Our mission is to enhance population health through research that is relevant and accountable, with strong community engagement and involvement. We aim to address the unique needs of our stakeholders by co-creating knowledge and providing access to research findings, ultimately empowering communities to take action for better outcomes for individuals and the planet.
Public Advisory Board
The Public Advisory Board (PAB) is an independent group of 10–15 members drawn from across the Centre’s three focus countries and diverse professional and community backgrounds. It ensures that the Centre’s work is shaped with and for communities, and that community priorities remain central to all activities. The PAB provides strategic guidance on the Centre’s Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) approach, reviews progress, and strengthens links between community voices, researchers, and policymakers. Acting as advocates, members promote equity, amplify the needs of vulnerable groups, and support the Centre’s mission to address the dual challenges of NCDs and environmental change.
Our Team
- Chhavi Bhandari: Lead, Community Engagement and Involvement (The George Institute for Global Health)
- Maroof Khan: Community Engagement and Involvement Manager (The George Institute for Global Health)
- Nantu Chakma: Community Engagement and Involvement Lead, Bangladesh (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research)
- Sarada Garg: Community Engagement and Involvement Lead, India (Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research)
- Rizka Amalia: Community Engagement and Involvement Lead, Indonesia (University of Brawijaya)
Highlights & Media
Shweta Narayan, our Public Advisory Board (PAB) member joins global experts in public health, environmental change, and community empowerment for a panel discussion chaired by Professor Christopher Millett, co-principal investigator of the NIHR GHRC to exchange action-oriented steps towards building resilient health and environment partnerships.
Know more here…
A diverse group of 16 participants from the Community Ownership in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) and Research Group of APEA convened to engage in a vital discussion about trust. Highlighting the global importance of fostering trust in community engagement efforts.
Curated by Rituu B. Nanda, our Public Advisory Board (PAB) member, read “Why is Trust for outsiders declining in communities?” as it first appeared in on Asia Pacific Evaluation Association (APEA) here…
Chhavi Bhandari champions the empowerment of local communities as key communicators, advocates, and change-makers in an article co-authored with Keziah Bennett-Brook & Emma Feeny, for Health Policy Watch, to drive impactful actions that can improve health outcomes for people and the planet for a more equitable and resilient future.
Read the full article here…
Members of the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) share their insights from the 78th World Health Assembly in 2025, unpacking the progress made, identify gaps, and describing what is needed to advance the global health agenda.
Chhavi Bhandari, head of the Impact & Engagement team at NIHR GHRC for Non-communicable Diseases and Environmental Change, advocates for the sharing of case studies, personal stories, and economic evidence during crucial policy moments to drive urgent action on climate and health. Read more of Bhandari’s insights and those of other GCHA members here…
Maroof Khan co-authors an article highlighting the value of experiential knowledge from communities. Reporting on an online roundtable featuring 35 participants (community leaders, health and environmental advocates, academics, and political champions) from across the Asia-Pacific exploring how community participation can advance planetary health initiatives.
Read the full article here…
Maroof Khan’s compelling blog recounts his journey which began with a passionate commitment to empowering grassroots organizations and led to him spearheading the community engagement and involvement activities for a dynamic and interdisciplinary research program spanning numerous partners and countries.
Read the full blog here…
The inaugural session of the Voices of Practice: A Series on Meaningful Community Engagement, titled “Who Owns Research? Shifting Power to the Communities” was held on August 28, 2025, in collaboration with the Global Fund for Children and The George Institute for Global Health.
Led by Ms. Rituu B. Nanda, a valued member of our Public Advisory Board, the session welcomed nearly 100 participants from diverse backgrounds to explore how communities can move from being participants in research to co-creators of knowledge, sparking powerful dialogue around shifting power and redefining roles in the research process.
Featured in the annual review by Institute of Development Studies, Maroof Khan highlights the vital role community engagement and meaningful insights gleaned from adapting to local contexts can have towards driving equitable global health research.
Know more and discover case studies & impact stories by leading experts from across the globe here…
Join Cristina Parsons Perez, Capacity Development Director at the NCD Alliance, and Nupur Lalvani, Director of the Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation for an interactive conversation on “Empowering Community Voices and Lived Experience for Lasting Change – Advocacy in Action”.
The second session of the “Voices of Practice: A Series on Meaningful Community Engagement”, the dialogue delves into the transformative power of community voices and lived experience advocates in shaping equitable policies and achieving sustainable health outcomes.