Total Management of Cancer Since 1969
MEET OUR TEAM
Y. K. Sapru
Mr. Sapru is an experienced pharmaceutical professional who started his career with John Wyeth & Brother in 1963, where he progressed from the post of a Medical Representative to the Marketing Director. Subsequently, he joined Johnson & Johnson in the pharmaceutical division for 10 years and the diagnostic division for 7 years. He retired as their Executive Director in 1999. His association with cancer patients began way back in 1969, when he was visiting a friend at Tata Memorial Hospital. On the bed alongside was a little girl battling leukemia, but with little means. Mr. Sapru, along with a few friends, stepped in and raised the money required for the treatment. Jaya Jhabbar was cured and CPAA was born.
It is his vision and farsightedness that has seen a germ of an idea mature into the well-respected association that CPAA is today. It was Mr. Sapru who coined the phrase 'Total Management of Cancer', the credo that has been the cornerstone of CPAA's philosophy all these years. Over the years, he has received several awards and citations, which are a true testimony of his sense of purpose and determination.
Y. K. Sapru
Founder Chairman
Siloo Jasdanwalla
Mrs. Jasdanwalla worked with Mr. Sapru at John Wyeth & Brother as the Family Planning Officer. When he started CPAA, he felt that she would be a valuable asset and asked her to join as Honorary Secretary. She organised the first ‘fund raising programme’ at CPAA with a concert by the noted singer Begum Akhtar. This was followed by several film premier shows in aid of CPAA. Early on she realised the importance of engaging celebrities as ambassadors for our cause. With her grit and determination she opened many doors for CPAA when none had hope.
Siloo Jasdanwalla
Honorary Secretary
Rekha Sapru
Rekha Sapru was a columnist with Dharamyug and Eve's Weekly magazines. She was also a radio and TV artist and had worked with Doordarshan. She was one of the founder members of CPAA. Her husband, Mr. Sapru, started CPAA in 1969, but due to his busy work schedule, the daily running of the fledgling organisation fell on Mrs. Sapru by default. This was a task that she was well suited for, given her exposure to social work from childhood and her column 'Upchar Samachar' for Dharamyug where she answered readers' queries related to medical problems, experience that stood her in good stead when handling the queries of cancer patients and their families.
She was honoured with the Giants Award 1999, in the field of Social Service. Giants International also honoured her for her outstanding contributions at the Giants Anniversary Celebration on the Founder's Day.
Rekha Sapru
Honorary Joint Secretary
Alka Sapru Bisen
Alka brings with her a wealth of experience gained over the last 32 years in cancer support services, financial and emotional counselling and developing partnerships with charitable organisations and corporates to enhance reach within the cancer community. After graduating in Microbiology from St. Xaviers College, Mumbai, she obtained a Post Graduate Degree in Medical Laboratory Techniques from Nair Hospital. After initially working with CPAA for 18 years, she worked at Cancer Council New South Wales, Australia as Program Manager and Financial Counsellor, overseeing Financial Assistance Services for cancer patients and in acute financial hardship.
