Department of Pediatrics
About Us
Document 1 – About the Department Department of Pediatrics
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, is one of the leading academic pediatric departments in Western India, providing comprehensive child healthcare, medical education, clinical research, and community outreach. Since its establishment in 1990, the department has grown into a tertiary referral centre offering state-of-the-art facilities across the entire spectrum of pediatric healthcare, from preventive and primary care to advanced subspecialty and critical care services.
The department is committed to excellence in patient care, undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, fellowship training, research, and community service. With a multidisciplinary team of experienced clinicians, educators, researchers, and allied health professionals, it provides evidence-based, family-centred care to children from infancy through adolescence.
Today, the department comprises 22 full-time and 10 part-time faculty members, representing nearly all major pediatric subspecialties. Academic activities are supported by dedicated senior residents, fellows, research personnel, psychologists, therapists, nurses, and technical staff who collectively ensure comprehensive healthcare delivery and high-quality medical education.
Clinical Services
The department functions as a major tertiary referral centre with comprehensive inpatient, outpatient, emergency, intensive care, and subspecialty services.
Major clinical facilities include:
- A 180-bed pediatric ward spread over two floors with modern inpatient facilities.
- A dedicated Pediatric Outpatient Department comprising 15 consultation rooms, procedure and immunization facilities, breastfeeding room, play area, physiotherapy and occupational therapy services, and vaccine cold-chain facilities.
- A 16-bed Level III Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) equipped with advanced monitoring and life-support technologies for critically ill children.
- Specialized diagnostic and therapeutic facilities including bronchoscopy services, pulmonary function laboratory, sleep laboratory, electroencephalography, bedside ultrasonography, and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT).
Research and Innovation
The department has established a strong culture of clinical research supported by a dedicated Clinical Research Unit. Research activities encompass investigator-initiated studies, multicentre collaborations, vaccine trials, epidemiological surveillance, clinical outcomes research, and translational research.
Major research areas include infectious diseases, vaccines, critical care, neonatology, growth and development, pediatric nutrition, developmental disorders, pediatric subspecialties, and public health. Faculty members collaborate with prestigious national organizations including the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research (DHR), National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), National Institute of Virology (NIV), and several national and international academic and industry partners.
The department has completed numerous externally funded research projects, secured substantial competitive research funding, and published extensively in national and international peer-reviewed journals.
JAMA Pediatrics
Journal Impact Factor of 24.7, the highest-ranking pediatrics journal in the world
Community Engagement
The department maintains a strong commitment to community health through outreach programmes, rural satellite pediatric clinics, developmental disability services, awareness campaigns, school health activities, and training programmes for healthcare workers, teachers, and parents.
Corporate social responsibility initiatives and collaborations with charitable organizations support programmes for children with cerebral palsy, severe acute malnutrition, childhood cancers, and chronic diseases, extending specialized pediatric care beyond the tertiary hospital.
National Leadership
Faculty members hold leadership positions in several national professional organizations and contribute to the development of clinical practice guidelines, postgraduate education, curriculum development, continuing medical education, journal editorial boards, and subspecialty training across India.
The department is recognized for its contributions to pediatric education, subspecialty development, and academic leadership at national and international levels.
Distinguishing Features
The Department of Pediatrics is distinguished by:
- Comprehensive tertiary pediatric care encompassing almost every pediatric subspecialty.
- One of the largest pediatric fellowship training programmes in the region.
Level III Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with advanced critical care services.
Dedicated multidisciplinary Child Development and Behaviour Centre.
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology services with Bone Marrow Transplant facilities.
- Advanced pulmonary, neurological, nephrology, gastroenterology, genetics, endocrine, rheumatology, infectious disease, and developmental services.
- Dedicated Clinical Research Unit with strong national and international collaborations.
- International academic collaborations supporting fellowship training and faculty development.
Active community outreach programmes focused on child health promotion and disease prevention.
Commitment to excellence in patient care, education, research, innovation, and social responsibility.
Through its integrated approach to clinical care, education, research, and community service, the Department of Pediatrics continues to advance its mission of improving child health while training future pediatricians, developing clinical leaders, and contributing to pediatric research and healthcare policy at regional, national, and international levels.
Vision
To be a nationally and internationally recognized centre of excellence in pediatric healthcare, education, research, innovation, and community service by providing compassionate, evidence-based, multidisciplinary care to every child while nurturing future leaders in pediatrics.
Mission
The Department of Pediatrics is committed to:
- Deliver comprehensive, ethical, evidence-based, family-centred pediatric healthcare across the continuum from preventive care to highly specialized tertiary services.
- Promote excellence in undergraduate, postgraduate, and fellowship education through competency-based learning, simulation training, mentorship, and continuous professional development.
- Foster a culture of high-quality clinical, translational, and public health research that contributes to improved child health and advances pediatric science.
- Develop nationally and internationally competent pediatricians, subspecialists, educators, researchers, and healthcare leaders.
- Strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration to provide holistic care for children with acute, chronic, developmental, genetic, metabolic, and complex medical conditions.
- Engage actively with communities through outreach programmes, preventive healthcare initiatives, health education, and public awareness activities to improve child health outcomes.
- Promote ethical practice, professionalism, empathy, teamwork, innovation, and lifelong learning among faculty, residents, fellows, and students.
Goals :
The Department strives to:
Clinical Excellence
- Deliver safe, evidence-based, patient-centred pediatric care.
- Provide comprehensive tertiary and quaternary pediatric services under one roof.
- Continuously improve quality, patient safety, and clinical outcomes.
- Ensure equitable access to specialized pediatric healthcare.
Academic Excellence
- Deliver competency-based undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.
- Produce skilled pediatricians capable of independent clinical practice and leadership.
- Expand superspecialty fellowship programmes aligned with national and international standards.
- Encourage innovation in teaching methodologies through simulation-based learning and technology-enhanced education.
Research Excellence
- Promote high-quality clinical and translational research addressing national child health priorities.
- Increase interdisciplinary and multicentric collaborative research.
- Encourage faculty and postgraduate publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
- Strengthen research infrastructure and externally funded projects.
Community Engagement
- Extend specialized pediatric services beyond the hospital through outreach programmes.
- Promote preventive child healthcare, immunization, nutrition, developmental surveillance, and adolescent health.
- Collaborate with governmental, non-governmental, and corporate organizations for community child health initiatives.
Faculty Development
- Encourage continuous professional development.
- Promote leadership roles in national and international academic organizations.
- Facilitate faculty exchange, international collaborations, and advanced subspecialty training.
Institutional Growth
- Strengthen national and international academic collaborations.
- Upgrade fellowship programmes into advanced academic programmes where applicable.
- Develop simulation-based education and advanced training facilities.
- Continue expanding specialized pediatric services based on emerging healthcare needs.
Core Values
The Department upholds the following values:- Compassion and empathy
- Integrity and professionalism
- Excellence in patient care
- Academic rigor
- Evidence-based practice
- Ethical clinical and research conduct
- Innovation
- Teamwork and multidisciplinary collaboration
- Inclusiveness and equity
- Accountability
- Lifelong learning
- Social responsibility
Strategic Priorities
- Over the coming years, the Department aims to:
- Further strengthen comprehensive pediatric subspecialty services.
- Expand national and international collaborative academic programmes.
- Enhance simulation-based medical education.
- Increase high-quality research output and externally funded research.
- Foster innovation in teaching, clinical care, and digital health.
- Continue developing centres of excellence in Pediatric Critical Care, Developmental Pediatrics, Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, Pulmonology, Genetics, Endocrinology, and other pediatric subspecialties.
- Strengthen community partnerships to improve child health across urban and rural populations.
- Maintain the highest standards of quality, patient safety, and academic excellence.
Motto "Excellence in Child Health through Compassion, Education, Research, and Innovation."
Head of Department's Message
Welcome to the Department of Pediatrics, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Pune.
Our department has always believed that every child deserves the highest standards of healthcare delivered with compassion, scientific excellence, and respect for the family. Since its establishment, the department has grown into a comprehensive tertiary-care centre offering integrated clinical services, quality medical education, innovative research, and meaningful community engagement.
Our greatest strength lies in our people. A dedicated team of experienced faculty members, subspecialists, residents, fellows, nurses, researchers, psychologists, therapists, and support staff work collaboratively to provide holistic care for children ranging from healthy newborns to those with the most complex medical conditions. We are committed to ensuring that every patient receives safe, evidence-based, ethical, and family-centred care.
Academic excellence remains the cornerstone of our department. We are proud to provide competency-based education to undergraduate and postgraduate students while offering nationally and internationally recognized fellowship programmes in multiple pediatric subspecialties. Our emphasis on clinical skills, critical thinking, simulation-based learning, research methodology, professionalism, and lifelong learning prepares our trainees to become competent clinicians, academicians, researchers, and future leaders in child healthcare.
Research is an integral component of our academic mission. Faculty members and trainees actively participate in investigator-initiated studies, multicentric collaborations, vaccine trials, clinical research, and public health initiatives that contribute to improving child health at regional, national, and international levels. We continue to strengthen collaborations with leading academic institutions and professional organizations to foster innovation and evidence-based practice.
The department has developed comprehensive multidisciplinary services encompassing pediatric critical care, developmental and behavioural pediatrics, neurology, genetics, endocrinology, hematology-oncology, pulmonology, nephrology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, rheumatology, cardiology, and several other pediatric subspecialties. These services enable us to provide coordinated, holistic care for children with both common and highly complex disorders.
Beyond the hospital, we remain deeply committed to the health of the community through outreach programmes, rural health services, preventive child healthcare initiatives, developmental screening, nutrition programmes, school health activities, parent education, and capacity-building initiatives for healthcare professionals and community workers. These efforts reflect our belief that improving child health requires partnership with families and society.
As we move forward, our vision is to further strengthen our role as a centre of excellence in pediatric healthcare, education, research, and innovation. We will continue to expand advanced subspecialty services, foster national and international academic collaborations, promote high-quality research, embrace technological advances in healthcare and education, and uphold the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and patient safety.
I warmly invite prospective students, trainees, faculty, researchers, collaborators, parents, and well-wishers to explore our department and join us in our shared commitment to advancing child health. Together, we aspire to build healthier futures for children through excellence in clinical care, education, research, and compassionate service.
With best wishes,
Prof. Dr Vijay Kalrao Professor & Head Department of Pediatrics Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Pune
Courses Offered
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre offers comprehensive academic programmes spanning undergraduate, postgraduate, and postdoctoral training. The department is committed to producing competent pediatricians and subspecialists through competency-based education, structured clinical training, research, simulation-based learning, and multidisciplinary patient care.
Undergraduate Programme (MBBS)
The Department plays an integral role in the MBBS curriculum by providing comprehensive teaching in Pediatrics as prescribed by the National Medical Commission (NMC). Teaching Components
- Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME)
- Interactive lectures
- Bedside clinical teaching
- Small-group discussions
- Demonstration classes
- Skills laboratory sessions
- Integrated teaching with allied departments
- Case-based learning
- Simulation-based training
- Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
- Formative and summative assessments
Undergraduate Electives
The department offers elective postings in specialized areas, including:
- Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Clinical Research
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Immunization and Vaccination
These electives provide students with early exposure to pediatric subspecialties, research methodology, and multidisciplinary patient care. Additional Academic Activities
- Undergraduate clinical seminars
- Journal discussions
- Pediatric quizzes
- ICMR Short-Term Studentship (STS) guidance
- Research mentoring
- Remedial teaching for academically challenged students
- Structured feedback sessions
- Community health exposure
The department has a long tradition of excellence in undergraduate teaching, with students regularly participating in national academic competitions, including the Indian Academy of Pediatrics Undergraduate Quiz.
Postgraduate Programme Doctor of Medicine (MD Pediatrics)
The Department offers the MD Pediatrics programme with an annual intake of 15 postgraduate residents. The postgraduate curriculum is designed to develop clinical competence, academic excellence, leadership, communication skills, professionalism, and research aptitude. Training Components
Residents receive structured training in:
- General Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Pediatric Intensive Care
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Genetics and Metabolic Disorders
- Adolescent Medicine
Academic Schedule
The department conducts a structured academic programme comprising:
- Daily clinical rounds
- Bedside teaching
- Seminars
- Journal clubs
- Case presentations
- Mortality and morbidity meetings
- Interdepartmental meetings
- Guest lectures
- Symposia
- Evidence-based medicine sessions
- Research methodology training
- Thesis guidance
- Ethics discussions
- Communication skills workshops
Mandatory Certification Programmes
Every postgraduate resident undergoes certified training in:
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
The department is an accredited American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support Training Centre, enabling residents to receive internationally recognized certification.
Assessment
Resident assessment includes:
- Continuous formative assessment
- Post-seminar MCQs
- Clinical skill evaluation
- Procedural competency assessment
- Quarterly performance review
- Faculty feedback
- University examinations
Postdoctoral Fellowship Programmes
The Department is recognized as one of the leading centres in India for pediatric subspecialty fellowship training. University Fellowship Programmes
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Critical Care
- Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Genetics & Metabolic Disorders
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) Accredited Fellowships
The Department conducts fellowship programmes accredited by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics in:
- Pediatric Critical Care
- Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
These fellowships follow nationally accepted curricula and emphasize advanced clinical training, procedural competence, research, and teaching.
International Collaborative Fellowship
The Department has established an academic collaboration with Birmingham Children's Hospital, United Kingdom, for fellowship training in Pediatric Pulmonology. This partnership provides fellows with opportunities for international academic exposure, collaborative learning, and professional development.
Continuing Medical Education
The Department regularly organizes and participates in:
- Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes
- Faculty development programmes
- Workshops
- Hands-on procedural training
- National and international conferences
- Guest lectures by eminent experts
- Interdisciplinary academic meetings
- Collaborative teaching programmes with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics
These activities ensure continuous updating of knowledge and promote lifelong learning among faculty members, residents, fellows, and practicing pediatricians.
CME Program on Pediatric Endocrinology
Academic Strengths
The academic programmes of the Department are distinguished by:
- Competency-based medical education
- Structured mentorship
- Simulation-based training
- Strong research culture
- Multidisciplinary clinical exposure
- Nationally and internationally recognized fellowship programmes
- High patient volume across diverse pediatric specialties
- Dedicated Clinical Research Unit
- International collaborations
- Continuous quality improvement in medical education
The Department remains committed to developing competent pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists equipped to deliver compassionate, evidence-based healthcare and contribute meaningfully to education, research, and leadership in child health.
Unique First in India Joint fellowship in Neonatology (2007)
MOU for post-doctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Pulmonology (2020) between Birmingham Children Hospital NHS UK & Bharati Vidyapeeth
Research & Publications
Document 6 – Research and Publications Department of Pediatrics
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre has established a strong research culture that integrates clinical practice, medical education, public health, and translational science. Research is considered an integral component of the department's academic mission and actively involves faculty members, postgraduate residents, fellows, and dedicated research personnel.
The department has consistently promoted evidence-based practice by conducting investigator-initiated studies, multicentric collaborations, vaccine trials, epidemiological surveillance, clinical outcome studies, and translational research addressing national and global child health priorities.
Research Vision
The department aims to advance child health through innovative, ethical, high-quality research that contributes to scientific knowledge, improves clinical practice, informs health policy, and ultimately enhances the quality of life of children.
Dedicated Clinical Research Unit
The Department houses a dedicated Clinical Research Unit that provides the infrastructure necessary for planning, conducting, monitoring, and completing high-quality clinical research.
The Clinical Research Unit supports:
- Investigator-initiated research
- Industry-sponsored clinical trials
- Vaccine trials
- Clinical epidemiology
- Disease surveillance programmes
- Multicentric collaborative studies
- Research methodology training
- Data management
- Research coordination
- Ethical compliance and documentation
The unit also provides mentorship and logistical support to postgraduate residents, fellows, and young faculty undertaking research projects. Dedicated Cold storage area
Major Research Areas
Research activities encompass a wide spectrum of pediatric disciplines, including:
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Critical Care
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Vaccinology
- Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics
- Growth and Nutrition
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Genetics and Metabolic Disorders
- Adolescent Health
- Public Health Pediatrics
- Child Development
- Medical Education
The department actively encourages interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex pediatric health challenges.
Clinical Trials and Vaccine Research
The Department has made significant contributions to pediatric vaccine research and clinical trials.
Research activities have included:
- Phase I clinical trials
- Phase II clinical trials
- Phase III clinical trials
- Phase IV post-marketing surveillance
- Vaccine effectiveness studies
- Safety surveillance
- Infectious disease surveillance
The department has successfully conducted 41 vaccine trials across different phases and has contributed to research that informed national immunization programmes.
Collaborative Research
The Department collaborates extensively with leading national research organizations and academic institutions.
Major collaborators include:
Government Research Agencies
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- Department of Health Research (DHR)
- National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE)
- National Institute of Virology (NIV)
Academic Collaborations
The department also undertakes collaborative research with:
- Bharati Vidyapeeth research centres
- National medical institutions
- International academic collaborators
- Multidisciplinary departments within the university
Industry Collaborations
Research partnerships have also been established with national and international pharmaceutical organizations for ethically approved clinical research and vaccine development.
Research Achievements
The Department has achieved several important milestones in pediatric research.
Highlights include:
- Dedicated Clinical Research Unit
- Completion of more than 40 research projects
- Nine ongoing research projects (excluding postgraduate dissertations)
- Competitive research grants exceeding ₹7.3 crore
- Extensive publications in peer-reviewed national and international journals
- Book publications and academic book chapters authored by faculty members
- Research presentations at national and international scientific meetings
These accomplishments reflect the department's sustained commitment to generating high-quality scientific evidence.
