- Mangalorean MIT and Harvard graduate starts work at the prestigious Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
A bright new star shines in the Mangalorean community. After graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology university(MIT) in June 2016, Deepa Fernandes Prabhu started work as a Senior Manager at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in August 2016.
She received her master’s degree in Systems Design and Management which is an engineering management degree offered jointly by MIT’s School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management. Her bachelor’s degree and first master’s degree were in Biomedical Engineering. Later she received a second master’s degree, in Management, from Harvard University in 2009. This year she has done the community proud by bagging her third master’s degree from MIT.
Prior to MIT, she worked as a manager in Philips Healthcare managing the release of complex defibrillators. Acknowledging her conscientious attitude and interest in healthcare, the MIT-Tata Centre funded by the esteemed Tata Foundation and mentored by Ratan Tata awarded her a full fellowship to study at MIT. Her thesis research took her to Dharwad-Hubli in Karnataka and Seraikela districts in Jharkhand to interview community health workers and medical doctors in rural primary healthcare centers.
The academic brilliant star is an extrovert and has taken part in many cultural and social activities. During winter she loves to ski while in the summer she indulges in water sports like swimming and kayaking. Another enjoyable occupation of hers is painting still-life in watercolors as seen here which have been exhibited in galleries in Boston. As President of the Indian Catholic association in Boston, for many years, Deepa organized cultural and religious events to bring the community together.
She has a vivacious personality and is active in varied fields. At MIT, Deepa took fencing, sailing, archery and pistol shooting classes to earn a pirate’s certificate. The pirate’s certificate, recently been introduced at MIT, invokes the student spirit of being entrepreneurial and risk taking thereby urging them onwards to blaze their own trails. The honorary pirate’s certificate was also awarded to graduation speaker Matt Damon on graduation day.
Deepa is the grand-niece of Dr Lawrence (Lorsu) Fernandes who dedicated his life to healthcare service at Father Muller Hospital. She looks forward to giving back to the community and making an impact through her work at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. On behalf of the community, we wish her well.
by Joan Fernandes
What a joy to learn that Deepa, the beloved niece of late Dr. Lorsu Fernandes shining with her specialty of discipline thru MIT and Harvard thru the courtesy of Belinda and Bill Gates Foundation. Dr.Lorsu Fernandes has done wonders at Fr.Mjuller’s Hospital during the difficult days of India’s colonial life. Dr. Lorsu Fernandes legacy is strong and lively all over in Mangalore. We hope that Deepa will take the pains to visit Mangalore some time and share her glorious triumphs in MIT and Harvard. Let the people benefit from her dedication to life, and let her continue to give back… Read more »
Congratulations. Giving back to the society runs in the family. The statue of Fr.Muller and Dr.Lorsaab is at the entrance of Fr.Muller’s Hospital. Harvard and MIT are the most prestigious Institutions in the USA and having several Master degrees to her credit is amazing achievement.
Thank you for your kind comment. I will be visiting Mangalore in December. Hope to see you then. My email address is deereen at mit dot edu