MURUGESAN.N

Marvel Shrijee, B-205, 23, Amman koil street, Vadapalani,Chennai-600026

+91-44-24720434,                                                                      murugesan_1945@yahoo.co.in 

 044-312-44231                                                                             murugesan@mail.com

 

Business Address:

India Diabetes Research Foundation

World Diabetes Foundation Project

No.14, Victoria Crescent Road,

P.V. Cherian Crescent Road,

Egmore, Chennai – 6000105

Ph.044- 28218282 , 044 – 42148856

Email. idrfwdf@gmail.com

 

Current Position:      Project Director

                                               

 

 

1. Academic qualifications: 

 

Sl.No	Qualifications	University/Place	Years
1.	Post Graduate Diploma in  Advertising	Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu	1999--2000.
2.	Ph.D, Demography & Sociology, Thesis: Role performance of Female Health Supervisors in Health &  Family Welfare in rural Tamil Nadu.	Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh	1984--1992.
3.	M.A - Sociology	Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh	1979 – 82
4.	M.A., Political Science	Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh	1977-79
5.	Post Graduate Diploma in Health Education(PGDHE)	Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu	1968 - 1969
6.	B.Sc- Mathematics, Physics & Chemistry.	University of Madras, Chennai,	1963 – 1966

 

 

2. Professional Development:

 

Sl.No	In-Service training participated	Training institution	Year
1.	Training in Computers- Basic, COBOL,  Word Perfect,  and later on MS office and Internet.	Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu & Computer point,  Kodambakkam, Chennai.	1995 & 1997.
2.	Project Monitoring & Evaluation Course	Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, sponsored by Royal Danish Embassy, New Delhi.	Aug-Sep.1995
3.	Audio Visual Production Training programme	Tailor made course-Organized by Danish Development Communication Consultants at Puri, Orissa, sponsored by DANIDA/DANLEP.	Oct-1990
4.	Trends and portends in Health Care Administration	Anna Institute of Management, Chennai	1985
5.	Key trainers training programme- Multi purpose Health Workers Scheme.	Central Training Institute, Gandhigram, Tamil Nadu.	Feb-Mar.1976.
6..	Key trainers training programme-  Health & Family Welfare	National Institute of  Family Welfare, New Delhi. Received National Award as Best trainee for that Year  from Ministry of Health , Govt of India, New Delhi.	Nov- Dec,1970.

 

3.Career Chronology:

 

Sl.No	Organisations/ Place/Level	Positions	Period
1	India Diabetes Research Foundation, WDF Project	Director - Projects	July 2007 onwards
2	Diabetes Research Centre- WDF Project - M.V.Hospital for Diabetes  , WHO Collaborating Centre – Royapettah	Project Director	May 2004 to March 2007
3..	World Bank assisted Tamil Nadu Empowerment & Poverty Reduction Project, Chennai- State level.	Communications Consultant	October-2003 till date
4.	DANIDA/DANLEP under Royal Danish Embassy, New Delhi- State Level –International multicultural Environment	State Project Coordinator/Advisor:	June1994 to  Sep,2003
5.	DANIDA/DANLEP under Royal Danish Embassy, New Delhi- District level–International multicultural Environment.	DANIDA Advisor- Health Education	June1986 to  June1994
6.	DANIDA Health Care Project, under Govt. of Tamil Nadu.	State Communications Officer	June 1983 to June 1986
7.	Health & Family Welfare Department under Tamil Nadu State Government	Faculty Member in Health Education:	April 1970 to- June1983.
8.	Department of Education under Govt  of Tamil Nadu :	Teacher in High School	June 1966 to Apr.68

 

4.  Experiences gained as per the order given in Chronology:

                          I.     As Project Director of  DRC-WDF Project, organised currently Director-Projects in IDRF, primarily responsible for WDF project and Diabetes awareness raising projects, Capacity building programmes for doctors and para medical staff. Under  WHO collaborating center, conducted  Awareness study on diabetes in chennai city.

 

                         II.    As s a Consultant Communications for World Bank assisted Project,

after getting briefed about the Project on  Empowerment & Poverty Reduction,

did situation analysis, as per the organisations’ requirement.