Postgraduate and Fellowship Research
Research forms an integral component of postgraduate and fellowship training.
Every postgraduate resident undertakes an original dissertation under faculty supervision. Fellows also participate in clinical research, quality improvement initiatives, audits, and publications relevant to their subspecialties.
Residents and fellows receive structured training in:
- Research methodology
- Study design
- Biostatistics
- Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
- Scientific writing
- Critical appraisal of literature
- Ethics in biomedical research
- Manuscript preparation
- Conference presentations
This approach prepares graduates to become clinician-scientists capable of contributing to evidence-based pediatric practice.
Dr Srushti Jain (PG) recieved 2nd prize for paper presentation at MAHAPEDICRITICON 2026 happening at Nagpur
Dr Sai Aishwarya Chirla (PG) recieved 2nd prize for Oral Paper presentation at MAHANEOCON 2024 happening at Navi Mumbai
Dr Akshay, our Bharati Ped Neuro fellow received the 1st runner up prize for platform presentation at International Child Neurology conference, Taipei, Tawan
5 Pediatric Rheumatology posters @ Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Congress, JAPAN-2025
Publication Profile
The Department has contributed extensively to pediatric literature through publications in reputed national and international peer-reviewed journals. Faculty members have published research in high-impact journals across diverse pediatric specialties including:
- Pediatric Critical Care
- Neonatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Vaccinology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Growth and Endocrinology
- Neurology
- Pulmonology
- Public Health
Faculty have also contributed:
- Academic books
- Book chapters
- National treatment guidelines
- Consensus statements
- Educational resources
Recent Publications (Last Three Years)
To be updated separately by the Department as requested by the Website Committee.
| Sr No | Title of Paper | Name of Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Association of antenatal dexamethasone administration timing with outcomes in preterm infants in a low- and middle-income country | Frontiers in Medicine | 2025 |
| 2. | Immunogenicity and Safety Results of a Randomized, Three-Arm, Phase IV Clinical Trial of Concomitant Administration of Typhoid Vi Conjugate Vaccine with Measles and Rubella Vaccine in Healthy Infants | Viruses | 2025 |
| 3. | Outcome of dengue infection and risk factors for severe dengue in Indian children | J Vector Borne Dis | 2025 |
| 4. | Age-stratified prevalence of anti-hepatitis A virus antibodies in four metropolitan Indian cities and recent changes in Pune city | Indian J Gastroenterol | 2025 |
| 5. | Maternal plasma fatty acids at delivery are associated with newborn weight and anthropometric measures in children at 3-7 years | Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis | 2025 |
| 6. | Fetal growth patterns in women with preeclampsia: Insights from the REVAMP study | Pregnancy Hypertens | 2025 |
| 7. | Beyond the usual: Infection Triggered Encephalopathy Syndromes (ITES) in children | Medical Research Archives | 2025 |
| 8. | Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) to Platelet Count Ratio in the Prognosis of Neonatal and Pediatric Sepsis | Indian Journal of Pediatrics | 2025 |
| 9. | Early intrathecal dexamethasone (IT-Dexa) associated with faster recovery and good outcome in an adolescent with febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) | BMJ Case Reports | 2025 |
| 10. | Intensive care management and outcomes of severe paediatric tetanus in a tertiary care hospital | Tropical Doctor | 2025 |
| 11. | Early Prediction of High-flow Nasal Cannula Failure Using Pediatric-modified HACOR Score in Children with Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Distress: A Prospective Observational Study | Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine | 2025 |
| 12. | Intravenous diltiazem in the management of hemodynamically stable supraventricular tachycardia refractory to adenosine therapy: A case series | Journal of Pediatric Critical Care | 2025 |
| 13. | Tenets of timing: An evidence based comprehensive review on time-lag in the management of pediatric status epilepticus and its effect on clinical outcomes | Epilepsy Research | 2025 |
| 14. | Clinical Study Of Bpd In Preterm Neonates | European Journsl Of Cvs Medicine | 2025 |
| 15. | Correlation Between Csf Sugars In Neonatal Meningitis And Their Subsequent Morbidity | Ijmedph | 2025 |
| 16. | Peripheral Precocious puberty due to autonomous gonadal activation :A multicenter Experience | Cureus | 2025 |
| 17. | Change in Grading of Stunting in Children aged 0–5 years in a Tertiary Hospital in Western India by Using WHO vs. Indian References | Indian Journal of Pediatrics | 2025 |
| 18. | Familial glucocorticoid deficiency: genetic insights and treatment strategies in resource-limited settings | BMJ Case Reports | 2025 |
| 19. | Thyrotoxicosis - Book chapter in Practical Pediatric Endocrinology | IJP | 2025 |
| 20. | Incidence,Microbiological spectrum and Resistance pattern of healthcare associated infections in NICU at a tertiary care centre-A Prospective observational study | International journal of medicine and public health | 2025 |
| 21. | Chikungunya Presenting as a Vesiculobullous Rash in an Infant | Indian Journal of Paediatric Dermatology | 2025 |
| 22. | A randomized, active-controlled, multi-centric, phase-II clinical study to assess safety and immunogenicity of a fully liquid DTwP-HepB-IPV-Hib hexavalent vaccine (HEXASIIL®) in Indian toddlers | Vaccine | 2024 |
| 23. | Adverse events associated with Pegaspargase biosimilar in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A prospective single-center study | Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice | 2024 |
| 24. | Comparison of Nutritional Status of Healthy Under-Five Indian Children Using Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure on WHO 2006 versus 2019 Indian Synthetic Growth Charts | Indian Journal of Pediatrics | 2024 |
| 25. | Consensus Statement of the IAP - Neurodevelopmental Chapter On Neurodevelopmental Disorders Habilitation Process: Strategic Plan for Prevention, Early Detection and Early Intervention | Indian Pediatrics | 2024 |
| 26. | Immune Thrombocytopenia- Will it Stay or go Away? | Indian Pediatrics | 2024 |
| 27. | Hospital-based norovirus surveillance in children <5 years of age from 2017 to 2019 in India | Journal of Medical Virology | 2024 |
| 28. | Bones, Stones, and Hematuria….Connecting the Dots | Indian Journal of Nephroly | 2024 |
| 29. | Erythrocyte fatty acids and desaturase indices in early pregnancy are associated with risk of preeclampsia | Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids | 2024 |
| 30. | Seropersistence of SII-ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (COVID-19 vaccine): 6-month follow-up of a randomized, controlled, observer-blind, phase 2/3 immuno-bridging study in Indian adults. | Hum Vaccin Immunother | 2024 |
| 31. | Evaluation of Pertussis Disease in Young Infants in India: A Hospital-Based Multicentric Observational Study. | Indian J Pediatr | 2024 |
| 32. | A phase III randomized-controlled study of safety and immunogenicity of DTwP-HepB-IPV-Hib vaccine (HEXASIIL®) in infants. | NPJ Vaccines | 2024 |
| 33. | Longitudinal Assessment of Oxidative Stress Markers in Women with Preeclampsia. | Reprod Sci. | 2024 |
| 34. | diagnostic phenotype | Science and Advanced Clinical Research | 2024 |
| 35. | Deferasirox causing duodenal ulcer leading to upper gastrointestinal bleed and hemorrhagic shock in a child with beta-thalassemia major | Indian Journal of Pharmacology | 2023 |
| 36. | Fatal podophyllin poisoning with multi-organ toxicity (accepted for publication - proofs attached) | Journal of Pediatri critical care | 2023 |
| 37. | Landscape of genetic Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome - A multicenter cohort of 124 children | Epilepsia Open | 2023 |
| 38. | Stress among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder in comparison to children with & without special health care needs | Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine | 2023 |
| 39. | Immunogenicity and safety of a new quadrivalent HPV vaccine in girls and boys aged 9-14 years versus an established quadrivalent HPV vaccine in women aged 15-26 years in India: a randomised, active-controlled, multicentre, phase 2/3 trial | Lancet Oncology journal | 2023 |
| 40. | A Phase 3, randomized, non-inferiority study of a heterologous booster dose of SARS CoV-2 recombinant spike protein vaccine in adults | Scientific Reports | 2023 |
| 41. | Longitudinal profile of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in women with pre-eclampsia | American Journal of Reproductive Immunology | 2023 |
| 42. | Safety and Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Recombinant Spike Protein Vaccine in Children and Adolescents in India: A Phase 2-3 Randomized Clinical Trial | JAMA Pediatrics | 2023 |
Recent Publications (Last Three Years)
To be updated separately by the Department as requested by the Website Committee.
Future Directions
The Department aims to further strengthen its research ecosystem through:
- Expansion of multicentric collaborative research
- International academic partnerships
- Translational pediatric research
- Artificial intelligence and digital health applications
- Precision medicine and genomics
- Outcomes research
- Quality improvement science
- Increased competitive research funding
- Greater publication in high-impact journals
- Enhanced mentoring of early-career researchers
Commitment to Research Excellence
Research at the Department of Pediatrics is driven by the belief that scientific inquiry is fundamental to improving child health. By integrating clinical expertise, academic rigor, innovation, and collaboration, the department continues to generate evidence that influences pediatric practice, supports policy development, advances medical education, and ultimately improves outcomes for children in India and beyond.
Infrastructure Facilities
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre has developed comprehensive infrastructure that supports high-quality patient care, medical education, clinical research, and multidisciplinary training. The facilities are designed to provide seamless care across the entire continuum of pediatric healthcare while simultaneously serving as an advanced teaching and research environment.
1. Pediatric Inpatient Services
The department has a 120-bed pediatric inpatient facility spread across two spacious floors, occupying approximately 16,000 square feet.
The ward has been designed to provide safe, child-friendly, family-centred care and includes:
- General pediatric wards
- Isolation facilities
- High-dependency patient care areas
- Procedure rooms
- Resident duty rooms
- Faculty consultation areas
- Nursing stations
- Parent waiting areas
- Dedicated teaching spaces
The infrastructure supports management of both common childhood illnesses and highly complex tertiary referral cases. Photograph Placeholder: Pediatric Ward
2. Pediatric Outpatient Department (OPD)
The Pediatric Outpatient Department occupies nearly 6,000 square feet and consists of 15 dedicated consultation rooms, enabling simultaneous subspecialty consultations with minimal waiting time.
The OPD includes:
- General Pediatric Consultation Rooms
- Procedure Room
- Immunization Centre
- Vaccination Cold Chain Storage Facility
- Breastfeeding Counselling Room
- Child-friendly Play Area
- Growth Assessment Area
- Physiotherapy Unit
- Occupational Therapy Unit
- Waiting Lounge for Children and Parents
The OPD is designed to provide comprehensive ambulatory pediatric care in a comfortable and family-friendly environment. Photograph Placeholder: Pediatric OPD
3. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
The Department houses a 16-bed Level III Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) providing tertiary critical care services for infants and children. The PICU is staffed by dedicated pediatric intensivists, trained nursing personnel, fellows, residents, respiratory therapists, and multidisciplinary specialists.
Major facilities include:
- Advanced multiparameter bedside monitoring
- Mechanical ventilation
- Non-invasive ventilation
- High-flow nasal oxygen therapy
- Bedside ultrasonography
- Electroencephalography (EEG)
- Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)
- Point-of-care diagnostics
- Pediatric emergency procedures
- Infection control infrastructure
- Developmental Pediatricians
- Pediatric Neurologists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Audiologists
- Occupational Therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Special Educators
- Social Workers
- Nutrition Specialists
- Developmental assessment
- IQ and DQ testing
- Autism evaluation
- ADHD assessment
- Learning disability assessment
- Behavioural counselling
- Cerebral palsy rehabilitation
- Hearing assessment (OAE, BERA)
- Cochlear implant evaluation
- Speech therapy
- Parent counselling
- Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics
- Adolescent Medicine
- Pediatric Neurology and Epilepsy
- Pediatric Genetics and Metabolic Disorders
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Ketogenic Diet Clinic
The unit also functions as an important academic centre for postgraduate and fellowship training in Pediatric Critical Care.
The department operates one of the earliest Indian Academy of Pediatrics-recognized Pediatric Advanced Life Support Training Centres in Maharashtra, supporting structured emergency care training.
Photograph Placeholder: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
4. Child Development and Behaviour Centre
The Child Development and Behaviour Centre is among the department's most distinctive facilities, providing comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation and management of developmental, behavioural, neurological, and learning disorders. The centre offers integrated services under one roof through collaboration among:
Facilities include:
The centre serves children from Maharashtra and neighbouring states. Photograph Placeholder: Child Development Centre
Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit
5. Pediatric Specialty Clinics
The Department operates 16 dedicated pediatric subspecialty clinics, ensuring comprehensive tertiary care. These include:
Each clinic functions through multidisciplinary collaboration, enabling coordinated management of complex pediatric disorders. Photograph Placeholder: Specialty Clinics
Pediatric Epilepsy and Neurology
Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic
Pediatric Genetic & Metabolic Diseases Clinic
Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic
Pediatric Nephrology-Urology
Pediatric Gastroenterology Clinic
6. Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Services
The department provides advanced care for children with hematological disorders and childhood malignancies.
Infrastructure includes:- Dedicated outpatient clinic
- Day-care chemotherapy services
- Blood transfusion facilities
- Thalassemia Day Care Centre
- Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) services
- Multidisciplinary supportive care
Children receive comprehensive management through coordinated services involving pediatric oncologists, surgeons, transfusion medicine specialists, intensivists, nutritionists, psychologists, and rehabilitation professionals.
Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) center
7. Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine Facilities
The Pediatric Pulmonology Unit is equipped with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic infrastructure, including:
- Pulmonary Function Laboratory
- Spirometry
- Oscillometry
- Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO)
- Body Plethysmography
- Diffusing Capacity Testing (DLCO)
- Video Bronchoscopy
- Rigid Bronchoscopy
- Sleep Laboratory
- Sweat Chloride Testing
- Allergy Testing
- Chest Physiotherapy Services
- Clinical trials
- Vaccine research
- Epidemiological surveillance
- Investigator-initiated studies
- Multicentric research
- Data management
- Research coordination
- Statistical support
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
- Airway management
- Emergency procedures
- Team communication
- Crisis resource management
- Procedural skills training
- Immunization Clinic
- Pediatric Research Unit
- Physiotherapy Services
- Occupational Therapy Unit
- Audiology and Speech Therapy Services
- Nutrition Counselling
- Parent Counselling Facilities
- Academic Seminar Rooms
- Faculty Offices
- Resident Workstations
- Digital Teaching Facilities
These facilities support comprehensive evaluation of asthma, chronic lung diseases, sleep disorders, airway abnormalities, and complex respiratory conditions. Photograph Placeholder: Pulmonary Function Laboratory and Bronchoscopy Suite
8. Research Infrastructure
The Department has a dedicated Clinical Research Unit supporting:
The research infrastructure facilitates collaborative projects with national and international agencies and provides research training for faculty, postgraduate students, and fellows. Photograph Placeholder: Clinical Research Unit
9. Simulation and Skills Training
The department actively promotes competency-based medical education through simulation-enhanced learning. Training facilities support:
Simulation-based education forms an integral component of undergraduate, postgraduate, and fellowship training.
10. Supporting Infrastructure
Additional departmental facilities include:
Infrastructure Highlights
The Department's infrastructure reflects its commitment to excellence in pediatric healthcare and medical education by integrating advanced clinical facilities, modern technology, multidisciplinary expertise, research support, and innovative teaching environments. Continuous upgrading of facilities ensures that children receive high-quality care while students, residents, and fellows are trained in an environment that promotes clinical excellence, innovation, and lifelong learning.
Collaboration and Consultancy
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre has established strong academic, clinical, research, and professional collaborations with leading national and international institutions. These partnerships have significantly strengthened patient care, postgraduate education, fellowship training, research, faculty development, and community outreach.
The Department believes that collaborative learning and interdisciplinary engagement are essential for advancing pediatric healthcare and improving outcomes for children.
National Academic Collaborations
The Department actively collaborates with several premier professional organizations and academic institutions across India for education, fellowship training, research, guideline development, and continuing medical education.
Major national collaborations include:
- Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP)
- IAP Subspecialty Chapters
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- Department of Health Research (DHR)
- National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE)
- National Institute of Virology (NIV)
Faculty members also contribute to national clinical guidelines, subspecialty curricula, academic committees, journal editorial boards, and continuing medical education programmes. Collaborative Monthly teaching with local IAP (Clinical cases, lectures, symposia, etc)
International Collaborations
The Department has developed meaningful international partnerships that provide advanced academic exposure, collaborative teaching, fellowship training, and opportunities for faculty and trainee development.
Birmingham Children's Hospital, United Kingdom One of the Department's most significant international collaborations is with Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom.
This partnership has facilitated:
- Collaborative fellowship training in Pediatric Pulmonology
- Academic exchange
- Joint educational activities
- Exposure to international standards of pediatric care
- Opportunities for fellows and faculty to participate in advanced subspecialty training
The collaboration reflects the Department's commitment to providing globally relevant pediatric education.
Clinical and Fellowship Collaborations
The Department collaborates with leading institutions for structured subspecialty training. These include partnerships supporting fellowships in:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Critical Care
- Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Pediatric Genetics and Metabolic Disorders
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Endocrinology
These collaborative programmes enrich academic training through shared expertise, standardized curricula, and multidisciplinary clinical exposure.
Unique First in India Joint fellowship in Neonatology (2007)
MOU for post-doctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Pulmonology (2020) between Birmingham Children Hospital NHS UK & Bharati Vidyapeeth
Research Collaborations
Research collaboration is a major strength of the Department.
Faculty members participate in multicentric clinical studies, vaccine trials, epidemiological surveillance programmes, and investigator-initiated research in partnership with:
Collaborative research has contributed to publications in reputed peer-reviewed journals and has strengthened the Department's research ecosystem.
