Kiran Martin

Kiran Martin is an Indian paediatrician and social worker. She is the founder of Asha Society, a Delhi-based non-governmental organisation focused on health, education, and community development in urban slum areas. In 2002, she was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, for her contributions to community health.

Early life Martin did her graduate studies in Medicine (MBBS) at the Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi and completed her advanced studies in pediatrics from the Lady Hardinge Medical College of the University of Delhi in 1985.

Asha Society In 1988, during a cholera outbreak in Dr. Ambedkar Basti in South Delhi, Martin volunteered to provide medical assistance to residents. The experience led her to establish Asha Society later that year to improve healthcare and living conditions in urban slum communities. to promote basic healthcare and health awareness at the community level. Asha's work is supported by formal and registered Friends of Asha societies in Great Britain, Australia, Ireland and the USA. In addition, funding agencies such as Tearfund New Zealand, Tear Netherlands and ICCO Netherlands support Asha's work, alongside international governmental agencies such as Irish Aid, NZ Aid, the Japanese government's GGP programme and AusAid.

Among the notable visitors to have visited Asha and accompanied Martin on slum visits include the prime minister of New Zealand, John Key, Australia's prime minister, Julia Gillard in 2012, Denmark prime minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the governor general of New Zealand, Anand Satyanand, the governor of Victoria, Alex Chernov, the first lady of Canada, Sharon Johnston, the first lady of Japan, Miyuki Hatoyama.

Martin has addressed gatherings at the British House of Commons, United States House of Representatives, Harvard University, MIT, Cambridge University, Boston University School of Public Health, Columbia University, Monash University, Melbourne University, Radio New Zealand, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Doordarshan aired a public address of Martin.

Awards and recognition

The Government of India, included her in the Republic Day honours list, in 2002, for the civilian award of Padma Shri. Martin worked with P Chidambaram, India's Home Minister and earlier the Finance Minister, to increase financial inclusion for slum dwellers.

Asha's work was awarded Best Practice by UN-Habitat. In addition, the work of Asha has been cited in publications, research and case studies by institutions such as the World Bank, Tearfund and others.

In 2013, the book A Journey of Hope was published to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of Asha. It tells the story of Asha through the reflections of Martin and the photographs of Ed Sewell. It includes a foreword by former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.