Professor Jagdish C. Bhatia served at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore from August 1980 to February 1997, during which he played a pioneering role in the development of the Health Sector and the Centre for Health and Population Management. Trained in economics, demography, and public health, Prof. Bhatia brought to IIMB more than 15 years of international research experience, including his association with the Johns Hopkins University International Health Team. At IIMB, he initiated and led several projects funded by UNFPA, WHO, the World Bank, USAID, DANIDA, and the Ford Foundation, focusing on rural health, maternal mortality, and health systems management.

He developed and taught courses in health economics, population studies, demography, and international health systems for the Post Graduate Programme (PGP), the Fellow Programme in Management (FPM), and short-term executive programmes. Under his leadership, IIMB introduced a certificate course in Health Services Management, integrating technology and health administration. His groundbreaking methodology for studying maternal mortality, later recognized by WHO, became a global reference. As Chairman of Research and Publications, he strengthened IIMB’s research culture by instituting working papers and supporting faculty research through seed funding.

Prof. Bhatia’s tenure witnessed IIMB’s transition from a sectoral to a general management focus, yet he remained committed to socially relevant research and public systems education. His contributions established IIMB as an early centre for health management studies in India, blending academic rigor with real-world impact.