Alka has recently been is appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and is a member of the Statutory Governing Body of CPAA. In her new role as CEO, she brings in this knowledge and understanding for enhanced impact and better outcomes.Alka Sapru Bisen
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Dr. Nitin Salian
Dr Nitin Salian’s association with CPAA dates back over 3 decades to 1986 when he joined as a panel doctor at the nascent stages of the Cancer Screening activities. He completed his M.S. (General Surgery) from the prestigious Grant Medical College, Mumbai and is now attached to prominent hospitals in Mumbai like Breach Candy Hospital, Cumballa Hill Hospital and Wockhardt Hospital as a Consultant General Surgeon. He brings with him decades of experience as a surgeon, teacher and mentor. In his role as CPAA’s Chief Medical Director he will guide the Cancer Prevention and Early Detection teams through current and relevant medical advice, best practices of cancer screening, compliance challenges and good governance to enhance the mission, impact and reach. His presence will also provide strategic direction and mentorships to the leadership team in projects aligned with CPAA’s mission of Total Management of Cancer in areas of Cancer Awareness, Prevention and Screening. Dr Salian’s valuable inputs will guide Team CPAA to manoeuvre through of the ever changing landscape of Cancer Management.Dr. Nitin Salian
Chief Medical Director
Dr. Shashi Bakre
A general practitioner by profession, Dr. Bakre was well-known for her social work despite her growing practice. She joined CPAA in 1971 when its activities were expanding from just aid disbursement to including preventive aspects of cancer. She initiated CPAA's first cancer screening camp and has seen it grow from clinics at the Sophia College Medical Centre to St. Elizabeth Nursing Home, Adams Wylie Hospital at Agripada and Naigaon and most recently at Prabhadevi.Dr. Shashi Bakre
Medical Director
Manju Gupta
Manju Gupta was the first newscaster and newsreader with Bombay Doordarshan, presenting programmes in both Hindi and English. In 1974 she moved to US and worked at Cornell University Medical College during the day, attending a course in Television and Film Production at night. When she returned to India in 1982, she joined Doordarshan again, a move that would eventually bring her to CPAA. She joined CPAA in 1984 and as her first assignment created 5 low cost audiovisuals for CPAA. These were greatly appreciated and raised awareness about CPAA activities. She then took charge of the newly sanctioned Adams Wylie center where the Red Cross had given space to CPAA, for rehabilitation and employment of cured cancer patients. The Rehabilitation Centre started under her tutelage with just one person and a single machine. Manju has used her initiative and creativity to develop the centre with a capacity to accommodate almost 100 persons, who can be trained in various arts and crafts like tailoring, painting, book binding, etc. Her contribution towards creating this oasis for cancer patients has been awarded with multiple awards and citations. Over the years, Manju has contributed many articles to the prestigious “Dharmyug”, a Times of India Publication, has been a ghost editor of “Janssen News”, a Phychriatric News Magazine of Johnson & Johnson, and been a member of Council for Fair Business Practices, Consumer Affair Cell, Film Censor Board, Agroha Vikas Trust, Shri Hari Satsang Samiti, Akhil Bhartiya Agarwal Sammelan, FICCI Ladies Wing and IMC Ladies Wing, Mumbai. Manju is particularly proud of creating the “Salonè Diyè” range of diyas, Candles and Gift Products, exclusive Hotel Linen items for the Taj Group of Hotels which are regularly supplied all over India and abroad, and an indigenously developed hand-made Breast Prosthesis made by cancer patients for mastectomy patients Salonè Diyè and Gift Articles have been show cased every year in multiple National and International Exhibitions, and have won allocades from one and all.Manju Gupta
Executive Director, Rehabilitation
Dr. Shubha Maudgal
Dr. Maudgal, a PhD from IIT Mumbai, has worked as a Resident Research Associate at NASA, USA; Technical Services Executive at Johnson & Johnson, Mumbai; Scientist at Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bangalore and Research Scientist at National Physical Laboratory, London. When she joined CPAA in 1999 her first task was to help set up CPAA presence on the World Wide Web through an informative and exhaustive website. Having seen, what this relatively new medium could achieve abroad, Shubha felt that this was a project worth pursuing. The website provided a means to make CPAA’s activities known to a wider audience, helped network with similar organisations globally and made it easier to reach potential customers of products produced by the Rehabilitation Centre, thus making us economically self-sufficient. Today she spear-heads the Special Projects team by applying prevailing technology, ideas or issues to take the organisation forward and upward.Dr. Shubha Maudgal
