NEW DELHI (India CSR): Ashoka University, India’s leading interdisciplinary and research university, today inaugurated Dr. Ajit Varma Centre for Planetary Health, a first-of-its-kind transdisciplinary Centre for Planetary Health in India, on the campus in the presence of University’s leadership and members of the Varma family.
Established with the support of Dr. Amit Varma, the Centre is named in the memory of his father, Dr. Ajit Varma. The Centre will advance work across five strategic pillars, including Research and Discovery; Academics and Capacity Building; Innovation Hub and Venture Studio; Industry and Ecosystem Partnerships; and Policy Engagement. Its work will focus on addressing complex and interconnected challenges that extend beyond the direct effects of environmental change, spanning climate and health systems, pollution and exposure science and agroecology, marine ecosystems, and emerging infectious risks.
Beyond supporting the establishment of the Centre, Dr. Varma’s association with Ashoka as Trustee and Advisor to Trivedi School of BioSciences reflects a shared commitment to advancing interdisciplinary research, innovation and institution-building. In his role, he will work closely with the University’s leadership to strengthen its research ecosystem, foster collaboration across academia, industry and the innovation ecosystem, and support Ashoka’s long-term vision of building globally relevant research institutions. Speaking about the vision behind this Centre, Dr. Amit Varma, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Quadria Capital and Co-founder of HealthQuad, said, “The establishment of the Dr. Ajit Varma Centre for Planetary Health is deeply meaningful to me, both personally and professionally. Named in memory of my father, the Centre brings to life a shared vision of advancing science to address some of the most pressing and interconnected challenges of the recent times. We are proud to partner with Ashoka University, whose multidisciplinary approach, academic excellence, and research ecosystem make it uniquely positioned to lead this initiative. We hope it will serve as a catalyst for scientific discovery, nurture the next generation of researchers and leaders, and contribute meaningfully to building healthier, more resilient communities in India and globally.”
As part of the Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University, the Centre will closely engage with the University’s existing research ecosystem, including the Centre for Health Analytics Research Trends (CHART), Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability (3CS), and Koita Centre for Digital Health (KCDH-A). In addition, it will leverage Ashoka’s expertise in Computer Science for AI-driven health modeling and big data analytics, Economics to evaluate the financial cost of climate inaction and the viability of sustainable solutions, and Psychology and Cognitive Sciences to study the human impact of environmental stressors and design interventions to drive community adaptation.
Anurag Agrawal, Dean, BioSciences and Health Research, Trivedi School of Biosciences Head, Koita Center for Digital Health, Ashoka University said, “Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and changing ecosystems are reshaping disease patterns and demanding new ways of studying health. By integrating expertise across biology, medicine, engineering, data science, economics and behavioural sciences, this Centre will enable research that not only deepens scientific understanding but also creates pathways to build innovative, practical solutions to enable healthier communities and ecosystems.”
Dr Ajit Varma Centre for Planetary Health will establish long- and short-format courses, certifications and symposiums, creating a pipeline of skilled researchers and practitioners equipped to address the interdependence and implications of human and environmental health. It will also support the development of science-led innovations by providing seed grants, mentorship and pathways to translate research into prototypes, products and ventures in collaboration with industry partners.
“We are grateful to the Varma family for their generous support in making this Centre possible. The Dr Ajit Varma Centre for Planetary Health reflects Ashoka University’s commitment to advancing research that studies environmental change and human health in step with one another. By catalysing its integrated approach to research, academic training and real-world applications, the Centre will strengthen our research ecosystem and equip the students with the knowledge, skills and interdisciplinary perspective needed to advance solutions at the intersection of environmental and human health,” added Ashish Dhawan, Founding Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Ashoka University.
Speaking about the roadmap for this Centre, Poornima Prabhakaran, Director for the Centre, stated, “Over the next five years, the Centre aims to catalyse important transdisciplinary research to address thrust areas of climate change , exposomics and other critical cores, host research showcases, innovation hackathons and regional workshops, and expand collaborations across academia, industry and government. As it scales, the Centre will work towards convening a Regional Planetary Health Conference for South Asia and advancing international academic partnerships.”
(India CSR)
