10/01/2026
The second session of The Bengaluru Debates brought together senior policymakers and public health experts to examine how Bengaluru’s growth is reshaping city systems, and what that means for our everyday health as citizens.
The panelists were () Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, () Dr. Ashwath Narayan C N, MLA, Malleshwaram and Former Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka, () Dr Shreelata Rao Seshadri, Professor and Director, The Ramalingaswami Centre on Equity and Social Determinants of Health - PHFI, Bangalore, and (.mor) Dr Nachiket Mor, Economist and Health Systems Researcher, moderated by Srikanth Viswanathan.
The conversation looked beyond healthcare to the city itself: how mobility, air quality, water, housing, and public spaces shape health outcomes long before people enter the healthcare system. It also underscored a shared view: public health needs to be treated as a city-wide outcome and not a standalone sector — and that calls for a more coordinated, preventive approach to urban governance.
The formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority was discussed as a potential opportunity to strengthen coordination across institutions and agencies, and to bring public health considerations more systematically into city planning and governance decisions.
