Guided by an understanding of social science developments in Public Health, Dr. Nandu has been engaged in public health education and research as a faculty member for over five years. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Health at DY Patil Deemed to be University in Navi Mumbai. Dr. Nandu’s doctoral research focused on the Malabar region of Kerala, where he investigated the socio-economic and political dynamics that influence health, healthcare services, and accessibility in marginalized sub-regions. Beyond his PhD work, his research explores how social processes and institutions affect the health and well-being of various social groups, with particular attention to the embodiment of social inequalities and treatment interventions within individuals’ social environments.

Dr. Nandu’s research interests include the social determinants of health, Health inequities, public health social work, and the social structure and cultural dimensions of health. He has extensive experience in qualitative data collection, including expertise in participatory rural appraisal in Kerala and several other states across India.

Currently, he is engaged in two research projects. The first explores the role of social welfare professionals in medical settings, examining how they bring social and cultural aspects of health into healthcare institutions and practices. The second examines the experiences of individuals seeking healthcare outside their state of residence. This study focuses on patients from Kerala who receive healthcare at selected private hospitals in the neighbouring state of Karnataka. His approach to research adopts interdisciplinary methodology, shaping insights from a range of disciplines while remaining firmly rooted in Public Health.

Teaching experience 5 years. Development sector 2 years

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health (PhD) 2015 – 2021
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Topic: Social, Economic, and Political Dynamics Shaping Health, Health Services and their Access: A Case Study of Malabar Region

Master of Philosophy in Public Health (MPhil) 2013 – 2015
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Topic: Health Care Utilisation in the context of changing labour mobility in Malappuram district of Kerala

Master of Social Work in Community Development (MSW) 2010 – 2012 Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Kerala

Bachelor of Arts in Economics (BA) 2007 – 2010
University of Calicut, Kozhikode, Kerala

• Introduction to Social and Behavioural Sciences
• Social Epidemiology
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Social Sciences and Public Health
• Social Foundation of Public Policy