of Living with HIV and
being on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) - a focus on counseling needs” Indian Journal Social
Work. Books/Chapters:
• Lata Das, 2012: Researching Lives of Children Living with HIV: Ethical Issues and Challenges
In “Ethics Health and Medicine- Anthropological Perspectives” edited by U.Kalpagam,
Published by Manak Publications, New Delhi.
• Das L, Kumar P. ‘Motivational orientation for adult learners.’ Journal of Adult and Continuing
Education. December 2021. doi:10.1177/14779714211043903

PAPER PRESENTATIONS

• Lata Das (2011): Researching Lives of Children Living with HIV- Ethical Issues and Challenges at the National Seminar on Ethics and Medical Anthropology, February 25th and 26th, 2011 at GB Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad.

• Lata Das (2011): " Locating Children Living with HIV -Needs of Children on Anti Retro Viral Therapy in India, at the Conference Emerging Frontiers and Challenges in HIV/AIDS Research,” February 5-8, 2011 Organised by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH), Mumbai

• Lata Das: Self Concept of School-age going Children who are Living with HIV and on Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) - a Qualitative Inquiry, National Level Conference on “Working With Youth, Women, and Children With HIV/AIDS: Strategic Interventions for Inclusive Development” on March 27& 28, 2012 (Tuesday and Wednesday) by Department of Social Work, Khajamalai
Campus, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.

• Lata Das (2013): Children Living with HIV in India: Emerging Needs, Risks and Social Responses, at the Indian Social Work Congress 2013

• Lata Das (2013): The Counseling Needs of Families and Children Living with HIV Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART): A Qualitative Inquiry", International Conference on Early Childhood Development at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi to be held on 21st and 22nd March 2013
• Lata Das (2013): "Ethics in Social Work Research Children – Experiences from the Field" National Seminar On “Inclusive Development- Bridging the Gap” (7th& 8th June 2013), Shillong. Department of Social Work St Edmund’s College, Shillong, Meghalaya
• Lata Das (2017) Continuing Education Programmes For Adult Learners- Do we need it? Experiences and outcomes at the National Conference on Lifelong Learning for Life skills and community development: Present status and future paradigms organised by Department of Adult, Continuing Education, and Extension, University of Pune.

• Lata Das (2018) ( March 26,- 27, 2018) Research with Children Living with HIV -Understanding Child's perception of Self Concept at the National Conference on Social Work & Child Rights: Contemporary Issues and Way Forward at Amity University, Noida.

• Lata Das (2018) New Paradigms for capacity building and Financial inclusion in the era of digitization Engendering Transformative Change- New Paradigms in SHG Federations" at TISS, Aug. 25, 2018, organized by Chaitanya and TISS

INVITED LECTURES/TALKS/TRAINING/ WORKSHOPS:

Qualitative Health Research in Community Heath by Niramaya Foundation at TISS January 2014.Reproductive Health amongst young adolescent girls-PATH, Mumbai
ToT on Participatory Training Methodology, July 5, 2016, by School of Vocational Education, TISS
ToT on Youth Leadership and People Skills, Oct. 21-25, 2016, organised by NUSSD-TISS
Workshop on Counselling Skills at Gujarat National Law University, Ahmedabad on Sept. 23-24, 2016
Facilitation Skills for ToT Child Rights and Child Protection: A Training of Trainer programme Jan. 14, 2017, by UNICEF &TISS
Youth Leadership and People Skills by NUSSD-TISS on Dec. 19, 2017, at TISS
Self Development and Leadership, March 13, 2018, by Don Bosco Development Society
Motivation and Leadership Skills by Department of Atomic energy, BARC - Oct. 27, 2017
Workshop on Basic Counselling Skills by CYDA, Pune on Jan. 20, 2018
Training and Facilitation Skills by iCALL, TISS on Oct. 26 c 2018
Workshop on designing Primary Preventive Mental health Intervention at the workplace, Aug. 10, 2018, at CYDA, Pune
Youth Leadership Development Programme by NUSSD-TISS on May 27, 29, 31, 2019.
Planning and implementing a Life Skills Training Program for Client groups in Social Work Settings’-31st March 2021, NIRMALA NIKETAN COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK, Mumbai
Planning and implementing a Life skills training workshop for various client groups in social work settings’-22nd March 2021, NIRMALA NIKETAN COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK, Mumbai

Principal Investigator: 2016-2019
Continuing Education Programme for Adult Learners: A Study of Their Learning Experiences and Outcomes-Funded by Research Council, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Principal Investigator: Promoting Wellbeing at the workplace-2019 to Ongoing

Project Leader: Training (Capacity Building) of Arogyamitras ( Primary health care providers) for Oncology caregiving: 2021 to ongoing in collaboration with Pfizer India Ltd and NHA, GOI.

Principal Investigator: Emotional Safety in Classrooms: Action Research Project 2023- ongoing, funded by Charles Engelhard Foundation, USA.

Courses taught:

PG Diploma In Counselling Programme

Introduction to Counselling and Other Helping profession -
Establishing boundaries in helping relationships. 2 credits-30 hrs
Self Awareness and Counselling Skills-2 credits--30 hrs
Counselling Theories credits-2 credits-30 hrs
Participatory Training Methodology and social development-2 credits-30 hrs
Life Skills Education Training-2 credits-30 hrs

BSW:

Computer Essentials and Interactive Skills - 3 credits- 45 hrs

Participatory Training Methodology - 3 credits- 45 hrs

MA Coursework

Personal and Interpersonal Development of the Counsellor/Practitioner-2 credits-30 hrs
Health Communication-2 credits-30 hrs ( taught only in 2016)
Social and Behavioural influences on Health-2 credits-30 hrs ( taught only in 2019)

Other Teaching:

Youth Leadership and People Skills-4 credits-120hrs