Mumbai Campus,
Chairperson, Centre for Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Health Systems Studies
MPhil, PhD CSRD, Jawaharlal Nehru University
rakesh.chandra[at]tiss[dot]ac[dot]in
Email:
rakesh.chandra@tiss.ac.in
Address:
Rakesh Chandra
Assistant Professor & Chairperson
Centre for Health Policy, Planning and Management
School of Health Systems Studies
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Old Campus), Mumbai
V.N. Purav Marg, Deonar, Mumbai 400 088.
Dr. Chandra holds an advanced research degree in Regional Development, with a specialization in the quantification of healthcare access. His scholarly pursuits have spanned many years, during which he has played a pivotal role in designing and implementing both quantitative and qualitative research studies. These endeavors encompass evaluation studies and knowledge production across a diverse range of thematic areas within the field of public health, including digital health, urban health, maternal and child health, violence against women, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), among others.
Dr. Chandra's research is particularly distinguished by his focus on health and healthcare inequities, a theme that has informed much of his published work in prestigious, peer-reviewed journals. His expertise extends to program assessment and policy evaluation, gained through extensive experience in national and international collaborations with governments and renowned multilateral organizations such as the OECD, World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Norad, DFID, and UNOPS.
In 2026, Dr. Chandra was appointed as a member to the World Health Organization's (WHO) advisory body for Research in Human Reproduction (HRP). He is a Vetted Consultant on the roster for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). He has also been nominated as an External Research Collaborator by the GIRL Center at the Population Council, USA, in 2025.
Dr. Chandra has published his research works in various renowned international peer-reviewed publications, including PloS, Elsevier, BMC, SAGE, and Taylor and Francis. He is also a research collaborator at International Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and constantly strives to produce policy-relevant research. He is also on the editorial board of BMC Public Health, a reputable international journal in public health.
In addition to his extensive research experience, Dr. Chandra is well-versed in various quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and tools. His enthusiasm for data analysis is reflected in his proficiency with large datasets and his advanced skills in statistical software, including STATA, SPSS, and R.
Beyond academia and research, Dr. Chandra is deeply interested in socio-political developments and global issues that affect people's lives and well-being.
- Urban Health
- Digital Health
- Maternal and Child Health
- Health Expenditure and Finance
- Health Programmes and Policy
- Health System
- Evaluation Methods and Design
- Reseach and Analytics Methods
- Suvey Research Methods
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8330-9809
Research Publications:
Exploring the association between indoor air pollution (IAP) and anaemia among pregnant women in India, PLoS One 21(3): e0343845. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0343845
Managing menstruation on the move: a qualitative study of menstrual hygiene management practices and health challenges among female ticket collectors in India. Culture, Health & Sexuality: Taylor & Francis. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2026.2621764
Understanding the drivers of urban–rural divide in women’s internet use in India: a decomposition approach. Springer Nature: SN Social Science 5, 178 (2025).https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-025-01218-2
Why Do Working Women Experience More Violence Than Non-Working Women in India? A Decomposition Analysis Using Nationally Representative Survey Data. SAGE: Journal of Interpersonal Violence. (2025).https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605251368837
WASH, Women, and Violence: Investigating the Associations Between Households’ Access to WASH Facilities and Intimate Partner Violence in India. Violence Against Women, SAGE (2025). https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012251363593
A study on unsafe sexual practices among short-distance drivers in India: A cross-sectional study. Springer Nature: Discover Public Health 22, 592 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00980-1
Examining the unfair concentration of non-institutional deliveries among poor households in India: a study of predictors and wealth-based inequality. Springer Nature, BMC Women's Health, 25, 301 (2025) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03819-8
Spatial disparities in death registration across states and districts of India, 2019-21. Springer Nature, BMC Public Health 25, 1733 (2025).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22707-2
Association between flood-prone geographies and incomplete ANC in India: Implications for equitable maternal care access. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, Elsevier. Volume 11, 2025, 101522, ISSN 2590-2911.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101522
Trends and determinants of obesity among ever-married women aged 15–49 in India: insights from National Family Health Surveys (NFHS 1998–2021). BMC Public Health 25, 480 (2025).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21635-5
Educational inequalities in the prevalence of vision impairment among older adults in India: A decomposition analysis, Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus, Elsevier,100126, ISSN 2950-3078 (2025).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aggp.2025.100126.
