Personnel Working in the Programme

Kartik Kalyanram: MD (Aerospace Medicine), Dip Aviation Medicine (USA). He is an old student of Rishi Valley, who graduated from Armed Forces Medical College, Pune in 1982 and joined the Indian Air Force. He did his post graduation in Aerospace Medicine from Indian Air Force Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Bangalore in 1989. Subsequently, in 1991, he worked at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, San Antonio, Texas, where he acquired his Diploma. He has taught at the postgraduate level and was Associate Professor of Aerospace Medicine at Bangalore University from 1993 till his resignation in 1999. At Rishi Valley in 1999 he set up and is in charge of running the Rural Health programme.

Kamakshi Kartik: MD (Pathology): She graduated from the Madras Medical College, Chennai in 1986. She did her post graduation in Pathology in 1993 from Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. She has worked as a Tutor, Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College, and was Head of Department of Pathology, CSI Hospital, Bangalore. From 1995 to 2000, she served in the Indian Air Force as a Medical Officer, providing basic laboratory services to the base personnel and was involved in looking after the health of the families. She is presently consulting pathologist to a mission hospital in Madanapalle, 15 km from Rishi Valley, and a premier institute of fetal care and research centre in Chennai. She also works in the Rural Health Centre and has been responsible for setting up and running the Ante Natal programme. She has been working with women's self help groups and has made initial forays into setting up micro credit systems at the village level.

Nalini Gite: Ayurvedacharya (1975-82), BAMS, Aryangla Medical College, Satara, Maharashtra. Dr. Gite has practiced Ayurveda with its holistic approach, since 1985, in the fields of Preventive and curative Medicine and Nutrition. She has worked with Daangs in Gujarat, in rural areas adjoining Pune, and in the KFI schools. Presently she is working in Rishi Valley and its Satellite Schools, in a unique Rural Health Project (Ayurveda) which includes the following activities: Developing an Herb Garden on a seven-acre wasteland area, on Rishi Valley School campus, using organic modes of farming and water efficient means of irrigation. The garden currently contains nearly 450 common and rare medicinal plants that we are distributing in rural schools and to interested individuals and institutions in India and abroad.