Our Team
Our dedicated multidisciplinary team working toward innovation in early psychosis care.
Founder
Dr. Thara Rangaswamy
Co-Founder SCARF Vice Chair Research
Dr. Thara Rangaswamy is one of India's leading psychiatrists and mental health researchers, with more than four decades of experience in schizophrenia, community mental health and psychiatric rehabilitation. A co-founder and former Director of SCARF, she has played a pioneering role in advancing mental health research, services and policy in India.
Her work has focused extensively on schizophrenia, recovery and long-term outcomes. She established one of India's longest-running longitudinal cohorts of individuals with first episode schizophrenia, following participants for over 35 years. This work has generated important insights into the long-term course, recovery and outcomes of psychotic disorders, while highlighting the critical importance of timely intervention during the early stages of illness.
Building on this foundation, she established the SCARF First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Program in 2003 in collaboration with the Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis (PEPP), Montreal, Canada. Under her leadership, the program has evolved into one of India's longest-running early intervention services, integrating evidence-based clinical care, family support, research and capacity building to improve outcomes for young people experiencing psychosis.
Team
Dr. Greeshma Mohan
Senior Research Coordinator
Dr. Greeshma Mohan has been closely involved in the development of the SCARF First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Program for over a decade, contributing to its research, service development and implementation.
She completed her PhD at the University of Warwick, United Kingdom, where her research focused on service engagement in First Episode Psychosis.
Her work focuses on early intervention, service engagement, patient and family experiences, and the development and implementation of evidence-based models of care for low- and middle-income settings.
Shruti Rao
Program Coordinator & Counselling Psychologist
Shruti Rao coordinates the SCARF First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Program and oversees its clinical, research, training and internship activities. Trained in Early Intervention in Psychosis at King's College London, her work focuses on the early detection of psychosis, with an emphasis on timely, evidence-based interventions that improve long-term outcomes.
She works closely with individuals and families throughout the early stages of illness, supporting assessment, engagement and recovery while contributing to the continued development of the program's clinical and research initiatives.
Kirtanaa Krishnaswamy
Research Assistant
Kirtanaa Krishnaswamy is a Research Assistant with the SCARF First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Program. Trained in Early Intervention in Psychosis at King's College London, she supports the program's research, public awareness and outreach activities, developing evidence-based resources that make early psychosis information accessible to young people, families and the wider community.
Her work focuses on research, youth engagement and mental health communication, with a particular interest in reducing stigma, improving mental health literacy and promoting early access to care.
We gratefully acknowledge the valuable contributions of Dharunika Bhaskaran, Ann George, Arunima Ramesh and Ramya K to the development of this website during their time at SCARF.
Scientific & Community Advisory Board
The SCARF HOPE Program is guided by a multidisciplinary Advisory Board whose members bring together expertise from mental health, medicine, public health, research, education and community engagement. Reflecting the collaborative principles of early intervention, the Board provides strategic guidance to support the program's continued growth and development, helping ensure that it remains evidence-based, person-centred and responsive to the needs of young people and their families.
Board Members
Want to
Get Involved?
If you are a young person with lived experience of early psychosis, a caregiver, a clinician, or a community ally and would like to contribute to shaping better services and research: