About Book
'Outbreak Investigations: Diary of a Shoe-Leather Epidemiologist' takes readers into the front lines of real-world disease control, where outbreaks are solved not in classrooms, but in villages, hospital, and crisis rooms. Drawing on firsthand investigations, Dr. Rakesh PS blends compelling field narratives with practical epidemiological insight to show how outbreaks are truly detected, understood, and stopped.
More than a technical guide, this book reveals the judgment, ethics, and courage required when data is incomplete, pressure is high, and decisions cannot wait. From surveillance failures and waterborne epidemics to political resistance and community mistrust, it captures the human and systemic realities behind public health response.
Written for students, practitioners, and aspiring public health leaders, this is both a field manual and a memoir—an essential reminder that epidemiology, at its heart, is detective work done in service of people.
About Author
Dr. Rakesh PS (MD, PhD) has dedicated his life to a mission of service that began at age 15 when he received the Rashtrapati Scout Award from the President of India. A recognized public health intervention specialist and a medical doctor, he is a leading force in building resilient, sustainable health systems through community-driven innovation. With over 15 years of experience, including tenures at the World Health Organization (WHO) and The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), he has been a driving force behind major public health milestones.
He spearheaded the technical roadmap that led the Union Territory of Lakshadweep to be declared the first "TB Free" geography in a high-burden country. He is also the co-architect of innovative public health models such as STEPS (System for TB Elimination by Private Sector), vulnerability-based active surveillance, and women-led hypertension control initiatives in urban slums. His field expertise is deeply forged in crisis management; he has investigated and managed over 20 disease outbreaks and provided critical technical support for Kerala’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
Dr. Rakesh has been instrumental in pioneering local government stewardship in disease elimination and strengthening comprehensive lung health interventions at the primary care level. Additionally, he has served as a consultant at UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services) for supporting national governments in their efforts to end TB.
A Bernard Lown Scholar in Cardiovascular Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, USA, Dr. Rakesh holds an M.D. in Community Medicine from Christian Medical College, Vellore, and a PhD in Public Health. He is an action-researcher with over 130 scientific publications and has authored three community education book series.
