Steinhardt and Wagner alum Padmini Murthy found her interest in health care while growing up in India, where her first-hand observations of social injustice shaped her lifelong commitment to community service. Now, she’s recognized worldwide as a leading figure in public health, spearheading change from the United States to Suriname.
Murthy, a professor and global health certificate director at New York Medical College, has earned over 30 honors for her work bringing attention to women’s health care on an international scale — including the prestigious Elizabeth Blackwell Medal and as an NGO representative to the United Nations.
In an interview with WSN, Murthy discussed her inspirations to pursue public health, her experience at NYU and her continued dedication to global service.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
WSN: What inspired you to pursue a career in health care?
Murthy: My mom, who was a French professor, always made me and my sister aware of giving back to society because we were lucky enough to be born in a privileged family. We didn’t have to think about where our next meal was coming from, and we had the access to the best education. One of the reasons I understood this was because we used to have a lot of domestic help. A lot of these young girls wanted to come and work for my mom and one day, I asked one of the girls why. She goes like, ‘Well, because your mom buys sanitary supplies for the people who work in your house along with you and your sister.’ Then it struck me that the basic things we take for granted, not everybody has access to. That really laid the foundation for my advocacy work since I was young.
In 1987, Murthy got a doctor of medicine degree from Guntur Medical College in India. After that, she moved to the United States and earned two degrees from two different NYU schools — a Master of Public Health from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and a Master of Science at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
WSN: What brought you to NYU?
Murthy: When I came to the United States, by that time, I had finished my residency and training and everything and I always was fascinated by NYU. The campus, the location where it was, and it’s so international. I really enjoyed my time at NYU. It was so nice because you meet people from different backgrounds, you interact with them, and I also remember hanging out at the Violet Cafe and going to the Village. I was so honored when I was chosen to be the salutatorian and carried the flag. I was also named a public service scholar in Wagner, and I was also banner bearer at the main commencement. NYU really increased my skills to advocate more about things which matter.
Since graduating from NYU, Murthy has centered her career around women’s health care and promoting safe motherhood. For the U.N., she represented the Medical Women’s International Association from 2008 to 2020 — collaborating with stakeholders to prioritize women’s health while meeting sustainable development goals — and also served as a consulate to the United Nations Population Fund, an agency that ensures the reproductive safety of women. Murthy also described that through her ties to the organization, she connected with the First Lady of Suriname Mellisa Santokhi-Seenacherry and launched a campaign to send menstrual products to schools in the country.
Murthy also worked to combat resource shortages across the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. She described spearheading an initiative with medical and public health students in Arizona to donate 80,000 masks to residents of the American Indian reservation Navajo Nation. She also helped send over 4 million oxygen concentrators and an oxygen plant to India from the United States, collaborating with several organizations and many members of the Indian American community.
In 2016, Murthy made history as the first Indian-born American to receive the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal. In honor of the first woman to earn a Doctor of Medicine in the United States, the American Medical Women’s Association presents the award to one woman physician each year for their outstanding contributions in women’s health care.
WSN: What was it like to win the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal?
Murthy: Elizabeth Blackwell was an immigrant — she migrated with her family from the United Kingdom to the United States. For me, out of everything, this is very meaningful because as an immigrant, as an Indian American, to get this award — I couldn’t believe it. I’m so happy because my mom was there, and this was something that was surreal. I can never forget that. This was something which was very meaningful and it gives me a platform to advocate. If I have to tell somebody I’m an Elizabeth Blackwell awardee, I can use that recognition as a platform to show that this is what I can do and go for it.
Looking forward, Murthy said that she hopes to explore the future of artificial intelligence in the public health sphere. She said that she believes the technology could be a game changer in improving mental health and reducing maternal mortality, as well as help identify high-risk patients in areas where physicians may be sparse.
WSN: What advice do you have for students looking to pursue public service?
Murthy: What helps me say I stay grounded is that I always think that there are many miles to go before I sleep. I’m a team player. If I do something, I’m not going to say ‘I did it,’ because you cannot do anything alone. My advice is when you believe in something, go after it. Don’t think of what you’re going to get out of it. Think of how it’s going to make a difference. Like all the work I did, I didn’t do it to get awards, or to be interviewed. Anybody can do it. You have to believe in yourself, you have to be persistent, you have to be patient and polite. You need to do what you can. That’s the way you will get success and recognition.
Contact Lekhya Kantheti at [email protected].
