People
Dr Subroto Das
Dr Subroto Das, winner of one of India’s highest civilian awards, Padma Shri for his work on Highway Trauma Care, co-founded Lifeline Foundation with the aim of reducing the 1,50,000+ annual highway deaths in India. The only Indian to be honoured with the Asian EMS Lifetime Achievement Award by the Asian EMS Council in 2015, The Times of India calls Dr Das “the country’s best known EMS expert”. He works at the cross-roads of Emergency Medical Services, Public Health, Public Safety, Trauma Care and Industrial Medicine. An Ashoka Fellow he is a Founding Member of Asian Association for EMS and Chair of its South & Central Asian Chapters.
An Eisenhower Fellow, he has been associated with projects on Road Safety and EMS supported by NITI Aayog and the EAC to the Prime Minister, being the “Technical Head” of the “Road Safety Education Committee” and the principal author of the project on “EMS Funding”, commissioned by EAC-PM in 2019. He was the 1st in India to advocate a unified national medical emergency helpline number for highways and legislation for EMS and trauma care as a fundamental right.
Dr Das is also championing two other significant issues in India through his position as Director of HSFI (Heart & Stroke Foundation of India, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Heart Association) – reducing under-5 mortality and stroke related morbidities and mortalities.
Ms Sushmita Das
Ms Sushmita Das, co-founded Lifeline Foundation after surviving a life-threatening accident in August, 1999 on one of India’s busiest highways, ensuring others do not die on Indian highways. An alumnus of M S University, she has served as Executive Editor of Asian EMS Journal, official journal of Asian Association for EMS and also of EMSINDIA®, India’s 1st peer-reviewed EMS journal.
Sushmita Das has been part of various national and international initiatives on pre-hospital and trauma care, having worked with various Road Safety and EMS stakeholders in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
She has been a recipient of the Red & White Bravery Gold Award for Social Acts of Courage in 2003; her work has been recognized by The Limca Book of Records in 2005 and documented by Films Division of India in 2012.
Ms Roochita Desai
Ms Roochita Desai is the Deputy CEO of Lifeline Foundation and has been an integral part of the organisation’s journey since 2005. Joining the Foundation immediately after completing her MBA in Finance, she chose to pursue a career in the social sector and has since grown alongside the organisation, contributing to many of the milestones that have shaped its evolution.
Over the past two decades, she has played a key role in the planning, implementation and management of the Foundation’s diverse initiatives in road safety, emergency medical services, nd capacity building. Her extensive institutional knowledge and hands-on approach have made her a driving force behind the successful execution of numerous projects across the country.
Ms Desai has been closely involved in developing partnerships with government agencies, healthcare institutions, industry stakeholders and funding organisations. She also serves as the Convener for the Foundation’s major conferences and workshops, leading their planning and execution and helping create platforms for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Having witnessed and contributed to the organisation’s growth from its formative years, she brings a unique combination of operational leadership, organisational commitment and practical experience. Her dedication continues to play a vital role in advancing the Foundation’s mission and expanding its impact.
Ms Isha Shah
Deputy CEO of Lifeline Foundation, Ms Isha Popat is responsible for furthering one of the core objectives of the organization – upskilling, capacity building and empowering of stakeholders to save lives. She is an American Heart Association certified BLS® instructor.
A Post Graduate in Disaster Management from prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), and then having spent her formative years with the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA), she brings with her, the experience and knowledge of working in development sector to the field of EMS.
Ms Isha Popat has been with the organisation for more than half a decade spearheading various activities of the Foundation.
Mr Ravi Thakkar
Ravi Thakkar is the Senior Manager – Training at Lifeline Foundation and has been a part of the organisation’s growth journey since 2016. He leads training operations across multiple domains including First Aid, CPR, DGMS First Aid, Basic Life Support (BLS) and road safety education.
With extensive experience in programme management, faculty development, conference operations and system improvement, Ravi has contributed significantly towards expanding Lifeline Foundation’s training outreach and impact. He is passionate about empowering first responders, strengthening emergency preparedness and building safer communities through education and skill development.
Mr Shukanto Das
Shukanto is a second-generation EMS proponent, who believes that everyone can help save lives. Das is completing a PhD in Global Health from the University of Edinburgh, where he developed the SHIFT-SHARE framework for task shifting and sharing in healthcare. He also holds a Masters of Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, specialising in Health Services Management, and another Masters in Science from MS University of Baroda, where he was a double gold-medallist. He has published on task shifting, health workforce strengthening, global health ethics, and community-based emergency care.
Das has worked with the American Heart Association on its Saving Children’s Lives and Basic Life Support programs across India. He has held tutoring roles at the Edinburgh Futures Institute in Edinburgh and visiting faculty positions at Parul Institute of Public Health and Navrachana University in Vadodara. He currently serves on the Trainee Advisory Committee of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, and has previously contributed to stakeholder committees on community first-aid and emergency care convened by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and the WHO. He advises Lifeline Foundation on the strategy and implementation of its projects.
Mr Kaushik Nagaraj
Mr Kaushik Nagaraj is Senior Manager – Accounts at Lifeline Foundation and has over a decade of experience in accounting, finance, compliance and audit functions. Since joining the Foundation in 2016, he has been instrumental in strengthening financial systems and ensuring efficient management of the organisation’s finances and statutory compliances.
With expertise in trust accounting, financial reporting, budgeting and regulatory compliance, he plays an important role in supporting the Foundation’s programmes and projects across India. His attention to detail and commitment to transparency help ensure that resources are utilised effectively to further Lifeline Foundation’s mission.
Kaushik holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and has completed CA Intermediate from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
Dr Akshata H Bhise
Dr Akshata H Bhise is a public health professional with expertise in programme management, stakeholder engagement, healthcare training and implementation of large-scale health initiatives. As Head – Funded Projects at Lifeline Foundation, she leads the planning, execution and monitoring of CSR-supported health and capacity-building programmes across multiple states, while managing donor relations and strategic partnerships.
With a background in Physiotherapy and a Master of Public Health specialising in Maternal and Child Health, Dr Akshata brings a strong blend of clinical knowledge and public health practice. She has extensive experience coordinating healthcare training programmes, workshops, conferences and multi-stakeholder projects in collaboration with government agencies, academic institutions and corporate partners.
Her work focuses on strengthening health systems, building institutional capacity and ensuring effective programme delivery that creates measurable and sustainable community impact.