O P Sharma
Dr Neelam Magotra Bhardwaj. a daughter of our soil, has made a mark in service of humanity and presently is managing director of “Helplife” a Pune-based NGO founded by her and is actively engaged in mother-child health assistance to under-privileged women. She has also served for some years with UNICEF, WHO and worked in some foreign countries especially in West Africa, the USA.
Born to Som Dutt Magotra and Suman Magotra in Jammu city, Neelam Magotra had her schooling in Jammu and other cities; as her father working in Central Government service had frequent postings. In 1980, she did medical graduation (MBBS) from the Govt Medial College, Jammu and also completed internship in Jammu and later got married to Dr Subodh Bhardwaj and settled down in Delhi. Subsequently, she qualified post-graduation ( MD in Community Medicine ) from the Muslim University, Aligarh in 1992. She also holds diploma in reproductive health in developing countries from the Royal College of Obstetric, United Kingdom. Dr Neelam’s husband, Dr Subodh Bhardwaj is presently working as Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs for International AIDs Vaccine (IAV) in New York (USA). She has professionally served in New Delhi , Pune and also worked for UNICEF in Mumbai as also in Africa and other countries.
At the age of 63 years, she has the god-gifted enthusiasm and energy to scale up and mainstream disability into the fabric of the society, not only in India but abroad as well. Responding to a question, she calls herself a ” global citizen” and strongly feels that we need to grow up into an inclusive society.
After marriage, she had settled in Delhi and subsequently shifted to Pune (Maharashtra) working as Associate Professor in Bharti Vidya Peeth Medical College, Pune and later moved to work for UNICEF in Mumbai during 2000. Her journey of being in India did not last for long and she moved to West Africa in 2005 as an expert in emergency obstetric care, setting up the systems in hospitals there for referrals where pregnant women would die on the way to hospital. Dr Neelam has worked as Senior Advisor, Maternal and Reproductive Health and Rights at United Nations, New York.
As managing director of “Helplife”, in Pune, Dr Neelam is now rendering service for uplift of the underprivileged communities. She is really transforming lives of differently able young women and adolescents from vulnerable families living with physical disabilities; caused due to polio, congenital diseases, or accidents in their childhood. She supports women for further education and vocational trainings until they seek jobs and become self-reliant and respectable members of the society.
Questioned about her inspiration, she responded that “Can Do Attitude” that came from my parents and further support from her husband and children encouraged me to continue with my dream of being a global advisor to serve the vulnerable women and children. Dr Magotra further added: “I firmly believe it is possible to convert challenges into opportunities if we have the strong will”.
Asked about her work plan for her birth place, she opined: ” I wish to spread activities across India and also God willing, I will do something for Jammu and Kashmir also”.
Distinct Contribution
She worked with various institutions in the world to make sure that women do not die during child-birth. She has created models in various countries and created networking and nurtured various partnerships at different levels globally mainly in Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda, Malawi and India.
She enjoys working for the underprivileged and promotes concept of family centered approach. In addition, she has contributed to and coordinated number of global level initiatives and worked closely with WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, USAID, WB, IRC and PATH.
She has taken part in many forums on topics including healthy birthing practices as also human right issues related to maternity practices. She has been contributing to various committees related to Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and working with policymakers, donors and advocates for maternal health in number of countries.
Proud Attainment
Her research and innovations in safe motherhood to scale-up models in Low-Income Countries (LICs) in maternal and newborn health is well known. Her objective is to promote self-care during pregnancy and research in social obstetrics and be able to promote and preserve good cultural practices. She has created birthing models with the governments to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in the remote, fragile, and emergency situations.
Until December 2019, she worked in New York with United Nations providing technical expertise around maternal and newborn as well as reproductive health. Her vast experience around rural obstetrics has contributed to bridge the Biomedical Model and Complements Alternative Models (CAM) of care.
She is currently using her rich experience in supporting visionary NGO’s and grassroots community leaders, as well as doctors, (nurse) midwives, psychologists, and other professionals regarding steps to creating a better future of care and compassion around maternal and infant health.
Dr Neelam has been recipient of number of awards and some publications to her credit.
It may be mentioned that another Jammu’s proud Dr. Komal Sharma ( B.P.T ,MPT neuro ) now based in Pune, is also rendering physiotherapy services to the Helplife for the past eight years now.
It is noteworthy that Dr Neelam Magotra Bhardwaj has spent some 29 years of her profession at national and international level in developing, managing, monitoring, and evaluating MCH health programmes, including the integration of various sectors within Reproductive Health and other related sectors like Adolescent, MCH, nutrition, immunization, WASH, HIV/AIDS. She is currently actively working for her Pune-bsed NGO, Helflife” and also development of the reproductive health package for the tribal women in India. Dr Neelan Magotra Bhardwaj has done proud to herself by serving the people at large within and outside India.
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