2025 - 2026 Activities
Launch of the Birth Anomalies Network of India (BIND), India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, 2nd March 2026
Attended Reimagining India's Health system Towards Viksit Bharat @2047, Centre for Health System Design and Management, Goa Institute of Management, Goa, 6th February, 2026
Panel Discussion at ‘A life with dignity, beyond spina bifida’, organized by Spina bifida foundation, KEM hospital, Pune, 21st and 22nd March, 2026
Invited talk on “How to write a research proposal” at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Karad, 6th January, 2026
51st International Clearing House for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR) Conference. Presented - “Prevalence and types of congenital anomalies in eight villages in Pune district, India” and “Congenital anomaly mortality in India : Analysis of secondary data from two national mortality surveillance datasets”
Online seminars on ‘Qualitative Research’ and ‘How to Conduct a Dissertation’, 27th July and 16th August
Attended Symposium - HCLTech Grant Edition XI - Pan India Symposium 2025, CSR for Nation Building, Pune, 27th June
ICMR funded workshop on ‘Qualitative Research Methods for Public Health and Biomedical Research’, Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth, Karad, 8th and 9th May, 2025
Workshop on ‘Birth Defects and Childhood Disability: A public health and health systems perspective’ at Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, 25th April, 2025
Presentation and sharing of the report 'Mission Impossible to Possible: Addressing the Public Health Challenge of Cleft lip/palate in India' with Smile Train, 11th April, 2025
Attended the NITI state Workshop series on Developing Ecosystem for Assistive Technology in India in collaboration with Government of Maharashtra at YASHADA, Pune, 5th April, 2025
Participated in "Health Policy and Systems Research Methodology course” conducted at Department of Health Sciences Savitribai Phule Pune University in collaboration with Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp supported by Ministry of Education, Government of India, March 1st – 21st, 2025
Visit to Divyang Bhavan, PCMC, 25th March, 2025
Talk on ‘ Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction - Policies, Practices, Case Studies’ for Medical Officers, Disability officials, at YASHADA, Pune, 25th March, 2025
Online Seminar on ‘The Public Health Challenges of Orofacial Clefts in India’ Collaborative seminar to mark World Birth Defects Day – 3rd March, 2025
Invited talk on ‘Birth Defects in India: Epidemiology and Public Health Implications’ at Symbiosis for Master of Public Health Students, 25th February, 2025
Earlier Activities
Presentation of our research on birth defects and discussion with Dr Ayesha de Costa, Scientist, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Department, World Health Organization HQ, Geneva
Workshop
Workshop International Institute of Population Studies January 2023
Workshop
Workshop on “Birth defects and childhood disability: A policy and health systems perspective” Department of Community Medicine, and Pediatrics department, Bharati Vidyapeeth medical college, Pune, 5th March, 2024
Workshop
Workshop on “Birth defects and childhood disability: A policy and health systems perspective” Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 7th March, 2024
Invited Talks and Conferences
Presentation on “A Public health role for addressing childhood disability: Implications from a survey from Pune district”
8th International Conference on Strengthening Research & Evidence on Disability, PRASHO Foundation, Hyderabad, Telangana
10th International Conference
Plenary talk, 10th International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World (ICBD 2023), Santiago, Chile. Putting in place a sustainable centered service for congenital disorders: India as case study.
International Purple Fest
International Purple Fest - Invited talk from the Hemophilia Federation of India January 2024
Indian Society of Human Genetics Conference
Indian Society of Human Genetics Conference - Panel discussion January 2024
Sub-Saharan Congenital Anomalies Network
A birth defects service model for low and low-middle income countries Invited presentation, Sub-Saharan Congenital Anomalies Network, May 2023
Field training and outreach
Global Health Teaching Activities
"Orientation on health and health services in India” students from Department of Nursing, NORD University, Norway, 2024
NORD University
Field training in public health systems and child health for nursing students of NORD University, Norway
District Early Intervention Centre, Pune
HOPE (H - Hearing with compassion, O - Optimism for life, P - Positivity in attitude, E - Enabling caregivers through listening and support) Outreach activity at the District Early Intervention Centre, Pune.
