My broad area of research involves an inter-disciplinary approach to cultural dimensions of mental health across nations, with a focus on Britain and South Asia. I am particulalry interested in generating questions from the clinic, and based on insights from social sciences, to carry out translational research and bring the findings back to the clinic. Through a series of linked research questions being addressed in the UK and India, I aim to systematically build a portfolio of themses that shape mental health and suffering of marginalsed groups: Black and Ethnic minority patients in psychiatric care, homeless population in London and Chennai, Cultural identity of Dalit (formerly 'untouchable' caste)groups in India. Applying insights from anthropology and public health, my research objective focuses on how 'centres' construct and generate 'periphery' and vice versa, and how these issues might impact on mental health and cultural identity. I have recently pioneered an innovative clinical approach for acutely unwell patients in mental health care. This approach, called The Cultural Formulation approach, involves a cultural dialogue between clinicians and patients, between institutions and communities, that faciliates better assessment and engagement with psychiatric patients. I am currently testing out the clinical efficacy of this clinical cultural intervention through a randomised controlled intervention trial in acute mental health settings of Camden & islington NHS Foundation Trust. This department of Health funded project is also aimed at examining the cultural barriers and facilitators to delivering care across ethnic groups. This is being achieved through an ethnography of a locked intensive care unit for acutely unwell patients. My other research activity in the UK is the examination of the cultural encounters between NHS overseas staff and indegenous white british patients. I have conducted A pilot study on South asian psychiatrists in Northern England. Findings suggest considerable scope and potential for cultural skills training for overseas health professionals. International Research include: 1)Co-directing a research unit at the Banyan Academy for Leadership in Mental Health. This collaborative research aims at examining a) the efficacy of a popular Chennai based NGO for homeless mentally unwell women b) ethnographic examination of narratives of return to home. The project is expected to deliver a better understanding of mental health aspects of marginalised population in India, and contribute to the development of organically rooted knowledge and texts on local socio-economic and political forces that shape suffering. Seed funding for this pilot initiative has been provided by the office of the Vice Provost International. For further details see http://www.balm.in/html/ucl_collaporation.html 2) Stigmatisation of severe mental illness across 16 nations (jointly with Prof. Roland Littlewood) deploying an ethnographically constructed stigmatisation questionnairre developed by Prof. Littlewood. Findigs from this ongoing study have been published. Current doctorate research supervision focusses on Clinical Anthropology & Mental Health, with a strong focus on India. Current topics include: 1) Rural mental Health in India, 2) Rehabilitation of Child Soldiers in Nepal, 3) Farmers Suicide in India, & 4) Mental health dimensions of Health Tourism in India. Post doctorate research on Cross-cultural research on Stigmatisation, and Ethno-semantics of Stigma in progress.