Gave suggestions to improve the ongoing activities in the project which aims at improving livelihood and quality of life of ultra poor, disadvantaged & vulnerable by socio-economic and democratic empowerment.

 

I was assigned a specific task to evolve Communications strategy for the project. Did SWOT analysis, shared with Programme Consultants & managers. As per team’s suggestions, designed regional level workshops of interactive nature and conducted the same to get the views and suggestions of staff from bottom upwards, beneficiaries/target groups and other stakeholders with a focus to involve community based organizations and youth volunteer groups. The workshops involved  experts and resource persons in addition to consumers/ clients. Communication strategy was prepared and submitted.

 

                        III.    As State Project Coordinator/ Advisor for Multi Drug Treatment Project, that aimed at reducing the prevalence of leprosy  with assistance from DANIDA, we were instrumental in bringing the Government system, NGOs and other related local community stake holders successfully under one umbrella. The aim was to achieve leprosy elimination, which was challenging.

 

It is gratifying that in Tamil Nadu, the Prevalence Rate of leprosy   was reduced to less than 2 with in a span of fifteen years from 120/10,000.

 

This was possible because of frequent critical field monitoring of the project and improved interventions. The results of  health systems research and operational studies undertaken were of immense help to realize this substantial achievement.

Varieties of Electronic & Print media designed and produced and used by me helped in this great task.

 

We played a key role in taking a policy decision of  integrating leprosy services with General Health Care(GHC) system under Government. This managerial decision was critical when the Prevalence was declining.. This change required training to GHC functionaries. So, We planned and conducted capacity building programmes to General Health Care functionaries across the state, based on training needs assessment done. More than 35,000 staff at different levels were trained by using specific training modules /Manuals, developed by us. This training programmes were carried out by record time, which were facilitated by us in terms of  planning, conducting, monitoring with in a short period. This was possible by establishing training teams, giving them Training of Trainers and using them.

We consciously facilitated  reaching the under served/disadvantaged groups in rural and tribal areas using alternate strategies. In all project interventions, the concept of internalization and institutionalization was consciously attempted to ensure sustainability.

Facilitated and Conducted a skill oriented Training of Trainers  to strengthen Pedagogical  skills in the key trainers of Regional Health & Family Welfare Training Centres in Tamil Nadu.

 

Organised Training to the faculty members of Community Medicine Departments of  Government and Private Medical Colleges in Tamil Nadu.

 

Had shared the experience of Community Participation and involvement right from national level and down to village level, including the Faculty and students of  Academic Colleges and Universities.

 

My participation in various international/National/State level/Dist. level workshops on Health Care delivery, Health Communication /Capacity building, Community Participation & Development issues since1968 till date had helped to share my experiences and widen my functional horizon. For instance, my participation in international conference at Salvador, Brazil to present papers on community Participation/mobilization in rural areas, capacity building and innovative Health Communications efforts in August 2002,sponsored by Royal Danish Embassy, New Delhi was the most gratifying one.

 

Also, my participation in international workshop at London to evolve strategies for integrated service delivery in  Rural  Health Care in April 2003 was well  recognised.

 

                       IV.    As DANIDA Advisor,  I was made responsible for starting implementation of  the project as per the plan of operations. I evolved Project Health Communications /Training strategies, prepared Annual Plans & facilitated its implementation, after identifying the needs of various  target groups/key players of the project..  With my previous experience in Health communications, tried successfully various innovative Health Communications activities and community mobilization interventions and in short, consciously linked Health Communications with Community Participation and net working with community based organization promoting volunteerism.

 

In order to expedite the process of case finding, I came out with an innovative communications strategy to orient and involving multi groups of stakeholders for a leprosy case detection campaign and pilot tested it in a   Project District. This gained popularity because of its productive outcome and  every one appreciated the intervention and later it was  replicated throughout the State and the Country.

 

We did periodical critical review, analysis and monitoring  the project and introduced interventions based on needs for qualitative service delivery.

We managed the project  successfully with overwhelming help and cooperation from Royal Danish Embassy, Govt. systems, NGOs,  Community based Organisations (CBOs), patients, people& other stakeholders.

           

                        V.    As State level communications Officer, I influenced the policy of Health Communications/strategies for Health Care as per project document in two Danida supported districts namely undivided Salem & South Arcot districts in Tamil Nadu which included situation analysis.

