The programs launched under GCI partnership have been
shaped by experts who are luminary in their fields.
convergence between
Indian and global
priorities and synergistic
new initiatives of the
government such as
Swachh Bharat, Start-
up India and others,”
said Dr Renu Swarup,
Senior Adviser,
DBT and Managing
Director, BIRAC.
Program Management
Unit housed at BIRAC,
manages the complex
portfolio of managing
grants. The GCI provides
financial support in
the form of grants,
cooperative agreements,
and contracts to support
the advancement of the
GCI mission to enhance
health, extend healthy
lives, and reduce the
burdens of poverty.
“India is currently at
an exciting phase, as
the massive potential
available in the country is
now being unleashed. GCI
aims to harness this talent
of Indian innovators
and researchers to help
identify solutions for key
development challenges
faced worldwide. What
was sowed as a seed in
the greater network of the
Global Grand Challenges
movement, has grown
roots and branched in
to a flourishing entity of
its own. Today GCI now
funds 17 innovations,”
stated Dr Shirshendu
Mukherjee, Mission
Director, Program
Management Unit.
“Grand Challenges India
encourages innovative
solutions and ideas to
help solve important
issues issues related
to under-5 mortality,
malnutrition, mother and
child health and poverty
reduction in the country,”
said Dr Nachiket Mor,
Country Director, India
Office, Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation.
Dr Steven Buchsbaum,
Deputy Director,
Discovery & Translational
Sciences, Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation
said that, “The GCI
partnership with BIRAC
provides India leadership
for two goals - defining
important problems to
solve for India and India
leadership in identifying
ideas and innovators
from the country to
solve problems for both
India and the world.
More specifically, the
partnership aims to
channel Indian innovation
and research towards key
health and development
challenges and identify
new prevention
methods, therapies
and interventions to
identify solutions health
issues and inequities
pertaining to nutrition
and development.”
Through this meeting
and future collaborations,
the partners aim to
build momentum for
health and development
initiatives via innovations
and to foster scientific
collaboration among
national and international
groups and researchers.
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