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College
Visit-presentation at the Women’s and Children’s Health Research Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College June 2023
IPHACON 2022
Kar A (2022) The Epidemiology of Congenital Anomalies in India and a Public Health Framework. Invited talk, 66th National Conference of the Indian Public Health Association (IPHACON 22), Bharti Vidyapeeth (DTU) Medical College, Pune.
IPHACON 2022 - Poster Presentation
Radhakrishnan B (2022) A Birth Defects Toolkit to Highlight the Public Health Aspects of Congenital Disorders and Disabilities. Poster presentation, 66th National Conference of the Indian Public Health Association (IPHACON 22), Bharti Vidyapeeth (DTU) Medical College, Pune.
Workshop
Workshop on "Birth defects, Childhood disability and Public Health" organized for Master of Public Health students at Symbiosis International University, Pune, 22nd - 23rd August 2022
NHRC Conference 2022
Kar A (2022) Dissemination of Research Results Invited talk on the Birth Defects Toolkit at the NHRC Conference at HCJMRI , Jehangir Hospital, Pune, 29th July, 2022
EUROlinkCAT 2022
Medhekar A, Dhamdhere D and Kar A (2022) Women’s knowledge on congenital malformations and care for children with disabilities: A qualitative study from Pune district, India”. Poster presentation at the EUROlinkCAT EUROPEAN CONFERENCE “Health and education outcomes of children across Europe with congenital malformations” April 7-8, 2022 Online Conference (Awarded first place in Students Scientific Session).
Kamayani School
Prof. Khandekar after a yoga session with his students from the Kamayani School for Intellectually Disabled Children
IISF 2020
Prof. Khandekar's team from a premier special school and rehabilitation center received several accolades at the India International Science Festival for their yoga demonstration.
Virtual Workshop 2020
Virtual Workshop on Birth defects and Childhood Disability in India conducted on 5th December, 2020 at 3pm IST, in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University.
ICBD Sri Lanka 2020
9th International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World, 23-26 February, Sri Lanka.
Plenary talk by Dr. Anita Kar: Stories of Stigma and Isolation Experienced by Persons with Birth Defects in India
Bhagyashree Radhakrishnan: Follow up of patients referred to Early Intervention Centres
WBDD 2019 Campaign
The Birth Defects Research Foundation, in collaboration with the School of Health Sciences, Department of Education and Extension, Centre for Inclusive Education and Accessibility, Savitribai Phule Pune University organized a public campaign to increase awareness about birth defects. The focus of the campaign was on alerting the public on medical and habilitation care for children born with disabilities, disability etiquette and early intervention.
Birth defects: Talks to professional organizations
Talks on the epidemiology and public health implications of birth defects were presented to different types of professionals. The talks informed the participants about WBDD, and the need to develop a holistic research agenda to address birth defects and developmental disabilities in India.
Felicitation of birth defect activists
The Birth Defects Centre, Pune used the opportunity of the WBDD to felicitate Dr S L Kate. Dr Kate has been working in the remote tribal villages in the foothills of the Sahayadri mountains of Maharashtra, providing care to people affected with sickle cell anemia. In recognition of his work, Dr Kate was honoured with the Padmashree by the Government of India. The Birth Defects Centre, Pune considers it a privilege to felicitate this 84 year old birth defects researcher, who still travels every month to provide care to tribal families.
We were honoured to felicitate Mrs Jasmine Majithia who has dedicated her life to the rehabilitation of thalassemia patients. She has provided a new dimension to the lives of slum children through raising funds and organizing bone marrow transplantation free of cost for the children
Seminar: Zika virus and birth defects
In collaboration with the Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune Public Health Conference 2019, the Birth Defects Research Foundation organized a session on Zika virus and birth defects in India, to update the audience on ongoing surveillance and intervention strategies.
Student award
Bhagyashree Radhakrishnan, Trushna Girase and Dhammasagar Ujagare for their study on factors influencing caregiver uptake of services.