Full Antenatal Care Service Utilization Among Tribal Mothers in India: A Multilevel Analysis. In: Chouhan, P., Roy, A., Kapasia, N., Das, J., Rahaman, M. (eds) Sexual and Reproductive Health of Women. Springer, Singapore (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-8418-9_16
Anaemia among lactating adolescents (15–19 years) in India: a repeated cross-sectional analysis of the NFHS data (2005–2021). BMC Public Health 24, 2993 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20187-4
Individual-and Community-Level Determinants of Maternal Healthcare Utilization in Afghanistan. In: Chouhan, P., Roy, A., Kapasia, N., Das, J., Rahaman, M. (eds) Sexual and Reproductive Health of Women. Springer, Singapore (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-8418-9_15
Inadequate Iron–Folic Acid Consumption Among Pregnant Mothers in India: A Spatial Analysis. In: Chouhan, P., Roy, A., Kapasia, N., Das, J., Rahaman, M. (eds) Sexual and Reproductive Health of Women. Springer, Singapore (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-8418-9_18
Spatial heterogeneity in unintended pregnancy and its determinants in India. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 24, 670 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06850-z
High Responsibility, limited authority, and endless expectations: a policy critique of the Community Health Officer’s role in the government healthcare delivery systems in India. Discover Health Systems, Springer (2024).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s44250-024-00135-0
Mobility and sexually transmitted infections: Exploring intersectional axes of alcohol consumption and risky sexual behavior among Indian men. International Journal of STD & AIDS. SAGE (2024).
https://doi.org/10.1177/09564624241273033
An analysis of predictors and wealth-based inequality in internet use among women in India: aiming for better digital health outcomes. BMC Digital Health, Springer (2024).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s44247-024-00090-z
Association Between Sexual Autonomy and Reproductive Tract Infections Among Married Women in India: A Cross-Sectional Study of a Nationally Representative Sample. Women's Reproductive Health, Taylor & Francis (2024).
https://doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2024.2345094
A district-level geospatial analysis of anaemia prevalence among rural men in India, 2019-21. BMC International Journal for Equity in Health, Springer Nature (2024).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-023-02089-w
Prevalence and Predictors of Risky Sexual Behavior Among Young Men in India: Evidence From National Family Health Survey, International Journal of Sexual Health, Taylor and Francis (2023).
https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2023.2286984
Prevalence and determinants of self-reported heart disease among Indian men aged 15-54 years: evidence from NFHS-5. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health. Elsevier (2023) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2023.101374
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2023.101374
Locating perpetrators of violence against women in India: An analysis of married men’s characteristics associated with intimate partner violence. PLoS ONE (2023) 18(8): e0289596. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289596
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289596
Intra-urban differentials in the exclusive use of hygienic methods during menstruation among young women in India. PLOS Global Public Health (2023). 3(6): e0002047. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002047
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002047
Men’s Childhood Exposure to Parental Violence and their Indulgence in IPV: An Empirical Analysis of Wife-Beating Justification as a Moderator Variable. Victims & Offenders: An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice, Routledge (2023).
https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2023.2218358
Wealth-based inequality in the exclusive use of hygienic materials during menstruation among young women in urban India. PLOS ONE 17(11) (2022): e0277095. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277095
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277095
Menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent women in rural India: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 22, 2126 (2022), Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14622-7
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14622-7
Are stage-based health information messages effective and good value for money in improving maternal newborn and child health outcomes in India? Protocol for an individually randomized controlled trial” Springer-Trials. Vol. 20. No. 272.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-019-3369-5
Sophie Witter, Ludovico Carraro, Nouria Brikci, Tim Ensor, Sebastian Silva-Leander, Marta Marzi, Firdaus Shidieq, Laura Bates, Roosa Jolkkonen, Snehashish Raichowdhury, Rakesh Chandra “Leave no one behind – operationalizing universal health coverage and social protection in Agenda 2030”, Oxford Policy Management, Dec. 2017 [Report].
