Smarajit Jana
{{Short description|Indian health scientist (died 2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}
Smarajit Jana (21 July 1952 to 8 May 2021) was a public health scientist of the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata. He is notable for his work for the rights of sex workers in Sonagachi.{{cite web | url=https://thewire.in/rights/dr-smarajit-janas-pioneering-work-removed-stigma-ensured-rights-for-sex-workers | title=Dr Smarajit Jana's Pioneering Work Removed Stigma, Ensured Rights for Sex Workers | publisher=The Wire | work=Mari Marcel Thekaekara | accessdate=18 May 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/ngos-experts-mourn-dr-smarajit-jana-who-worked-for-rights-of-sex-workers-7307339/ | title=NGOs and experts mourn loss of Dr Smarajit Jana, who worked for rights of sex workers | newspaper=The Indian Express | date=10 May 2021 | accessdate=18 May 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2021/may/20210510_smarajit-jana | title=UNAIDS saddened by the death of Smarajit Jana | publisher=UNAIDS | work=Nandini Kapoor | date=10 May 2021 | accessdate=18 May 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://thebridge.in/football/smarajit-jana-football-develop-children-sex-workers-passes-away-21378 | title=Dr Smarajit Jana, who helped children of sex workers to progress through football, passes away | publisher=The Bridge | date=8 May 2021 | accessdate=18 May 2021}} He was an epidemiologist and member of the Indian National Task Force on COVID-19 but ironically died due to Coronavirus.{{Cite news |last=Chandra |first=Shiv Sahay Singh & Jagriti |date=2021-05-10 |title=Epidemiologist Smarajit Jana passes away |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/epidemiologist-smarajit-jana-passes-away/article34528012.ece |access-date=2024-02-01 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}
Early life and education
Jana was a medical doctor and completed his MBBS in 1978 from Calcutta University. He completed his post graduate course on Tropical Medicine and Health from STM, Calcutta between 1981 and 82. He also did his M.D. in Social and Preventive Medicine at AIIH & PH, Calcutta University. He also did courses in epidemiology and health system development in School of Hygiene and Public Health, the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA, AIDS Education and Training Center, The University of Washington, Seattle, USA. and Dept. of Public Health, Leeds University, United Kingdom.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-08 |title=About Dr Jana - AINSW |url=https://www.ainsw.in/about-dr-jana/#:~:text=Dr.,Calcutta%20between%201981%20and%2082. |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=AINSW - |language=en}} His married Madhulina and has a daughter, Samaita, and son, Sambit.{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Andrew |date=2021-07-17 |title=Obituary - Smarajit Jana |url=https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(21)01561-0.pdf |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=www.thelancet.com}}
Career
He is the founder of SHIP, an organisation to prevent HIV and collectivise women in Sex Work. He also played a great role in starting the National Network of Sex Workers and later after he was disillusioned withe same and was instrumental in starting the second National organisation for Sex Workers, the All India Network of Sex Workers (AINSW). He died on 8 May 2020 due to Corona.{{Cite web |title=UNAIDS saddened by the death of Smarajit Jana |url=https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2021/may/20210510_smarajit-jana |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=www.unaids.org |language=en}} In 1992, as a researcher at the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health he worked on the Sonagachi Project. Later, he is also one of the founders of Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC),{{Cite web |date=2021-05-10 |title=Voice of sex workers, Jana loses Covid battle |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/voice-of-sex-workers-jana-loses-covid-battle-7308857/ |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}} a sex workers collective which presently has over 65,000 members. Working with CARE Bangladesh from 1999 to 2003, he helped HIV interventions among sex workers and people who inject drug. Later, he came back to India and served CARE India as Assistant Country Director.
Awards
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jana, Smarajit}}
Category:Indian sex worker activists
Category:Year of birth missing
Category:Activists from West Bengal
Category:Indian health activists
{{India-activist-stub}}