Mukta Gundi

Areas of Interest & Expertise

Public Health
Adolescent Health
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Social determinants of Health
Health Communication
Mental Health
Mixed methods Research

Biography

I am a public health researcher interested in exploring how social conditions influence health. I am especially interested in understanding how social and gender inequalities intersect to impact adolescents’ health indicators.

Most recently, I worked as a Technical Specialist with the Population Council, New Delhi. I co-led baseline data collection for a community-based evaluation for a programme aimed at skilling the in-school and out-of-school adolescent girls to reduce the incidence of child marriage in Rajasthan. My research work included contributing to an evidence synthesis of experimental studies from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa that were aimed at delaying marriage, reducing teenage pregnancies, and improving labour force participation among adolescent girls and young women. I also co-authored research briefs, analyzed data, designed research tools, and supervised data collection.

I have earned my doctoral degree in Public Health from the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar [December 2014-August 2020]. My doctoral research focused on understanding the social determinants of menstrual health among adolescents across urban, rural and tribal settings in Nashik district, Maharashtra. My doctoral study on menstrual health included both adolescent girls as well as boys as I explored how gender itself acts as a social determinant to influence adolescents’ knowledge, beliefs, and communication regarding menstruation using a mixed-methods approach. Prior to my doctoral journey, I worked with IIT Gandhinagar as a Research Associate.

I completed my master’s degree in Public Health from Indiana University Bloomington [2011 – 2013] and a bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences [2004 – 2008]. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I worked at the Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health [SEARCH, Gadchiroli] as a fellow. I look forward to expanding my work on school climate and its impact on various adolescent health indicators.

Besides work, I love Indian classical dance and enjoy reading Marathi literature.

Publications

Journal articles:

Gundi, M., & Subramanyam, M. A. (2019). Menstrual health communication among Indian adolescents: A mixed-methods study. PLOS ONE, 14(10), e0223923. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223923
Gundi, M., & Subramanyam, M. A. (2020). Curious eyes and awkward smiles: Menstruation and adolescent boys in India. Journal of adolescence, 85, 80 – 95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.09.013
Gundi, M., & Subramanyam, M. A. (2020). Gender as a social determinant of menstrual health: a mixed methods study among Indian adolescent girls and boys. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.04.20167924

Under review journal articles/submitted:

Dayal R. & Gundi M. Quality of sexual and reproductive health services delivered to adolescents at Ujala Clinics in Rajasthan, India. [Under review, PLoS ONE Special issue]
Zahra F., Austrian K., Gundi M., Psaki S., Ngo T. Drivers of Marriage and Health Outcomes Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Journal of Adolescent Health. [Under Review]
Kumar, S., Gundi, M., Atre, S., Ngoc, L., Thieng, N. & Rammohan, A. “Social, economic, and demographic determinants of recorded and unrecorded alcohol consumption in Vietnam” [Submitted: Journal of Substance Use]

Policy Briefs:

Gundi, M., K.G. Santhya, N. Haberland, A. J. F. Zavier and S. Rampal. (2020). The increasing toll of mental health issues among adolescents and youth in Bihar. Policy Brief. New Delhi: Population Council. https://www.projectudaya.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Mental-Health-Brief_Bihar.pdf
Gundi, M., K.G. Santhya, N. Haberland, A. J. F. Zavier and S. Rampal. 2020. The increasing toll of mental health issues among adolescents and youth in Uttar Pradesh. Policy Brief. New Delhi: Population Council. https://www.projectudaya.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Mental-Health-Brief_U.P.pdf

Research report:

Samanta T., Jolad S., Gundi M., & Subramanyam M. (2015). Ahmedabad District Human Development Report. Government of Gujarat. https://www.in.undp.org/content/india/en/home/library/hdr/human-development-reports/district-human-development-reports.html
Kumar, Subramanyam, Atre & Gundi (2015): Report on a survey of unrecorded alcohol in five states of India, International Center for Alcohol Policy, USA. http://iardwebprod.azurewebsites.net/getattachment/fdd90791-41cb-4bd3-98f0-555fbf9818f8/unrecorded-alcohol-in-india.pdf

Online/Print magazine or newspaper article:

Gundi, M. (2017, August 12). First day of period leaves are a great first step. But offices need to become more period-friendly. Scroll. https://scroll.in/pulse/846959/first-day-of-period-leaves-are-a-great-first-step-but-offices-need-to-become-more-period-friendly
Samanta T. & Gundi M. (2018, February 28). Padman, Patriarchy and the Poor Man’s Innovation. Kafila. https://kafila.online/2018/02/28/padman-patriarchy-and-the-poor-mans-innovation-tannishta-samantha-and-mukta-gundi/
Atre S. & Gundi M. (2020, March 16). The message needs to be clear: Coronavirus has no face and no race. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/the-message-needs-to-be-clear-coronavirus-has-no-face-and-no-race-6316821/
Gundi, M. & Atre, S. (2017). “Arogyam Jansampada”. Loksatta Marathi Daily. https://www.loksatta.com/chaturang/arogya-jansanpada/ [Public health-related fortnightly column for a year].

Published interview:

Broadening understanding about menstruation: Talk openly to both girls and boys. The Logical Indian. (2019, March 24). https://thelogicalindian.com/story-feed/awareness/world-menstruation-day