Rakesh Chandra “Cities and the questions of health equity: A study of multidimensional healthcare access in India” European Journal of Public Health, Volume 26, Issue suppl_1, Oxford University Press (OUP), November 2016. [Abs.]
Rakesh Chandra and Saradiya Mukherjee “Urban transformations and new dynamics of exclusions: A mixed method study of health and well-being in an expanding city of India” Current Urban Studies, Vol. 3, 2015.
https://doi.org/10.4236/CUS.2015.32012
Saradiya Mukherjee and Rakesh Chandra “Determinants of maternal care utilization among young Muslim women in India” International Journal of Public Health Research Vol 4 No 2, 2014.
https://spaj.ukm.my/ijphr/index.php/ijphr/article/view/189
Rakesh Chandra, Aditya Singh and Saradiya Mukherjee “A Disaggregated Analysis of Change in Household Out-Of-Pocket Expenditure on Healthcare in India, 1995-2004” International Journal of Public Health Research Vol 3, No1, 2013.
Saradiya Mukherjee, Aditya Singh and Rakesh Chandra “Maternity or Catastrophe: a study a household expenditure on maternal health care in India” Health Vol.5, No.1, 2013.
https://doi.org/10.4236/HEALTH.2013.51015
Aditya Singh, Saradiya Mukherjee and Rakesh Chandra “Inter-district variation in socioeconomic inequality in maternal healthcare utilization in rural Assam, 2007-08”, Journal of North East Indian Studies, Vol. 2, No. 2, Jul.-Dec. 2012.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12754720
Other Newspaper, Magzine and Blog Articles:
Climate Change: An unfolding public health crisis. Ideas for India. June, 2025. https://ideasforindia.in/topics/environment/climate-change-an-unfolding-public-health-crisis.html
Why ‘Baba ka Dhaba’ is just a magic story, not the solution, Governance Now, November 2020.
NDA won in Bihar by reminding people of ‘Jungle Raj’. But data shows it’s a myth, The Print, November 2020.
Could the self-defense monologues of Mr. Trump have debilitating effects on The World Health Organization’s credibility and its fight against COVID-19? An analysis based on Twitter data, April, 2020, Medium.
Projects lead/Supported
Migrant’s mobility patterns, high risk behaviours, HIV vulnerabilities and responses during COVID-19 in India. Funder: National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Govt. of India (Project Year: 2022; Location: India) (Ongoing).
Changing Sexual Networks and Unexplored Risk Behaviours amongst Truckers/ Drivers in India Funder: National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Govt. of India (Project Year: 2022; Location: India) (Ongoing).
Evaluation and Impact Assessment of Jiyo Parasi Scheme Client: Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi (Project Year: 2020-21; Location: India) (Completed).
Evaluation of Digitally Enabled Multi-Level Governance Model Client: Boston consulting Group (BCG) & Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) (Project Year: 2018-2019; Location: India) (Completed).
Education Program for Results (EPforR), Tanzania Client: Department for International Development (DFID), UK DFID (Project Year: 2018-2019; Location: Tanzania) (Completed).
Evaluation of Three Millennium Development Goals (3MDG), Myanmar Client: The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Myanmar. (Project Year: 2018-2020; Location: Myanmar) (Completed).
Study on Universal Health Coverage from a pro-poor and pro-equity perspective. Funder: Oceanic Economic Development Cooperation (OECD). (Project Year 2017-18 Location: Multi-country study in Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia,Togo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia and Mozambique) (Completed).
Evaluation of Kilkari and Mobile Academy (mHealth) Programme; Client: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) (Project Year: 2017-2018; Location: India) (Completed).
Study on Nutrition Determinants and Strategies in the North East of India; Client: World Bank, India (Project Year: 2016-2018; Location: India) (Completed).
Evaluation of Poorer States Inclusive Growth Program; Client: Department for International Development (DFID), UK. (Project Year: 2016-2017; Location: India) (Completed).
Impact Evaluation of Norway India Partnership Initiative program; Funder: Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Norway (Project Year: 2016-2017; Location: India) (Completed).
Bihar Technical Support Program; Funder : Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) India, (Project Year: 2016-2019; Location: India) (Completed).
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