Interdisciplinary Collaborations
Comprehensive pediatric care requires close interaction with several clinical and allied health specialties. The Department works closely with:
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Radiology
- Pathology
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Audiology
- Speech Therapy
- Nutrition Services
- Medical Social Work
This multidisciplinary approach enables integrated evaluation and management of children with complex medical, developmental, neurological, genetic, metabolic, and chronic disorders.
Community Collaborations
The Department actively collaborates with governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and corporate partners to strengthen child health services in the community. Major community partnerships include:
Mukul Madhav Foundation Collaboration for multidisciplinary outreach programmes for children with cerebral palsy through periodic camps conducted in different districts of Maharashtra.
Continuing Medical Education Collaborations
The Department regularly collaborates with:
- Indian Academy of Pediatrics
- Local IAP branches
- National subspecialty organizations
- Invited national and international experts
These collaborations support:
- Continuing Medical Education (CME)
- Workshops
- Guest lectures
- Symposia
- Clinical case discussions
- Fellowship teaching
- Faculty development programmes Such activities promote lifelong learning and ensure that faculty, residents, and fellows remain updated with advances in pediatric medicine.
Consultancy
The Department provides expert clinical opinion and academic guidance in various pediatric subspecialties through its faculty members. Specific consultancy assignments and institutional consultancy projects may be updated here by the Department, if applicable.
Future Collaborative Initiatives
The Department plans to further strengthen national and international collaborations through:
- Expansion of international fellowship programmes
- Collaborative research projects
- Joint academic conferences
- Faculty exchange programmes
- Student exchange initiatives
- Simulation-based educational partnerships
- Multicentric clinical trials
- Development of advanced superspecialty training programmes
- Expansion of digital and tele-education initiatives
Commitment to Collaborative Excellence
The Department recognizes that collaboration is fundamental to innovation, academic excellence, and quality healthcare. By building partnerships with leading institutions, professional organizations, research agencies, and community stakeholders, the Department continues to enhance patient care, strengthen medical education, advance pediatric research, and contribute meaningfully to improving child health at regional, national, and international levels.
Innovative Teaching Learning
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre is committed to delivering high-quality, learner-centred, competency-based medical education. Teaching methodologies are continuously refined to integrate modern educational principles, simulation, technology, interdisciplinary learning, and evidence-based clinical practice.
The department strives to create an engaging learning environment that develops competent pediatricians with sound clinical knowledge, procedural skills, ethical values, communication abilities, leadership qualities, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME)
Teaching is aligned with the National Medical Commission (NMC) Competency-Based Medical Education curriculum.
The curriculum emphasizes:
- Student-centred learning
- Early clinical exposure
- Integrated teaching
- Case-based learning
- Bedside clinical teaching
- Skills-based education
- Reflection and self-directed learning
- Continuous formative assessment
- Structured feedback
Faculty members actively employ interactive teaching methods that encourage critical thinking and clinical reasoning rather than passive acquisition of knowledge.
Simulation-Based Medical Education
Simulation-based training is an integral component of undergraduate, postgraduate, and fellowship education.
The department utilizes simulation to teach both technical and non-technical skills in a safe learning environment before trainees perform procedures on patients.
Major simulation activities include:
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- Airway management
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Emergency stabilization
- Pediatric trauma management
- Team-based crisis management
- Communication during emergencies
- Procedural skills training
Simulation sessions improve clinical competence, patient safety, confidence, teamwork, and decision-making skills.
Photograph: Simulation-based teaching session
Undergraduate Teaching Innovations
The department has introduced several innovative educational initiatives for MBBS students.
These include:
Elective Modules
Students may choose elective postings in specialized pediatric disciplines such as:
- Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Clinical Research
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Immunization and Vaccination
These electives provide early exposure to subspecialty practice and research.
Interactive Clinical Learning
Clinical teaching emphasizes:
- Small-group bedside teaching
- Case discussions
- Clinical demonstrations
- Problem-solving exercises
- Integrated learning with allied departments
- Communication skills
- Professionalism
- Ethical decision-making
Research Exposure
Interested undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in:
- ICMR Short-Term Studentship (STS) projects
- Departmental research activities
- Literature review
- Scientific presentations
- Mentored research projects
The department also supports internally funded undergraduate research projects.
Academic Competitions
The department has successfully conducted and participated in undergraduate pediatric quizzes for many years, with students achieving recognition at national competitions organized by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics.
Postgraduate Teaching Innovations
The MD Pediatrics programme follows a structured academic schedule combining classroom learning with supervised clinical training.
Teaching activities include:
- Daily bedside rounds
- Weekly seminars
- Journal clubs
- Clinical case presentations
- Radiology discussions
- Mortality and morbidity meetings
- Evidence-based medicine sessions
- Interdepartmental academic meetings
- Research methodology workshops
- Thesis review meetings
Residents are encouraged to critically appraise current literature and integrate evidence into clinical practice.
Structured Foundation Programme
New postgraduate residents undergo a structured induction programme designed to facilitate a smooth transition into residency training.
The programme includes:
- Orientation to departmental functioning
- Clinical protocols
- Documentation practices
- Professional ethics
- Communication skills
- Infection prevention
- Patient safety
- Pre- and post-training assessments
Certification Programmes
All postgraduate residents receive structured certification training in:
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
Residents are trained in evidence-based neonatal resuscitation through structured teaching, simulation, and supervised practice.
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
The Department is an American Heart Association-recognized Pediatric Advanced Life Support Training Centre, providing internationally standardized training in pediatric emergency care. These certification programmes ensure that trainees acquire essential lifesaving skills early in their residency.
Fellowship Education
The department offers structured fellowship programmes across multiple pediatric subspecialties.
Training includes:
- Advanced bedside teaching
- Specialty clinics
- Procedural training
- Academic seminars
- Journal clubs
- Research mentorship
- Teaching responsibilities
- Multidisciplinary case conferences
International collaborations further enrich fellowship education by providing exposure to global standards of pediatric practice.
Pediatric Neurology
Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
Collaborative Teaching
The department actively collaborates with professional organizations and academic institutions to enhance learning opportunities.
Educational activities include:
- Monthly collaborative academic programmes with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics
- Quarterly guest lectures by nationally and internationally renowned experts
- Interdisciplinary clinical meetings
- Workshops
- Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes
- Specialty conferences
- Fellowship teaching programmes
These interactions broaden academic perspectives and expose trainees to contemporary advances in pediatrics.
CME Program on Pediatric Endocrinology
Workshop on Bronchial Asthma by Pediatric Pulmonology Team
Continuous Assessment and Feedback
Assessment is viewed as an essential component of learning.
The department employs multiple formative assessment strategies, including:
- Post-seminar MCQs
- Clinical skill assessments
- Workplace-based assessment
- Case presentation evaluation
- Procedural competency assessment
- Faculty observation
- Structured feedback sessions
- Quarterly performance reviews
Constructive feedback helps learners identify strengths, address gaps, and achieve progressive competency.
Simulation Lab - Mini workshop on Pediatric airway management - skill stations
PG Assessment Exam
Educational Technology and E-Learning
Faculty members contribute to digital learning through:
- Online educational videos
- Recorded lectures
- Parent education programmes
- Continuing medical education webinars
- Digital academic resources
- Specialty-focused educational content
These resources supplement conventional classroom teaching and promote self-directed learning.
Faculty Development
To ensure excellence in teaching, faculty members regularly participate in:
- Faculty development programmes
- Medical education workshops
- National conferences
- International training programmes
- Sabbaticals
- Specialty observerships
- Academic leadership programmes
Continuous faculty development strengthens educational quality and promotes innovation in teaching practices.
Dr Rahul Jahagirdar, Professor
Dr Ruma Deshpande, Professor
Dr Bhakti Sarangi, Professor Birmingham
Dr. Kavita Srivastava - Clinical Fellowship in Pediatric Neurology (Stroke) at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
Educational Philosophy
The Department believes that effective pediatric education extends beyond knowledge acquisition. Teaching focuses on developing compassionate clinicians, critical thinkers, effective communicators, ethical professionals, researchers, educators, and future leaders capable of delivering high-quality child healthcare.
By integrating competency-based education, simulation, research, technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuous assessment, the Department prepares graduates to meet the evolving healthcare needs of children and society.
Extension Activities
Introduction
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre believes that quality pediatric healthcare extends beyond the hospital walls. The Department is committed to improving child health through sustained community engagement, preventive healthcare initiatives, outreach programmes, public awareness campaigns, school and parent education, and capacity building of healthcare providers.
These extension activities complement the Department's clinical, academic, and research missions while contributing to national child health priorities and the University's commitment to social responsibility.
Objectives
The Department aims to:
- Improve access to specialized pediatric healthcare in underserved communities.
- Promote preventive child healthcare and healthy lifestyles.
- Increase awareness regarding common childhood diseases and developmental disorders.
- Strengthen early diagnosis and timely referral of children requiring specialized care.
