Prof. Kasi Sekar

Emeritus Resource Faculty, School of Criminology & Behavioral Science (SCBS).
Professor of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Institute of National Importance Bangalore

About Prof. Kasi Sekar

Prof. Kasi Sekar has a Master’s in Social Work from Madurai Kamaraj University and Ph D in Psychiatric Social Work, from NIMHANS of then Bangalore University. He is Professor of Psychiatric Social Work and Head, Centre for Disaster Management at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore an Institute of National Importance. He is associated with NIMHANS for the past four decades He was the former Registrar, and Head, Department of PSW, NIMHANS. His areas of interest are Disaster Psychosocial Support and Mental Health Services, service-based research on strength based social work practice, Children in difficult circumstances, Community Mental Health and Family of International Classification on Functionality.
Dr. Kasi Sekar has received many awards including the Sinha Award for the best research in the field of social work, the Best Humanitarian Services for the psychosocial care for the Kashmir Earthquake survivors of disaster by the Government of India and Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Independence Day Award by the Government of Tamil Nadu for the Inter State development of Mental Health Services for Children; The WAPR-IC 2016 award for Excellence in Psychosocial Rehabilitation. Dr. Rajeshwar Prassad Award for the Social Policy, Social Action and Social Work by the ISSA, Banaras Hindu University in 2017. NAPSWI Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 for significant contribution to social work knowledge, University of Lucknow.
Dr. Kasi Sekar has worked in most of the major disasters in India since the last three and half decades. He is a core group member of the National Disaster Management Authority on the National Guidelines on Psychosocial Support and Mental Health Services in Disaster Management. He was a Member of the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority. He has developed a normalizing paradigm of psychosocial intervention for survivors of disaster which is solution focused using spectrum of care. He is the Secretary for the National Task Force on Psychosocial Support and Mental Health Services for COVID 19 of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2020.
Dr. Kasi Sekar was former, President, Indian Society of Professional Social Work and Chief Editor of the National Journal of Professional Social Work. He has more than 250 publications both in International and Indian journals. Many of his publication including the training manuals and kits are available on the NIMHANS website. He has widely travelled to many countries in Africa, Australia, Europe, Asia and other countries including Japan in connection with the International Disaster Humanitarian Responses. He has carried out nearly fifty projects with many INGOs, UNODC, UNDP, WHO Geneva and India, GoI, MoH&FW, MoHA and NDMA on psychosocial support for survivors of disaster.
Dr. Kasi Sekar and colleagues carry out regular capacity building programme for trainers and Fellowship Programme on psychosocial support in disaster management. Currently he is working on the issues of Strength based social work practice in mental health, Children in Difficult Circumstances and psychosocial support for vulnerable groups. He is a Member of Academic Council, Selection Committee, BoS, BoE, to nearly thirty Universities in the country and LIC member of NAAC. He is the coordinator for Extra Mural Services with International Universities at the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS, Bangalore.