Turja Chakrabarti
President
Turja began Pratit as a simple way to better the dire situation he saw in his hometown but knew plagued the world. At the age of fifteen, he began aiding as an English tutor. However, his passion and natural desire to help others led him quickly to become a medical assistant. After these experiences, he co-founded Pratit in 2007, leading annual missions to Kolkata and it’s surroundings. He reached out to local organizations and hospitals, sharing his dream. That dream slowly became what Pratit is today, sponsoring the medical care of several people and running regular clinics in Kolkata. Today, he is a full-time student at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Health and Societies with a concentration in Public Health. On campus, he is also involved with the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and the Penn Medical Emergency Response Team. Turja was born in Kolkata, India and now resides in Oakton, Virginia, where he received his high school education.
Vice President
Ritwik Bhatia brings over five years of field experience managing the operations of Pratit International. Before joining his position on the board of directors, Ritwik served as an integral leader of Pratit’s mission on the University of Pennsylvania campus. His pioneering efforts led to the emergence of a viable organization of students that uniquely engaged in direct and sustainable development projects half a globe away. Moreover, he has worked to incorporate a diverse faculty board of advisors from various institutions that consult on the mission and vision of Pratit International. Ritwik has led multiple student trips to Pratit’s project sites in Kolkata, where he has played a critical role in forging relationships with local organizations, health care providers, and civic institutions. In his current role as Vice President, Ritwik guides the organization in building sustainability initiatives, social impact marketing, and developing partnerships with NGOs, corporate sponsors, and academia.
Ritwik holds a B.A in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania and also works as a Post-Baccalaureate Researcher at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
Ankit Sethi
Secratary
A born leader, Ankit met Turja during high school. They quickly became friends and found that they shared very similar passions. Ankit is experienced in business relations and has played a critical role in fundraising and organizing Pratit’s humanitarian missions. His expertise is in the field of international development and accordingly, he is already spearheading the effort to spread Pratit’s mission to far corners of the world. His ability for diplomacy and understanding have made bounds and leaps for Pratit as an idea and an organization. Most importantly, Ankit has the power to take an abstract goal and carry out the pragmatic steps that materialize it. Ankit is a full-time student at Syracuse University, where he studies International Relations and is a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Ankit was born and resides in Springfield, Virginia.
Director of Research and Community Development
Collin leads the organization’s efforts in research and community development. An astute observer, Collin brings years of experience working in Pratit’s project sites in diverse capacities including medical assistant, advocate for local rights, and field researcher. This has given him a vast and unique understanding of the ground realities and needs of each of our target communities. In fact, Collin has designed and implemented numerous needs and assets assessment surveys, which have proved essential in gauging the local health, education, and socioeconomic needs of our target populations. His ethnographic and political history research has been acknowledged within the academic community and continues to serve as guide in Pratit’s initiatives. Collin’s most recent work, Slum Diversity in Kolkata has been published in the Columbia Undergraduate Journal of South Asian Studies and has received critical acclaim by the University of Pennsylvania’s Program for Democracy, Constitutionalism, and Citizenship.
Collin holds a B.A in Health and Societies with a concentration in Global Health from the University of Pennsylvania and has served as a Communications Department Intern for USAID in South Africa.
Director of Health Programs
Kalyan Tripathy has managed critical components Pratit’s health programs since the organization’s founding. Over four years, his efforts have helped refine Pratit International’s outpatient clinics and primary care outreach. Kalyan has worked tirelessly with local community organizations and health providers in planning and implementing regular clinics. Moreover, he has been integral in designing an effective patient follow-up system as well as a patient history database. These programs have proven essential in ensuring that all of our patients receive care that goes beyond simple one-time examinations to a comprehensive circuit of treatment. A Kolkata native, Kalyan brings key local knowledge, which ensures that Pratit’s programs remain culturally sensitive and tailored to fit community needs. Prior to his position on the board, Kalyan served as the managing director of Pratit International’s branch at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, his responsibilities involve direct oversight of outpatient services that aim to provide medical treatment to 3500+ patients across five communities in Kolkata in FY2012. In addition, he works to insure that at least 25 critically and chronically ill patients receive advanced treatment options such as surgical procedures and essential medicines.
Kalyan currently studies as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience. He also works as a Research Specialist at the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
Kinjan Parikh
Director of Education Programs
Kinjan Parikh leads the organization in our commitment to education. Since her joining Pratit, she has strived to ensure that our clinical objectives are balanced by initiatives that promote good health practices. Kinjan’s primary role is to work with local educators and NGO partners in creating educational models that focus on public health and hygiene. At present, Kinjan heads a project which will train and employ a number of community health workers and educators in each of our target communities. Through this project she hopes that Pratit can leave a lasting impact on communities by implementing this grassroots approach to advancing good health behaviors. Further, Kinjan oversees the functioning of Pratit’s educational center in Baghbazar, which provides unique academic and experiential learning experiences for fifty children.
Kinjan currently studies as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Health and Societies with a concentration in Global Health.