Leadership
Visionaries Behind Our Success
Our legacy has been shaped by extraordinary individuals whose vision, dedication, and pioneering spirit have made KEMHRC what it is today.
Founder Members
Dr. Banoo Jehangir Coyaji
The late Dr. Banoo Coyaji is synonymous with social service, family planning, and population control. She joined KEM Hospital in 1944 as the Chief Medical Officer, and her dedication and efforts turned the small 40-bed nursing home into what is today a 550-bed super speciality, tertiary level teaching hospital with a well-established Research Centre. In 1958 she founded the Paediatrics Department, and by 1967, the 200-bedded general hospital also had full-fledged Medical and Surgical departments.
Dr. Banoo Coyaji served on several national and international bodies. She was a member of the Scientific and Technical Group on Human Reproduction, as well as the Women’s Health and Development, and Health Manpower Development programmes at the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Coyaji also served as a consultant to the Governments of Maharashtra and India, the World Bank, the Ford Foundation, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and other agencies. She was also Professor Emeritus and a member of the Management Council of Pune University.
Her pioneering work in the field of Family Planning (FP) services earned Dr. Coyaji worldwide recognition and innumerable awards, including the Padma Bhushan in 1989, and the Magsaysay Award for Public service in 1993.
Col. Sohrab Pudumjee
Col. Sohrab (Soli) K. Pudumjee, born and educated in Pune, embarked on a distinguished career in the Indian Army, serving in the Armoured Corps and later commanding the prestigious President’s Body Guard & 61st Cavalry. Upon retirement, he returned with his family to his roots in Pune, and contributed significantly to the House of Tatas at the renowned Tata Management Training Centre (TMTC) for the next 18 years. He also served as the Chairman of the Sardar Dastur Schools Trust, and Vice President of KEM Hospital, Pune.
Mr. Shamsundar S. Kanitkar
A distinguished COEP alumnus and renowned building contractor of Pune, Mr. Kanitkar was deeply involved in social and charitable causes. As President of the Rotary Club, he played a key role in the Koynanagar earthquake relief work. At the invitation of his close friend Dr. Banoo Coyaji, he dedicated his post-retirement years to supervising the maintenance of KEM Hospital.A passionate photographer and artist, his creative works continue to adorn KEM Hospital’s walls. He is fondly remembered as a gentle and noble achiever.
DIRECTORS
Dr. V. N. Rao (1973-2003)
Former Director of Health Services, Maharashtra State, and Senior Deputy Director General of ICMR, Dr. Rao brought a wealth of leadership experience when he took over as Director of KEMHRC in 1973. A visionary, he was well known for his ability to initiate activities and projects that were far ahead of the times. His meticulous monitoring helped make socially sensitive programmes acceptable and successful in the community. Dr. Rao’s efforts to attract international funding helped put the Vadu and Pabal centres on the global map.
A Master of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health in USA, Dr. Rao held a number of high-level posts in the World Health Organization (WHO), and served as a consultant at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Ford Foundation. He was a member of various high level government committees related to family planning, and improvement of health services. Several of his papers were published in national and international journals in the field of malaria and other communicable diseases.
Dr. Vasant Padbidri (2003 – 2015)
Former Director, National Institute of Virology, ICMR, Dr. Padbidri was the Director of KEMHRC for a period of 12 years. During his professional life, he served on the Ethics Committee of the National Institute of Virology, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, and the National AIDS Research Institute, and was on the Scientific Advisory Committee of two ICMR research institutes. He was also a member of the Biomedical Research Board of the ICMR.
Dr. Padbidri was awarded a one-year WHO Fellowship to work at Rocky Mountain Laboratory in USA, where he helped develop a new diagnostic kit for Rickettsial diseases in India. He was later appointed a member of the ICMR Expert Group on Rickettsial Diseases, and was also a Consultant for the workshop on ‘Standardisation of Japanese Encephalitis Surveillance in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India & Nepal’.
With over 75 publications in national and international journals, Dr. Padbidri has been a member of various national committees, including Life Member of Association of Microbiologists of India, the Indian Virology Society, the Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists, and the Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science.
Dr. (Mrs.) Laila F. Garda (2015 to date)
Dr. Garda has an MBBS from Mahatma Gandhi institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram Wardha, and an MD in Preventive and Social Medicine from the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune. She has been working in the field of social research for 30 years, and has proven expertise in various facets including public health consultancy, maternal and child health advisory, HIV/AIDS prevention, adult education, women’s leadership, rural and community development, civil society strengthening, and social entrepreneurship. Presently the Director of the KEM Hospital Research Centre, Dr. Garda has been the Project-in-Charge of several nationally and internationally funded projects.
A keen strategist, planner and implementer, she has considerable experience in the design, supervision, monitoring, and evaluation of development interventions. Dr. Garda has hands-on expertise in training, facilitation and coaching, and is skilled at building and maintaining relationships at all levels.
She has been the Programme Director for Helplife NGO, and CSR Head and Health Consultant, GITS Food Products Pvt. Ltd. From 2009 to 2015. Dr. Garda was Coordinator for the Internship and Directed Research Program for Alliance for Global Education, a study abroad programme for American undergraduate students; she is currently Collaborator for the programme through KEM Hospital Research Centre.