- Build capacity among healthcare professionals, teachers, parents, and community workers.
- Foster community participation in improving child health outcomes.
Rural Pediatric Outreach Services
The Department conducts Rural Pediatric Satellite Outpatient Clinics to improve access to specialist pediatric services for children residing in peripheral and rural areas.
These outreach clinics provide:
- General pediatric consultations
- Growth monitoring
- Nutritional assessment
- Developmental screening
- Follow-up care
- Referral of children requiring tertiary care
- Parent counselling
These services reduce barriers to healthcare and facilitate early identification and management of childhood illnesses. Photograph Placeholder: Rural Satellite OPD
Shashwat Trust foundation- Student Health Checkup
Anandibai Kapoor Prashala, A/P-Borghar, Tal-Ambegaon, Dist-Pune
Community Training Programmes
The Department regularly conducts training programmes for various community stakeholders. Training beneficiaries include:
- Practicing medical practitioners
- Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)
- School teachers
- Parents and caregivers
- Nursing personnel
- Community health workers
Topics commonly covered include:
- Early recognition of childhood illnesses
- Growth and nutrition
- Developmental milestones
- Immunization
- Breastfeeding
- Child safety
- Infection prevention
- Rational antibiotic use
- Emergency care
- Adolescent health
These educational programmes strengthen community-based child healthcare and improve early referral practices. Photograph Placeholder: Community Training Programme
Public Health Awareness Campaigns
The Department actively participates in national and international health observances by organizing awareness programmes for parents, children, students, and the general public. Major activities include:
- World Epilepsy Day
- World Kidney Day
- World Breastfeeding Week
- National Child Health awareness programmes
- Cancer awareness programmes
- World Cerebral Palsy Day
- Immunization awareness campaigns
- Public lectures
- Parent counselling sessions
- Interactive discussions
- Educational exhibitions
- Distribution of educational material
- Screening activities
- Media engagement
- Developmental screening camps
- Cerebral palsy assessment camps
- Parent counselling programmes
- Rehabilitation guidance
- School readiness assessments
- Referral coordination
- Follow-up support for children with developmental disabilities
- Developmental assessment
- Pediatric consultation
- Physiotherapy evaluation
- Occupational therapy services
- Nutrition counselling
- Parent education
- Rehabilitation planning
- Referral for advanced care
- Community-based screening
- Identification of children with severe acute malnutrition
- Nutritional rehabilitation
- Growth monitoring
- Parent counselling
- Follow-up care
- Referral of complicated cases
- Infant and young child feeding
- Breastfeeding support
- Immunization
- Nutrition
- Developmental milestones
- Autism awareness
- Childhood epilepsy
- Chronic disease management
- Medication adherence
- Home-based rehabilitation Educating families improves treatment adherence and promotes holistic child development.
- Community health camps
- School health programmes
- Awareness campaigns
- Health education sessions
- Screening programmes
- Rural outreach services
- Public health initiatives
- Improved awareness of childhood diseases
- Early identification of developmental disorders
- Better nutritional rehabilitation
- Increased community participation in child health
- Enhanced access to specialist pediatric services
- Strengthened referral networks
- Capacity building of frontline healthcare workers
- Promotion of preventive healthcare
- Expanding rural outreach services
- Increasing developmental screening programmes
- Enhancing digital health education
- Strengthening school health initiatives
- Developing teleconsultation support for peripheral centres
- Expanding nutrition rehabilitation programmes
- Increasing collaborations with governmental and non-governmental organizations
- Promoting adolescent health and preventive pediatric services
Activities typically include:
These programmes promote preventive healthcare and encourage timely medical consultation. Photograph Placeholder: Health Awareness Programme
World Autism Awareness Day 2025 celebration
Cerebral Palsy Day Celebration
International Childhood Cancer Day
World Kidney Day awareness for Parents
Child Development and Disability Outreach
The Department's Child Development and Behaviour Centre actively extends specialized developmental services into the community.
Major initiatives include:
The outreach programme emphasizes early intervention, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, and family empowerment.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives
Collaboration with Mukul Madhav Foundation The Department collaborates with the Mukul Madhav Foundation to conduct multidisciplinary outreach camps for children with cerebral palsy. These camps are organized periodically in districts including Satara, Wai, and Ratnagiri and provide:
This long-standing collaboration has significantly improved access to specialized developmental services for children residing outside Pune.
Photograph Placeholder: Cerebral Palsy Outreach Camp
Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)
The Department collaborates with Yardi Foundation in implementing a Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programme. The programme focuses on:
This initiative has benefited hundreds of children by improving nutritional recovery through sustained community-based interventions. Photograph Placeholder: CMAM Programme
Parent Education
The Department places strong emphasis on empowering parents through structured education programmes. Regular counselling sessions address:
Developmental milestones
Thalassemia Awareness and HLA Matching Testing Camp
Student and Community Engagement
Faculty members and postgraduate residents actively participate in extension activities as part of their professional training. Participation includes:
These experiences strengthen communication skills, social accountability, and understanding of community child health.
Impact of Extension Activities
The Department's outreach programmes have contributed to:
These initiatives reinforce the Department's commitment to equitable, accessible, and comprehensive child healthcare.
Future Directions
The Department aims to further strengthen its extension activities by:
Commitment to Social Responsibility
The Department of Pediatrics remains committed to integrating clinical excellence with community service. Through sustained outreach, preventive health initiatives, education, and partnerships, the Department continues to improve child health beyond the hospital setting while fostering a culture of social responsibility among faculty, residents, and students.
Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers
Awards & Achievements
Document 10 –Awards and Recognition
Department of Pediatrics
Overview
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre has earned national recognition for excellence in pediatric healthcare, medical education, subspecialty training, research, and community service. Faculty members have received prestigious awards, held leadership positions in national professional organizations, contributed to national clinical guidelines, and represented the institution in academic forums across India and internationally.
The Department takes pride in the achievements of its faculty, residents, fellows, students, and alumni, whose accomplishments have enhanced the reputation of the institution.
Departmental Recognition
Over the years, the Department has established itself as a centre of excellence through:
- Development of comprehensive pediatric subspecialty services.
- Establishment of nationally recognized fellowship programmes.
- Leadership in pediatric medical education.
- Excellence in pediatric research and clinical trials.
- Active participation in national guideline development.
- Strong community outreach and child health initiatives.
- International academic collaborations.
Institutional and Professional Accreditations
The Department has received several important recognitions for its academic and clinical programmes. These include:
- Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) accreditation by the National Neonatology Forum (NNF).
- Level III Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) accreditation by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) Subspecialty Chapter.
- Recognition as an American Heart Association International Training Centre for Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), supporting structured training in pediatric emergency care.
- University-recognized fellowship programmes across multiple pediatric subspecialties.
- Indian Academy of Pediatrics-accredited fellowship programmes in selected pediatric superspecialties.
- International collaborative fellowship programme in Pediatric Pulmonology with Birmingham Children's Hospital, United Kingdom.
These recognitions reflect the Department's commitment to maintaining nationally and internationally accepted standards of education and patient care.
Faculty Awards and Honours
Faculty members have received several prestigious awards for excellence in teaching, mentorship, research, and professional leadership. Prof. Vijay Kalrao
- Recipient of the Best Mentor Award conferred by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics in recognition of outstanding mentorship and contribution to postgraduate education.
- Honoured by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics for distinguished contributions to pediatric teaching and academic excellence. Faculty members have also received recognition through invited lectures, visiting faculty appointments, research collaborations, and academic leadership roles at national and international meetings.
Dr. Mohana Nitsure-
National Leadership Positions
Several faculty members hold or have held leadership positions in national professional organizations. Examples include:
Developmental Pediatrics
- National President, Indian Academy of Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics Chapter.
- Honorary Fellowship of the Chapter. Pediatric Neurology
- National Secretary, Indian Association of Child Neurology.
- Contributor to national pediatric stroke guidelines.
Pediatric Endocrinology
Faculty members also contribute as:
- National committee members.
- Guideline authors.
- Academic advisors.
- Invited faculty at national conferences.
- Resource persons for Continuing Medical Education programmes.
Dr. Kavita Srivastava- prestigious Pritchard Day Award at the Annual Pritchard Day, organized by the Division of Neurology at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
Contributions to National Guidelines
Faculty from the Department have actively contributed to the development of national clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements in various pediatric subspecialties. These include contributions in:
- Developmental Pediatrics.
- Pediatric Neurology.
- Pediatric Stroke.
- Pediatric Endocrinology.
- Child Development.
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
Such contributions reflect the Department's influence on pediatric practice beyond the institution.
Dr Vaman Khadilkar: Pediatric Endocrinologist
Past President Indian Society of Pediatrics Endocrinology Chapter National Guidelines
Editorial and Academic Contributions
Faculty members contribute extensively to academic publishing through:
Research Recognition
The Department's research programme has earned recognition through:
Student and Trainee Achievements The Department encourages academic excellence among undergraduate students, postgraduate residents, and fellows. Notable achievements include:
- Participation and success in national pediatric quizzes.
