Founder Director: Prof. Dr. S. L. Kate, Ph.D. (Medical Genetics), Padma shree Awardee

Prof. Sudam Laxman Kate is a retired Professor of Biochemistry, Govt Medical College and former Deputy Director, Tribal Health Research project, B.J. Medical College, Pune Government of Maharashtra. His pioneering research in Sickle Cell disease specially in tribal populations of India has been internationally recognized and made India a global pioneer in knowledge and prevention of Sickle Cell disease specially in remote tribal populations.

Prof Kate contributed in developing the Medical Genetics Center founded by Prof. G. S. Mutalik at B.J. Medical College, Pune in 1972. This was the first medical genetics diagnosis and treatment center in Maharashtra. With support from this center, he initiated large population genetic studies of medical importance all over India, specially in remote and primitive tribal populations. He was the first scientist to find presence of Sickle Cell disorder in the tribes of North Maharashtra in 1972. Subsequently, he studied the Sickle cell disease in details in various tribes of Maharashtra despite enormous challenges and hardships. His unique observations and studies on red blood genetic disorders in the tribal populations of Maharashtra have been internationally recognized.

Based on early field experience in remote inaccessible tribal areas where the main challenge was lack of adequate medical laboratory infrastructure, Prof. Kate pioneered the development of point-of-care indigenous, low cost, simple and minimally invasive diagnostic tests for hemoglobinopathies that could be performed at home level of these remote tribal populations.

Committed to providing diagnosis and sustainable free health care to Sickle cell affected populations, Prof. Kate established a community health care center in 1998 called “Sickle cell Dawakhana” in the remote Satpuda hilly areas of North Maharashtra under the aegis of Maharashtra Arogya Mandal Hadapsar, Pune. He has expanded his work by constructing another clinic in Shahada. The patient base is huge. The population heterogeneity is complex and tribals like Pawara, Bhill, Kokana etc. constitute the majority of the population. This clinic provides diagnostics, treatment including Ayurvedic Medicines and counseling free of cost.

Prof. Kate is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his work. Notable among them being the Bhatia Oration award (ICMR) in 2004, the Janardhan Maharaj Poharya Valvi award 2007, Maharashtra government Adivasi Sansthan Puraskar for tribal welfare 2013-14. He is awarded the lifetime Achievement Award for Sickle Cell Anemia by Maharashtra University of Health Sciences 2016 and is the first Indian Scientist to receive Sickle cell Advocate award from the “Sickle 101 Society” California USA. He was the secretary (1985-1986) Indian Society of Human Genetics and Emeritus Scientist Indian Council of Medicine Research.

For his pioneering work in Sickle Cell Anemia Prof. Kate received Padmashree the highest civilian award in 2019 from government of India.