February 27 – March 1, 2026 – The FHTS–IAPSM Public Health Innovation Award initiated by Dr. Ashish Joshi, was conferred during the 53rd Annual National Conference of the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM), held from February 27 to March 1, 2026 at NAMO Medical Education & Research Institute, Silvassa, U.T. of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Applications were invited from Faculty, Researchers, Senior Residents (SR), and Postgraduate (PG) scholars in Community Medicine, both men and women who presented innovative, entrepreneurial, transformative, and creative ideas that are community-based, research-oriented, and focused on advancing health and well-being.
An expert committee from IAPSM along with Dr. Joshi, rigorously reviewed the submissions. Proposals were evaluated based on:
- The public health problem addressed and alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
- Relevance to Indian public health priorities
- Overall objective, conceptualization, and operationalization of the innovation
- Community-centeredness
- Scientific rigor and evidence-based approach
Five selected applicants were recognized for their original and novel contributions and were awarded on February 27, 2026, by Dr. Ashish Joshi and the IAPSM leadership.
This award marks a significant step toward fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in public health, strengthening community-driven solutions, and advancing research that contributes meaningfully to India’s health ecosystem.