Team Category: Aastrika Midwifery

An alumnus of the Tata Institute of Social Work (TISS), Lakshmi is passionate about maternal health and has over a decade of experience. She has been deeply involved in understanding the complexities of health, gender & equity and the intersectionalities in this realm. She has worked on various projects funded by international donors like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, etc. At Aastrika, she handles SPHERE, the collaborative digital platform to support capacity building activities within maternal health.

Bheema is a public health professional, with 12 years of experience in project management, research, training & capacity-building in the non-profit sector and public health system. Bheema holds a Master’s degree in medical and psychiatric social work and a diploma in public health. He has extensively worked with various international NGOs and the department of health, Karnataka.

Prior to joining Aastrika, Bheema worked with Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and led operation activity for the Joint Effort for Elimination of Tuberculosis (JEET) project, in Karnataka. He hails from Vijayapur and currently lives in Bengaluru.

Eathel has over 30yrs of experience in Labour and Delivery and Neonatal Care, and in critical and non critical areas as well. She is trained in BLS and ACLS, and has done CGFNS and NCLEX-RN, the international Nursing exams. She has experience in training individuals and groups of nurses in both classroom and bedside settings. She has a passion for training future midwives, in achieving the MDG. (Millennium Development Goals), and to transform the Indian Midwifery Cadre.

Jayanthi Yesuraj joined Aastrika as a Midwifery Educator, having 5+ years of experience in nurse training. She holds B.Sc.Nursing degree and Masters in Hospital Management. She is passionate about imparting skills to individuals and is determined to bring changes in the Indian Midwifery Health System. In her spare time, she likes traveling and spending time with her family.

Mary joined Aastrika as a Midwifery Educator. She has 20 years of experience in Labor Delivery & Recovery (LDR) and other departments.

Mary holds a Master of Science in Nursing, with a specialization in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In her spare time, she likes to listen to music.

Jayanthi Gopal is a midwifery practitioner, educator, researcher, and a registered nurse. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked in various capacities like that of professor, lecturer, principal, nursing tutor and staff nurse. Her efforts have been dedicated towards raising awareness and educating people on various health related programmes. She has published papers on maternity related themes and is currently researching on “a model for supportive midwifery care at first stage of labour”. Jayanthi has completed her Bachelor’s in Nursing and Master’s in Obstetrics & Gynecology Nursing from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and is currently also pursuing a PhD from University of South Africa(UNISA).

Merilyn Nangsha is a healthcare professional with over six years of experience in both clinical practice and teaching. She brings a comprehensive understanding of obstetric and gynaecological care to her professional endeavours. She was an assistant lecturer in Ramaiah Institute of Nursing Education and Research. She has served as staff nurse in Delhi Council for Child Welfare and Batra Hospital. Merilyn has a Master’s degree in Nursing from Rajiv Gandhi University and a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Lakshmi Bai Batra College of Nursing, New Delhi.

Papia Begam has joined the Aastrika Foundation as a Midwifery Educator as part of our Sphere In-Person programme, bringing over 7 years of experience in clinical practice and teaching. Throughout her career, she has focused on working with women and children and is certified in “Advanced Practice and Training for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurses.” She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and is currently pursuing an MSc in Psychiatric Nursing.

Papia is trained in Basic Life Support, Helping Babies Breathe, and the Neonatal Resuscitation Programme. She is a “Certified Professional in Hospital Infection Control” (CPHIC) by the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations and has served as an Infection Control Nurse in various healthcare settings. Additionally, she has completed the Certification Programme in “Nursing Excellence Standards” by CAHO.

Papia has extensive experience training individuals and groups of nurses and is passionate about enhancing the quality of care for children and maternal health, focusing on cognitive and emotional well-being. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, listening to music, and drawing.