ASHA A. BHENDE

Since childhood Mrs. Asha Bhende has been interested in the performing arts. Trained in Indian Classical music and dance, she later concentrated on acting in the theatre, radio and television. Despite a demanding career in academics, she continued her interest in acting for several years and came to be recognized as a many faceted actress, equally at ease in highly dramatic as well as, farcical roles. She received the award for the best actress for her role in the play "Phaas" performed during the drama festival organized by the Government of Maharashtra in 1964-65.

A Brief Resume:

DATE OF BIRTH October 1, 1928.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

*Recognised by the Union Service Public Service Commission as equivalent to a Master's degree

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

1. Retired from the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai as Professor and Head of Department of Population Policies and Development Programmes in October 1998, after 25 years of service. Experience of teaching , research and providing guidance for doctoral research.

2. Consultant to several national and International organization for development and implementing research projects in the fields of family planning ,sexuality adolescent health, HIV/AIDS, etc.

IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENTS SINCE RETIREMENT:

• Consultant for developing Project Document : Integrated Parasite Control and Family Welfare in the Tea Gardens of West Bengal. Service provided to UNFPA, New Delhi, 1988

• Short- term Consultant to the Project : Employment Promotion and MCH/FP for Women and Youth in Mathare Valley, Nairobi ( Kenya ) undertaken by the National Council of Churches of Kenya. Services provided to the International Labour Organization ( ILO ), Geneva, through the financial support of INFPA,1989

• Consultant for development project Document: Family Welfare Area Project - Maharashtra. Services provided to UNFPA, New Delhi 1990

• Consultant for development project Document: Family planning through the Khadi and Village Industries Commission. Services provided to the Delhi Office of ILO, 1992

• Consultant for the Project: Communication Needs Assessment for the Family Welfare Area Project - Maharashtra. Services provided to Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, 1993

• Consultant for development Project Document and Implementation of the Project: Utilization of Reproductive Health Services by Adolescent Married Girls in Rural Maharashtra, undertaken by Foundation for Research in Health Systems, Ahmedabad, funded by the Rockefeller foundation through the International Center for Research on Women, Washington,D.C.1994-97

• Consultant for preparation of data collection instrument for the project: Adolescent Sexuality and Fertility in Rural Western Maharashtra, undertaking by KEM Hospital Research Center, Pune, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation through the International Center for Research on Women, Washington DC. 1997.

• Member, Advisory Committee for the project: Household and Community Response to HIV/AIDS in Mumbai, India, funded by WHO-GPA, Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai, 1994-1995.

3. RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECT AS PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR SINCE RETIREMENT.

• Evolving a Model for AIDS Prevention Education among Under-privileged Adolescent Girls in Urban India, Undertaken by World Vision, India and funded by USAID, through the International Center for Research on Women Washington, D.C.1991-1993

• Demographic and Socio-economic Characteristics of Jews in India, Mumbai : ORT India, 1997. ( jointly with R. E. Jhirad).

• Study of the NAB Community Based Rehabilitation Programme for the Rural Blind, Mumbai: National Association for the Blind, 1998. ( jointly with Hema Upendra ).

4. VISITING FELLOWSHIPS

(a) Population Institute, Australian National University, Canberra, 1979.

(b) East- West Population Institute , East -west Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA 1985

5. POSITIONS CURRENTLY HELD

(a) Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Ashish Gram Rachna Trust, Pachod, District Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

Activities:

• Implementations of rural health programmes

• Training of health managers

• Research in health issues

• Health policy advocacy

(b) Member, Executive Council, Foundation for Research in Health System, Ahmedabad.

(c) National Association for the Blind, Mumbai

• Member, Executive Council

• Member, Managing Committee

• Member ,Committee for Advancement

• Chairperson, LBMRC Research of the Status of Blind Women Center.

• Member , Staff Matters committee

(d) Member, Advisory committee for the Project : Communication and Sexual Decision - making among Under-privileged Married Women and Men : Determinants and Consequences for Reproductive Health, funded by Fort Foundation, India and undertaken by Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai.

(e) Consultant for the project : Developing a Model for AIDS Prevention Education among under - privileged Adolescent Girls and Boys from Urban slums, family Welfare Training and Research Center, Mumbai funded by NACCO, New Delhi.

(f) Member, Population Education Advisory Committee, University Grants Commission, New Delhi.

6. PUBLICATIONS (RELATED TO HIV/AIDS)

• "Study of sexuality of adolescent girls and boys in underprivileged groups in Bombay". Indian Journal of Social Work, 1994,55 : 571

• Evolving a Model for AIDS Prevention Education among under -privileged Adolescent Girls in Urban India, Washington DC : International Center for Research on Women, 1995

• "Sexual culture and the risk environment of HIV/AIDS", AIDS 1998, 12 (Supplement 8) 551-558 (jointly with Carol Jenkins).

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

1. Indian Association for the Study of Population

2. Indian Academy of Social Sciences.

  PHOTOGRAPHS