Soumya Swaminathan: A Passionate Advocate of Healthcare

A paediatrician from India and globally-recognized researcher on tuberculosis and HIV, Dr Soumya Swaminathan is the Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. She brings with her 30 years of experience in clinical care and research and has worked throughout her career to translate research into impactful programmes. 

Soumya was born on 2 May 1959 in a renowned family in Chennai. She grew up with her two sisters in a home where science and education were key pillars. Her father, M. S. Swaminathan was a well-known agricultural scientist and her mother, Mina Swaminathan, was a pre-school educationalist. Her parents encouraged her to pursue her dreams.

Despite being surrounded by scholars and having a privileged upbringing, her parents made her aware of the less privileged and the marginalized. As a child, Soumya accompanied her mother to the mobile creches she ran for children of poor construction workers. These experiences entrenched a sense of duty and compassion in Soumya which shaped her future career.

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