                      

I facilitated Health Communications capacity building to staff at district/block level & application of inter personal communications techniques in the field, involving NGOs of Health & Development in Project Districts in Health Communications and Training activities.

 

Designed and produced varieties of Print media  - - Manuals/ Guides/ Health Communications materials on project priorities and needs, keeping target groups in mind which include Water and Sanitation, Diarrhoea management, Operational manual for field staff on Communications, Environmental Sanitation, Water borne diseases. . I facilitated establishment of District Communications Action Group at the district level to bring together all the Health Communication personnel under one banner. I  took up the responsibility to  establish Village Health Council in Project districts as a nodal agency to disseminate information on health & development issues to various target groups with sustainability in mind.

Documented the Project Health Communications experiences, tried out in DANIDA assisted districts & shared with others for replication.

                       VI.    As a  Faculty Member of Health Education in a  Health training Institute, at regional level at Chennai,  I planned, conducted & evaluated job- oriented Health & Family Welfare training to Medical/ Para Medical/Development staff from urban and rural areas. With my extraordinary skills in pedagogy, I used  innovative, learner-oriented, participatory learning techniques such as Exercise, Games, Role plays, Case Studies, Group process, Lab. exercises, Brain storming methods  to a greater extent with development focus in view. I facilitated and organized field/community based Health Communications training program for skill development.

                      VII.    Career started with teaching of science/mathematics and English in High Schools.

 

 

 

 

 

Brief summary of accomplishments. Annexure-1

 

§  Managed a multi drug treatment project  for leprosy at state level in Tamil Nadu and achieved a record success in reducing the problem to a non-issue. Influenced the policies of Govt. and NGOs on operational approaches to the problem. Tried various innovative approaches that were later replicated in the Govt.system.

 

§  Designed and produced  T V spots (animation and graphics + live casts) which was borrowed by Lintas a leading  Advertising Agency, dubbed in other Indian languages and used in their  Social marketing campaigns(2000-2001)in leprosy High Prevalence areas.

 

§  Evolved a campaign strategy for a multi media campaign for creating awareness among community and to find leprosy cases in hyper endemic districts involving CBOs/NGOs, other key stake holders in the community and piloted in one district. This was later replicated in the state and in the country.(A major policy on  operational strategy  was influenced. Experimented in 1991-92 and replicated in 1997-98).

 

§  Contributed a Chapter on my experiences in community health Education in a text book called “Health Education for quality of life” besides being in the editorial group of the book-1990-91.

 

§  Designed and facilitated production  of a tele-serial titled ‘Bright Future’ based  on case stories, to sensitise people on leprosy, service facilities. This serial was telecast for nine weeks, as a sponsored programme-by Hindustan Levers, Onida & Philips-1990. This was done with out any  expenditure to DANIDA project. Only technical inputs were provided.

 

§  Produced a motivational film with a title “New Man” on leprosy based on real life experience of a patient-1988. Profits gained through this were used for patients welfare.

 

§  Documented the innovative/positive features and best practices of entire project disseminated the same for replication.

 

§  Conducted various studies on operational aspects of Leprosy including  a study on social profile of leprosy as a part of situational analysis.

 

§  Designed and produced varieties of health communications materials on various themes. More than 20 different  types of materials  were produced-1984-86.

 

§  Helped in designing Exhi kits  focused on leprosy, Health care, HIV/AIDS awareness campaign to be used in interactive stall.

 

§  Evolved communication strategy for a Health Care Project, by doing situational analysis and conducting workshops/focus group discussions-1983-84.

 

§  Established State, District, Block communication cells for health. Documented these activities and shared with others for replication.

 

§  Felicitated with a national award  for health training, by Ministry of  Health  & Family Welfare, Govt. of India as early as 1970-71.

 

§  Have excellent proficiency in Tamil Language, participated in International Tamil conference, published 4 works – Poetry collections & translations. Felicitated with titles, awards etc.

 

§  Hands on skills in Computer operations & applications- documentations & Power point presentations.

 

§  Membership in Professional associations: Life member of  Association of Indian Institute of Public Administration(IIPA),

Life member of  Indian Society of Health Administration.

Associate membership in associations of Health Education, Development, Leprosy.