Mumbai, March 2026: In a significant step toward addressing the growing global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the Kindness Practice Foundation officially launched the Association for Women in Healthcare (AWH™) in Mumbai. The event brought together an influential gathering of women leaders, corporate executives, healthcare experts, and global visionaries, united by a shared commitment to advancing human and planetary health.
The launch underscored a critical and timely message:
Sustainability is no longer optional it is directly impacting human health and contributing to rising mortality rates worldwide.
The initiative aims to empower women to lead transformative action against NCDs, many of which are linked to environmental degradation, lifestyle patterns, and unsustainable food systems.
Dr. Rachna Chhachhi, Founder of the Kindness Practice Foundation and AWH™, highlighted the urgent need for integrated solutions. “Diseases like cardiovascular conditions, type 2 diabetes, obesity, COPD, cancer, and mental health challenges are increasingly rapidly, causing suffering and early deaths,” she said.
Emphasizing the foundation’s mission, Dr Rachna stated that the focus is on reducing suffering by promoting sustainable nutrition, environmental responsibility, and preventive healthcare practices.
Supporting this vision, Professor Ganesh Channa, Founder and President of the World Environment Council, emphasized the pivotal role of women in driving sustainability. “Women are central to shaping environmentally responsible lifestyles and community-level change, making them key stakeholders in building a healthier and more sustainable future,” he said. “we are committed to further the cause of sustainable nutrition along with kindness, practice foundation, so that human planet health can both benefit,” Professor Chanana said.
A dynamic boardroom discussion formed the highlight of the event, featuring a distinguished panel of leaders from diverse sectors, including healthcare, sustainability, corporate leadership, science, and public policy. The panel included Preeti Chandrashekhar (Institute of Actuaries India), Dr. Shilpa Vora (Marico), Dr. Baani Yadav, Foram Nagori (Tata Power), Dr. Annurag Batra (BW Businessworld), Dr. Jawahar Panjwani, Vikram Chhachhi (DHR Global), Dr. Maneesha Gupta (ISRO), Tanvi Sharma (UN Youth Advocate), Bhavana Rao (Accenture), Aradhna Chhachhi (Unhurry), Savitha Gaekwad, Parull Gossain, Sujal Chawathe, and Godfrey Lobo (Executive Director, World Environment Council).
The discussions focused on the intersection of health, sustainability, corporate responsibility, and innovation, highlighting the need for collaborative, cross-sector solutions to address complex global challenges.
The launch of AWH™ marks the beginning of a strategic movement aimed at fostering women-led leadership in healthcare and sustainability, while encouraging global collaboration to build resilient communities and healthier ecosystems.
As the world faces increasing environmental and health challenges, initiatives like AWH™ signal a growing recognition that the future of human health is deeply interconnected with the health of the planet.
