Dr. Mona Duggal is a distinguished public health researcher and the current Director of the ICMR- National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Data Science (NIRDHDS), New Delhi. With extensive expertise in digital health, epidemiology, biomedical research, and maternal and child health, she has led pioneering initiatives to strengthen India’s capacity in data systems, clinical trial analytics, disease surveillance, and evidence-based policy translation. Dr. Duggal has a long-standing commitment to improving public health through technological innovations and the integration of AI into healthcare systems.

At NIRDHDS, Dr. Duggal spearheads the institute’s vision “to drive impact on health by innovating, facilitating, and evaluating digital health solutions and ensuring responsible and inclusive/equitable health delivery for all.” Under her leadership, NIRDHDS is advancing patient-centered digital health innovation, fostering responsible AI adoption, and positioning India at the forefront of global digital health transformation. The institute’s mission is built on a continuous adaptive learning framework, where digital solutions and AI models are validated, monitored, and refined through real-world deployment. Its core priorities include building data infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration, development of ethical AI protocols, innovation pilots, and actionable policy recommendations.

Dr. Duggal’s career spans over two decades, with notable contributions to AI-driven health interventions, maternal health, and public health policy. She is also an adjunct professor at the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology and has received numerous fellowships and research grants to support her work. Her ongoing research includes AI-based risk stratification models, mobile health (mHealth) interventions, and digital health solutions to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations.