London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Deepthi was Research Fellow with the IDEAS project in the Department for Disease Control at LSHTM, having joined the team in June 2011. She specialised in qualitative research, systematic literature reviews and information and knowledge management. Her research focused on promoting the long-term sustainability of health programmes at scale. Most recently Deepthi led a study on how to foster the sustainability of a Village Health Worker Scheme that provides life-saving care to mothers and newborns in Gombe State, Nigeria. 

Deepthi was an experienced journalist and copyeditor. Before joining LSHTM she worked in the NGO sector, particularly focusing on health communication techniques in low-resource settings, for the National Health Service, and as a journalist with an international news agency. 

The IDEAS project and partners benefited enormously from Deepthi’s writing and diligent editing skills. She supported the production of a large range of collaborative academic outputs, including a series of Knowledge Summaries for the Partnership for Maternal Newborn Child and Health, hosted by the World Health Organization.

Deepthi was ordained as a deacon in Southwark Cathedral in June 2019 and served her curacy at St Christopher’s, Walworth. She was deeply committed to supporting those around her and, in February 2020, she became the licensed chaplain for LSHTM, joining the University of London Chaplaincy team, working with people of any faith or of no faith. In this she had found a way to bring together her research and ministry communities.

Deepthi made important scientific contributions to our understanding of sustainability for improved health and was a conscientious, kind, gentle, and committed colleague who will be greatly missed. Our deep condolences go out to her family and friends all over the world.