- Selection of undergraduate research projects under the ICMR Short-Term Studentship (STS) scheme.
- Fellowship graduates serving in leading academic institutions and hospitals in India and abroad.
- Presentation of research papers at national and international scientific meetings.
Dr Srushti Jain (PG) recieved 2nd prize for paper presentation at MAHAPEDICRITICON 2026 happening at Nagpur
Dr Akshay, our Bharati Ped Neuro fellow received the 1st runner up prize for platform presentation at International Child Neurology conference, Taipei, Tawan
PG Quiz
Distinguished Alumni
Graduates of the Department have established successful careers as clinicians, academicians, researchers, and subspecialists in India and overseas. Many alumni occupy leadership positions in:
- Medical colleges.
- Corporate hospitals.
- Superspecialty centres.
- International healthcare institutions.
- Academic organizations.
- Professional societies.
Their achievements reflect the quality of training imparted by the Department and continue to enhance its academic reputation.
DR ANAMIKA BAKLIWAL
- MBBS- RAJASTHAN UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN.
- MD PEDIATRICS -BHARATI VIDYAPEETH DEEMED UNIVERSITY, PUNE.
- FELLOWSHIP IN HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY: BHARATI VIDYAPEETH DEEMED UNIVERSITY, PUNE.
- FELLOWSHIP IN HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY AND BMT (2016 TO 2018) BLK MAX HOSPITAL, NEW DELHI & PUNE.
- DM (HEMATO-ONCOLOGY AND BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT (2019 -2022) ,ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
- PRESENTLY WORKING AS CONSULTANT AT BLK MAX HOSPITAL, NEW DELHI, INDIA, DEPARTMENT OF HEMATOLOGY AND BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT
Over 16 original research and chapters published in national & international peer reviewed journals.
Dr. Kaustubh Mohite
- Best Oral Research Presentation awarded in International Society of Pediatric Respiratory Diseases (INSPIRED) – 2024, Portugal.
- Awarded “Young Investigator Award” in International Congress of Pediatric Pulmonology (CIPP) – 2022, France.
- Youngest European Pediatric Respiratory Society (ERS) Diplomat – 2021..
- •Youngest European Pediatric Respiratory Society (ERS) Diplomat – 2021.
- Over 16 original research and chapters published in national & international peer reviewed journals.
Commitment to Excellence
The Department views recognition not as an endpoint but as an outcome of sustained dedication to patient care, education, research, innovation, and community service. Faculty members, residents, fellows, students, and alumni continue to strive for excellence while upholding the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and academic integrity.
Patient Services & Facilities
Department of Pediatrics Comprehensive Child Healthcare Under One Roof
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre provides comprehensive, evidence-based, family-centred healthcare for newborns, infants, children, and adolescents. The Department functions as a tertiary referral centre offering preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, and emergency services through a multidisciplinary team of pediatric specialists and allied healthcare professionals.
The guiding philosophy of the Department is to provide compassionate, ethical, and evidence-based care while ensuring that every child receives individualized treatment in a safe and child-friendly environment.
Outpatient Services
The Pediatric Outpatient Department (OPD) functions six days a week and provides comprehensive evaluation, treatment, counselling, and follow-up services for children from birth to adolescence. Facilities include:
- General Pediatric Consultation
- Well-baby Clinics
- Growth and Development Assessment
- Immunization Services
- Preventive Health Check-ups
- Nutrition Counselling
- Adolescent Health Services
- Breastfeeding Counselling
- Developmental Screening
- Follow-up Clinics for Chronic Diseases
The OPD comprises 15 consultation rooms supported by procedure facilities, immunization services, play areas, and dedicated counselling spaces.
Inpatient Services
The Department has a 120-bed pediatric ward providing comprehensive inpatient care for children requiring hospitalization. Services include:
- General pediatric care
- Management of acute childhood illnesses
- Infectious disease management
- Nutritional rehabilitation
- Chronic disease management
- High-dependency care
- Preoperative and postoperative pediatric care
- Multidisciplinary inpatient consultations
Children are managed using standardized evidence-based clinical protocols with active involvement of parents and caregivers.
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
The Department houses a 16-bed Level III Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) providing advanced critical care for infants and children with life-threatening illnesses. Team :
- Dr. Bhakti Sarangi
- Dr Ajay Walimbe
- Dr Niyati Shah
- Dr. Nitsure Mohana
The PICU provides:
- Twenty-four-hour intensivist-led care
- Advanced hemodynamic monitoring
- Mechanical ventilation
- Non-invasive respiratory support
- High-flow oxygen therapy
- Management of septic shock
- Neurological critical care
- Poisoning management
- Trauma care
- Renal replacement therapy
- Multiorgan support
Advanced facilities include:
- Bedside ultrasonography
- Electroencephalography (EEG)
- Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)
- Point-of-care monitoring
- Advanced airway management
A dedicated multidisciplinary team ensures comprehensive management of critically ill children.
Developmental & Behavioural Pediatrics The Child Development and Behaviour Centre provides multidisciplinary assessment and management for children with developmental and behavioural disorders.
Team :
- Dr. Leena Srivastava
- Dr Ritika Choudhary
- Dr. Jai Deshmukh
- Developmental assessment
- Autism spectrum disorder evaluation
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder assessment
- Learning disability assessment
- Intellectual disability evaluation
- Behavioural counselling
- Parent guidance
- School readiness assessment
- Early intervention planning Support services include:
- Clinical psychology
- Speech and language therapy
- Audiology
- Occupational therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Special education
- Social work services
Intelligence & Developmental Quotient assessment by a psychologist OAE, BERA, cochlear implantation, and speech therapy are offered
Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit
- Dr. (Prof). Kavita Srivastava
- Dr Prerna Choudhary
- Dr. Aishwini Mohan
- Dr. Umesh Kalane (part-time)
Comprehensive evaluation and treatment are available for:
- Epilepsy
- Refractory epilepsy
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Autoimmune neurological disorders
- Metabolic neurological diseases
- Genetic neurological disorders
- EEG
- Video EEG
- Bedside EEG in PICU
- EMG
- Nerve Conduction Studies
The Department also provides ketogenic diet therapy for selected children with refractory epilepsy.
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Services Team : Dr. Vibha Bafna Dr. Sandeep Bartakke Dr. Parag Mahankar The Department offers comprehensive care for children with:
Pediatric Pulmonology Services Team : Dr. Sanjay Bafna Dr. Siddhant Lalwani Comprehensive respiratory care is provided for:
Pediatric Nephrology Services Team :
Dr. Madhura Fadnis
Evaluation and management are available for:
- Acute kidney injury
- Chronic kidney disease
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Hemolytic uremic syndrome
- Hypertension
- Tubular disorders
- Dialysis services
- Peritoneal dialysis
- Automated peritoneal dialysis
- Hemodialysis
- Kidney biopsy
- Plasmapheresis
- Chronic liver diseases
- Neonatal cholestasis
- Chronic diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Malabsorption
- Metabolic liver disorders
- Upper GI endoscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Polypectomy
- Foreign body removal
- Liver biopsy
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Genetics & Metabolic Disorders
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Adolescent Health
- Immunization
- Ketogenic Diet Therapy
- Clinical Research
- Clinical Psychology
- Speech Therapy
- Audiology
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Nutrition Services
- Medical Social Work
- Lactation Counselling
- Parent Education
- Evidence-based clinical practice
- Ethical and compassionate care
- Family-centred decision-making
- Patient safety
- Infection prevention
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Timely referral and follow-up
- Continuity of care
Facilities include:
Pediatric Gastroenterology Services
Team :
Dr. Vishnu Biradar Dr Neeraj Panchanadikar
The Department provides specialized care for:
Endoscopic services include:
Additional Subspecialty Clinics
Dedicated clinics are available for:
These clinics enable multidisciplinary evaluation and comprehensive long-term management.
Allied Health Services
Patient care is strengthened through integrated allied health support:
Patient-Centred Care
The Department is committed to:
Parents are encouraged to actively participate in treatment planning and rehabilitation, ensuring holistic care for every child.
Commitment to Excellence
The Department of Pediatrics continues to strengthen its patient care services by integrating advanced clinical expertise, modern infrastructure, multidisciplinary collaboration, and compassionate care. Through comprehensive preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and supportive services, the Department remains dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety.
Best Practices
Department of Pediatrics Introduction :
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre has consistently adopted innovative and patient-centred practices that integrate clinical excellence, quality medical education, research, and community engagement. These best practices reflect the Department's commitment to delivering holistic pediatric healthcare while fostering academic excellence and social responsibility.
