Vandana Arcot, MD profile page

Dr. Vandana Arcot is a physician, philanthropist, global public health leader, and founder of KOMSELJ, a non-profit consultancy focused on advancing women’s and children’s health and empowerment around the world.

For over 17 years, she has partnered with international organizations like the United Nations and UNICEF to strengthen reproductive health, nutrition, HIV care, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), and girls’ education across 13+ countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, and North America. Combining her medical background with her philanthropic leadership, she now educates organizations and donors on how to create meaningful change while honoring the communities they serve.

Arcot completed her medical training in India before earning her MSc in public health at New York University. Early in her career, she witnessed the HIV crisis in India, where she saw women suffering from not just the disease, but isolation, shame, and denied care. The experience spurred her to work in healthcare at the policy and systems level, and advocate for people in ways that could affect entire communities and cultures, not just individuals.