Biography
Dr. Dhananjay D. Mankar is an Assistant Professor at the School of Health Systems Studies (SHSS), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai—one of India’s premier institutions for social science education, research, and policy engagement. With a strong interdisciplinary orientation, Dr. Mankar’s academic work is grounded at the intersection of public health, health systems management, healthcare quality, ethics, law, and governance, with a sustained focus on strengthening equitable and accountable health systems in India. Dr. Mankar brings to TISS a rich blend of academic scholarship, field-based experience, and policy-oriented engagement. His teaching and research interests span key areas such as health systems strengthening, healthcare quality and patient safety, accreditation and standards (including NABH), health governance, medical law and ethics, public health management, and emerging trends in healthcare delivery and regulation. He is particularly interested in examining how governance structures, regulatory frameworks, and institutional mechanisms influence access, quality, and outcomes in healthcare services. As a faculty member at SHSS, Dr. Mankar is deeply engaged in teaching, mentoring, curriculum development, and capacity building for postgraduate students in public health and health systems studies. His pedagogy emphasizes critical thinking, application of theory to real-world health system challenges, and ethical decision-making, preparing students to take on leadership roles in government, non-governmental organizations, international agencies, and healthcare institutions. He actively integrates case studies, policy analysis, and contemporary health sector reforms into classroom discussions to foster experiential and practice-oriented learning. Dr. Mankar’s research work reflects a strong commitment to social justice, transparency, and accountability in healthcare. His scholarly contributions address issues such as healthcare quality improvement, regulation and accreditation, patient rights, ethical dimensions of public health interventions, and legal frameworks governing healthcare delivery in India. Through his research and academic writing, he seeks to contribute to evidence-based policymaking and informed public discourse on critical health system reforms. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Mankar is actively involved in academic administration, academic writing, peer review, and knowledge dissemination. He has contributed to book chapters, academic publications, teaching modules, and professional training programmes, and regularly engages with students, practitioners, and policymakers through workshops, seminars, and academic forums. His work reflects TISS’s broader mission of combining academic excellence with societal relevance and public engagement. Dr. Mankar is a prolific contributor to the field, with numerous publications in peer-reviewed and indexed journals and several books, including 'High Performance Work Practices in Hospitals", 'Quality in Healthcare and 'Public Health Nutrition in India'. Through his academic pursuits, Dr. Dhananjay Mankar remains committed to advancing high-quality, ethical, and people-centred healthcare systems, while nurturing the next generation of public health and health systems professionals dedicated to equity, justice, and sustainable development.