India is in a state of transition, with all major fields witnessing tremendous growth and change. In the last decade, healthcare also has seen notable advancements but while the population has benefited in many ways, the country still faces significant challenges. The vast variations in socio-economic, cultural, geographical and environmental factors often lead to gaps in implementation and outcomes of health interventions across regions. This is one of the main reasons that Western-based interventions may not be directly suited for us.

Maternal and Child Health (MCH), in particular, continues to encounter persistent and complex obstacles. Targeted interventions are required to address these issues. These solutions need to be based on context-specific, indigenous, and community-based research. This often proves to be a challenge as there is a notable paucity of research institutes and well-trained physician-scientists capable of conducting high-quality epidemiological and implementation research.

PRERNA (Platform for Research Excellence Related to National Aims) was established in November 2014 to help fill this gap. The programme focuses on capacity building of young biomedical researchers through structured training, mentorship, and the development of high-quality, policy-relevant research in the domains of Maternal and Child Health.