1. Multidisciplinary Child Development and Behaviour Centre
One of the Department's flagship initiatives is the Child Development and Behaviour Centre, a comprehensive multidisciplinary centre providing integrated assessment, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term follow-up for children with developmental and behavioural disorders. The centre brings together:
- Developmental Pediatricians
- Pediatric Neurologists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Audiologists
- Occupational Therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Special Educators
- Medical Social Workers
- Nutrition Specialists
Services include:
- Developmental assessment
- Autism spectrum disorder evaluation
- ADHD assessment
- Learning disability assessment
- Intellectual disability evaluation
- Behavioural therapy
- Parent counselling
- Rehabilitation planning
- School readiness assessment
- Early intervention services
This multidisciplinary approach enables comprehensive care under one roof and minimizes fragmentation of services.
2. Comprehensive Pediatric Subspecialty Care
The Department provides one of the most comprehensive pediatric subspecialty services in the region through dedicated specialty clinics. Subspecialties include:
- Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Genetics and Metabolic Disorders
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Adolescent Health
- Ketogenic Diet Clinic
The close collaboration among these specialties ensures coordinated and holistic care for children with complex medical conditions.
3. Structured Fellowship Programmes
The Department has established structured fellowship programmes across multiple pediatric subspecialties, creating a robust academic environment for advanced clinical training. Distinctive features include:
- Competency-based training
- Structured curriculum
- Dedicated faculty mentors
- Hands-on procedural training
- Research participation
- Regular academic assessments
- Exposure to multidisciplinary care
- International academic collaborations
These programmes contribute significantly to the development of future pediatric subspecialists.
4. Simulation-Based Medical Education
Simulation-based learning is incorporated into undergraduate, postgraduate, and fellowship training. Major simulation activities include:
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
- Airway management
- Pediatric emergency stabilization
- Team-based crisis management
- Procedural skills training
Simulation enhances patient safety by allowing learners to acquire and refine clinical skills in a supervised environment before applying them in clinical practice.
5. Research-Integrated Clinical Practice
The Department promotes evidence-based medicine by integrating research into routine clinical care. Key features include:
- Dedicated Clinical Research Unit
- Faculty-led research mentorship
- Multicentric collaborative studies
- Vaccine trials
- Clinical audits
- Quality improvement initiatives
- Postgraduate dissertation support
- Fellowship research projects
This integration ensures that patient care remains aligned with current scientific evidence while fostering a culture of academic inquiry.
6. Family-Centred Care
Recognizing the central role of families in child health, the Department emphasizes family-centred care. Parents and caregivers are actively involved in:
- Shared decision-making
- Treatment planning
- Nutrition counselling
- Developmental intervention
- Rehabilitation programmes
- Long-term follow-up
- Home-based care
This collaborative approach improves treatment adherence, patient satisfaction, and long-term health outcomes.
7. Community-Oriented Child Healthcare
The Department extends specialized pediatric services beyond the hospital through:
- Rural satellite pediatric clinics
- Community health camps
- Developmental disability outreach
- School health programmes
- Awareness campaigns
- Training of ASHA workers
- Parent education programmes
- Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)
These initiatives strengthen preventive healthcare and improve access to specialized pediatric services in underserved communities.
8. Continuous Faculty Development
Faculty members regularly participate in:
- Continuing Medical Education (CME)
- Faculty Development Programmes
- National and international conferences
- Advanced subspecialty training
- International collaborations
- Academic leadership programmes
- Evidence-based clinical protocols
- Infection prevention and control
- Structured mortality and morbidity meetings
- Continuous clinical audit
- Formative assessment and feedback
- Standardized emergency training
- Ethical clinical practice
- Excellence in patient care
- Innovation in medical education
- High-quality clinical research
- Community engagement
- Comprehensive multidisciplinary pediatric services.
- High-quality postgraduate and fellowship training.
- Strong national and international academic collaborations.
- Sustained research productivity.
- Improved access to specialized child healthcare.
- Enhanced community engagement.
- Development of nationally recognized centres of excellence in pediatric subspecialties.
- Continuous improvement in patient care and educational outcomes.
This commitment to lifelong learning ensures that patient care and medical education remain aligned with current advances in pediatric medicine.
9. Quality and Patient Safety
The Department promotes a culture of quality improvement through:
These measures contribute to safe, efficient, and high-quality pediatric healthcare.
10. Integration of Clinical Care, Education, Research and Community Service
A defining strength of the Department is the seamless integration of its four core missions:
Each activity complements the others, creating a learning healthcare system where clinical practice informs research, research enhances education, education improves patient care, and community engagement addresses public health needs.
Outcomes of These Best Practices The Department's best practices have resulted in:
Commitment to Continuous Improvement
The Department remains committed to regularly reviewing and strengthening its best practices in response to advances in pediatric medicine, educational innovation, research, technology, and societal needs. By fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation, the Department continues to provide exemplary child healthcare while preparing future generations of pediatricians, educators, and researchers.
Other Information
Distinguishing Features of the Department
The Department of Pediatrics at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre has evolved into one of the most comprehensive pediatric academic departments in Western India. Over more than three decades, it has developed a unique combination of advanced clinical services, nationally recognized academic programmes, high-quality research, community outreach, and international collaborations. These distinguishing features have established the Department as a preferred centre for pediatric healthcare, postgraduate education, and subspecialty training.
Comprehensive Pediatric Subspecialty Services : One of the Department's greatest strengths is the availability of a wide range of pediatric subspecialty services under a single academic and clinical framework.
Dedicated specialty clinics provide comprehensive care in:
- Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics
- Pediatric Neurology and Epilepsy
- Pediatric Genetics and Metabolic Disorders
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Adolescent Health
- Ketogenic Diet Therapy
This multidisciplinary ecosystem allows coordinated evaluation and management of children with complex medical conditions while promoting collaborative learning and research.
Child Development and Behaviour Centre :
The Department houses one of its most distinctive facilities—the Child Development and Behaviour Centre—which provides multidisciplinary assessment, intervention, and long-term follow-up for children with developmental and behavioural disorders. The centre integrates expertise from developmental pediatrics, psychology, speech therapy, audiology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nutrition, social work, and special education, enabling comprehensive care under one roof. Thousands of children have benefited from these services over the years, making the centre an important regional referral facility.Leadership in Fellowship Training
The Department has played a pioneering role in the development of pediatric subspecialty education. It offers one of the broadest portfolios of fellowship programmes in the country through Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, and international collaborations.
These structured fellowship programmes have produced specialists who now serve in leading academic institutions and tertiary-care hospitals across India and abroad, reflecting the Department's contribution to national capacity building in child health.
Nationally Recognized Pediatric Critical Care :
The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a major strength of the Department, providing advanced critical care supported by modern infrastructure, dedicated intensivists, and multidisciplinary teams.
The Department has also established itself as a leader in pediatric emergency education by operating one of the earliest Indian Academy of Pediatrics-recognized Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Training Centres in Maharashtra. This initiative has strengthened emergency care training for residents, fellows, and practicing pediatricians.
Research and Innovation
The Department has cultivated a vibrant research environment through its dedicated Clinical Research Unit. Faculty members and trainees participate in investigator-initiated research, vaccine trials, multicentric studies, epidemiological surveillance, and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Research partnerships with national agencies such as ICMR, DHR, NIE, and NIV, together with collaborations with academic institutions and industry, have strengthened the Department's scientific contributions and promoted evidence-based pediatric practice.
National Academic Leadership
Faculty members of the Department have held important leadership positions in national professional organizations, contributed to subspecialty development, participated in formulation of clinical practice guidelines, edited academic books and journals, and served as invited faculty at national and international scientific meetings.
These contributions demonstrate the Department's influence on pediatric education and healthcare beyond the institution.
International Collaborations
The Department has established meaningful international partnerships, particularly with Birmingham Children's Hospital, United Kingdom, supporting collaborative fellowship training, academic exchange, and faculty development. These collaborations provide valuable global exposure for trainees while strengthening academic standards within the Department.
Commitment to Community Health
Community engagement remains a defining characteristic of the Department. Through rural outreach clinics, developmental disability programmes, malnutrition initiatives, health awareness campaigns, school health activities, and partnerships with charitable organizations,
theDepartment extends specialized pediatric services to underserved populations. These initiatives reinforce the Department's commitment to equitable healthcare and social responsibility.
Culture of Excellence
The Department fosters a culture that values:
- Compassionate patient care
- Ethical medical practice
- Academic excellence
- Innovation in teaching
- Clinical research
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Professional integrity
- Lifelong learning
- Community engagement
- Continuous quality improvement
This culture has enabled the Department to consistently deliver high standards in patient care, education, and research while adapting to evolving healthcare needs.
Looking Ahead
The Department remains committed to future growth through:
- Expansion of subspecialty services.
- Strengthening of international collaborations.
- Development of simulation-based education.
- Enhancement of research infrastructure.
- Promotion of digital health and telemedicine.
- Upgradation of fellowship programmes.
- Greater interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Expansion of outreach and preventive child health initiatives.
By building upon its strong academic and clinical foundation, the Department aspires to remain a leader in pediatric healthcare, education, research, and innovation while continuing to serve the needs of children and families with excellence and compassion.
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