# Duru Shah

Duru Shah is a Mumbai-based gynaecologist academic and women activist. She is the Founder President of the PCOS Society, India and a promoter of adolescent girls and women's health and infertility in India. Shah is also the promoter of Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. She is also a Consultant ObGyn.: Breach Candy Hospital, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai.
She is also the guide for postgraduate students in Obs. Gyn. for Doctorate of Medicine at Mumbai University. She is the Director of Gynaecworld the center for Women's Health and Fertility, Mumbai. Dr Duru Shah has authored five books and published various research articles. She is a member of the Editorial Board of The Obstetrician & Gynecologist (TOG), Climacteric and the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences. In 2000, Dr Shah initiated adolescent reproductive and sexual health project in India and got it included in the School Curriculum. She is currently the Chair of the Council of Affiliated Menopause Societies (CAMS) IMS, and the Vice President of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE), and member of the Women’s Health Vertical of C-20, India. She has been the Past President of the Federation of Obstetrics & Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), Indian Society of Assisted Reproductive (ISAR), Indian Menopause Society (IMS, India) and Chair of the Indian College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ICOG).

## Early life and education

Shah did her medical education (MBBS) from Grant College, Mumbai and holds a Post Graduate Degree in ObGyn and a Fellowship of the Royal College of ObsGyn. She was a resident doctor at Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital in ObGyn during 1972-75 and an Honorary Professor of ObsGyn of the Mumbai University.

## Career

Shsh started her career in 1977 at Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital in Mumbai. She worked there as a Senior Registrar and became a Lecturer at the Grant Medical College, Mumbai, where she taught young doctors about pregnancy and women's health. In 1981, Shah became part time Research officer at Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital and the Indian Council of Medical Research. At the same time, she also started her own private practice. She became an Honorary Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mumbai University's Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital in 1985. As a President of FOGSI she initiated “The Suprabha Ganga Yatra” (a 5 year project) – A Rural Women’s health program to reduce the rate of women dying during childbirth (maternal mortality) which was very high in the region through which the Ganga flows. She has been the Convenor of FOGSI’s “Violence against women” cell and she initiated the “STAR” programme (Survivor Treatment Advocacy & Responsibility) on how to correctly collect medical evidence in cases of sexual abuse. As a Member of the Ethics Committee of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), she spearheaded the creation of two documents on ‘Ethical Guidance on Health Care Professional’s Responses to Violence Against Women’ and ‘Ethical Issues After Sexual Assault’.

## Publications (Books)

* Practical Infertility Management (2002) ISBN 9788125022060
* The Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (2004) ISBN 9788125026334
* Fetal Attraction (2005) ISBN 9788179923528
* Clinical Progress in Obstetrics & Gynecology (2009) ISBN 9788184482157
* Pregnancy and You Plan, Prepare Push! (2016) ISBN 9788184958782
* Text Book on Obstetrics & Gynecology in perceptive, 2 Volume, First Edition Dr. Usha Krishna and Second Edition with Narendra Malhotra ASIN B08QS1RGMW
* Current Practice in Obstetrics & Gynecology- 3 Endometriosis (2023) ISBN 9789356961562

## Editorial responsibilities

* Editor in chief, of the “Journal of Mid-life Health” of the Indian Menopause Society, 2012-2014-2016
* “Post Reproductive Health” Journal of the British Menopause Society, London, 2008 -2016
* “Climacteric” – the Journal of the International Menopause Society, 2010 onwards
* “The Obstetrician & Gynecologist”, the Journal of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) London, 2006 onwards
* The Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences (JRHS), the Journal of the Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction 2017 onwards.
* Editorial Board of "Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology and Metabolism", of the International Society of Gynaecological Endocrinology (ISGE)

## Positions held

* Director: Digital EducationInternational Menopause Society(IMS)2016-2018
* Past President of the Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction (ISAR) - 2017-2018
* Past President of the Indian Menopause Society
* Chair of the Special Interest Group (SIG) on Reproductive Endocrinology at ASPIRE (Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction)
* Chair of the Indian Special Interest Group (ISIG) at ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
* International Advisor: Special Interest Group (SIG), “Safety & Quality in ART”(SQART)
* European Society of Human Reproduction & Embryology (ESHRE) 2019 -2021
* Chair of the Indian College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ICOG)
* Technical expert to the Ministry of Health, Government of India and WHO
* President of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI),
* President Mumbai Obstetric and Gynaecological Society (MOGS)
* Member of the Ethics Committee of FIGO

## Awards and recognition

* Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynecology– November 2008.
* First Indian to receive international FIGO Distinguished Merit Award (2012)
* “OPPI Recognition Award” by Hon. Minister of State, Smt. Anupriya Patel, for outstanding contribution in the field of women’s health, Delhi, India, July 2018.
* Awarded the “Iconic Gynecologist & Fertility Expert” March 7, 2022, by the Honorable Bhagat Singh Koshyari (Governor of Maharashtra).
* “Mahatma Award 2021” for Social Responsibilities and Gender Equality, New Delhi by the Ex-Governor Ms. Kiran Bedi.
* Lifetime Achievement Award for Valuable Services rendered to FOGSI and lifelong Commitment to our Speciality”, by “The Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India on January 10th, 2022.
* “MOGS- Dr. B. N. Purandare Outstanding Service Award” for Lifelong Commitment and Yeoman Services rendered to the Cause of Women’s Health & Rights, 19 March 2022.

## Philanthropy

She initiated project Kishori - an 8 years program for urban slum Dharavi. Which focussed on community-based adolescent empowerment. She also initiated a 10 year program called “Growing Up” in schools all over the country from 2000 to 2010 to educate young girls on their menstruation and puberty and adolescence.
She is the founder of the "Women's Empowerment Foundation," which is now known as the Metropolis Foundation. The Foundation has developed a health education app called "TooShyToAsk" with Metropolis Healthcare Limited.
Dr. Duru Shah also heads the PCOS Society of India. PCOS is a long term health problem, and she aims to update physicians on the latest research in the field. She organizes digital and in-person activities to share knowledge about PCOS with physician who deal with PCOS.

## Personal life

She is married to Sushil Shah who is the Chairman of Metropolis Healthcare and Chairs the Metropolis Foundation. She has two daughters, Aparna Shah, who is a Molecular Geneticist in Miami (USA) and Ameera Shah, who is the MD of Metropolis Healthcare, and has 3 grandchildren, Alisha, Neil and Karma.