Arushi Thapar
Public Health & Policy Researcher
4+ years of experience in public health research, based in India
Research Officer
Institute of Public Health | Bengaluru, KA
Apr 2024 - Present
Qualitative Researcher
Aangan Trust | Mumbai, MH
December 2023
Program Fellow
The Antara Foundation | Chhindwara, MP
Jul 2022 - Oct 2023
Experience
Research Officer
Institute of Public Health | Bengaluru, KA
Apr 2024 - Present
Qualitative Researcher
Aangan Trust | Mumbai, MH
December 2023
Program Fellow
The Antara Foundation | Chhindwara, MP
Jul 2022 - Oct 2023
Education
Master of Arts
Policy and Governance
Azim Premji University
2020 - 2022
Bachelor of Arts
History
Sophia College (Autonomous)
2017 - 2020
Skills
What I Do
Applied research using realist evaluation techniques for various NCD policies and national programmes
Research on NCD Policy & Program Implementation at micro, meso, and macro level
Assessed and evaluated National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs and two community-based interventions: an ultimate frisbee intervention promoting mental health among Adivasi adolescents and a community-based alcohol de-addiction intervention
Principal investigator for a nested study on realist research communities of practice
Teaching Associate for a blended learning certificate course on Theory-Driven and Realist Approaches in Health Policy and Systems Research
Conceptualise and organise webinars coordinate and contribute to the development of a handbook and online training course on realist methods for early-career researchers in LMICs
Co-curate the Indian Realist Learning Network a Community of Practice for Realist researchers in India
Initiated a realist research learning group for sharing methods-related literature, workshops, and webinars to support ongoing learning with PhD scholars
Publications
'Unjust and unfair': What three High Courts said about the arrests of Tablighi Jamaat members
Scroll.in · August 2020
Bombay HC's Tolerance Lesson On Tablighis
Article 14 · August 2020
Recognition
K.C. Mahindra Search for Talent Honours Award
First rank in Excellence in Arts Program (EXAP) · 2020
The Mrs. Abraham Prize
Highest marks in History at TYBA examinations · 2020
Health systems are written in policy, but lived in implementation.
Working at the intersection of policy and practice has shown me that the gap between what's designed and what's delivered is where the real challenges—and opportunities—lie. My time with frontline health workers in rural Madhya Pradesh taught me that understanding implementation requires deep listening and presence.
Working in implementation has changed how I view data quality, frontline training, and system feedback loops.
Realist evaluation offers a lens to ask not just 'does it work?' but 'what works, for whom, in what circumstances, and why?' This approach has fundamentally shaped how I think about evidence, context, and the mechanisms that drive change in complex health systems.
What Drives Me
Theory-Driven Research
Building capacity for realist evaluation and theory-driven approaches in low and middle-income countries.
Community of Practice
Co-curating the Indian Realist Learning Network and fostering collaborative learning among researchers.
Equity-Centered
Focusing on maternal and child health, mental health, and nutrition in underserved settings.
I am passionate about questions related to realist evaluation, maternal and child health, nutrition, and mental health.
— Building capacity for theory-driven approaches in LMICs
Research Approach
Understanding complexity through theory-driven inquiry
Realist Evaluation
Applying theory-driven methodologies to understand what works, for whom, in what circumstances, and why in complex health interventions.
Implementation Research
Investigating the processes and factors that influence the successful implementation of health policies and interventions at scale.
Non-Communicable Diseases
Evaluating national programmes and community-based interventions for NCD prevention and control across micro, meso, and macro levels.
Maternal & Child Health
Working with frontline health workers to improve health outcomes for pregnant women and children under five in underserved settings.
Current Projects
REALISE Project
Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru
Realist Evaluation Advancement Lab for Implementation Strategy Explanations — unpacking the implementation of NCD control policies and interventions.
ActiveIndian Realist Learning Network
Community of Practice
Co-curating a network for realist researchers in India, facilitating knowledge sharing and methodological advancement.
OngoingRealist Methods Training
Capacity Building
Developing handbook and online training courses on realist methods for early-career researchers in LMICs.
In Development