Executive Director, Special Projects
Anita Peter
Anita Peter joined CPAA in 1991. Her multi faceted nature, exemplary, communication skills and commitment, soon saw Anita move to the position of Director, Cancer Insurance Policy, a department which required perfect balance between customer satisfaction, empathy towards patients and deliverance of Insurance claims on time. She plays a very vital role in Event Management and shares a major responsibility in organising events for the association. Anita's liaising skills benefited the organisation in the form of donations and goodwill. She is the proud recipient of the UICC's APCASOT Fellowship for a study she undertook on the methodology utilised to combat tobacco issues and cancer screening at the Queensland Cancer Fund (QCF), Australia in 2004. Since then, Anita has been responsible for the training of the international APCASOT (UICC) scholars that CPAA hosts for a week every year.Anita Peter
Executive Director, Advocacy and Cancer Support
Neeta More
Neeta More is an Economics graduate and has qualified with a course in law. She joined CPAA in 1990 in Administration department, followed by a stint in Fund Raising, before she found her forte in the Awareness and Early Diagnosis Department. She now heads the Prevention and Early Diagnosis Department, which tries to tackle the problem of lack of knowledge and highlights the importance of regular cancer screening and follow up. The team identifies groups, deliver lectures and arrange on-site camps at factories, mills and offices. Neeta has developed a special ability to reach the influential person in charge and arrange camps where most needed, be it a jails, police stations or even red light area. She has consciously formed alliances with social workers in various fields and organisations and paramedical social workers, to reach the underprivileged. She completed UICC's APCASOT Fellowship for a study that she undertook on the topic prevention and Early Detection at the Queensland Cancer Fund (QCF), Australia in 2007.Neeta More
Executive Director, Cancer Screening Services
Vinaya Chacko
Vinaya Chacko, heads the most vital Patient Care Department and has been with CPAA since 1990. She joined CPAA after acquiring a Bachelors degree in Arts (Social Sciences) from SNDT College, Mumbai. Her repertoire of activities include registration of patients, hospital visits, planning medical aid, counseling and support for patients and their family members. Besides, she is associated with planning house visits for palliative patients, organising special events, conducting playgroups for pediatric patients at various hospitals and institutes. She has also started working on a clinical research relating to counseling of breast cancer patients. Vinaya has received special training through programs like Breast Cancer Support Group Volunteers Training course organized by Indian Cancer Society, Sahachari and Mastectomees Association of India and Training Progamme in Social Work for Volunteers organized by Department of Extra Mural Studies, Tata Institute of Social Science. She recently attended The International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) meeting at the CICG, Geneva, Switzerland, where she made a presentation on ‘Art Therapy for Cancer Afflicted Children’.Vinaya Chacko
Executive Director, Patient Care
Shailja Singh
Shailja Singh is the Executive Director, Resource Mobilization and Events at Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA). She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and has been working with CPAA for over 2 decades. Her current assignment is raising and mobilising funds; networking with different stake holders for fundraising projects; conceptualizing, organizing and managing various fund raising events for total management of cancer and spreading awareness of the activities of the organization; organizing events for the patient and their families with corporate participation and involvement. Ms. Singh has participated in several national and international conferences and presented papers on sharing her experiences for the critical activity of fund raising for cancer patients. She has completed her UICC APCASOT Fellowship at Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, Australia in 2009 on her study on Fundraising Strategies. She has presented papers on ‘Income Generation’ at the UICC World Cancer Congress, at Montreal, Canada, in 2012 and ‘Fundraising Strategies’ at UICC World Cancer Congress 2018 at Kula Lumpur. Ms. Singh has also completed a UICC Masters course in Effective Collaboration to address the Challenges of Cancer.Shailja Singh
Executive Director, Events and Resource Development
Dr. Noopur Khare
Dr. Noopur Khare, an accomplished scientist, specializes in oncology, drug design, molecular biology, gene expression, and chemo-sensitization studies. Her extensive work in chemo-sensitization to combat multidrug resistance in chemotherapy has significantly contributed to improving cancer treatment. Her affiliation with the Birla Institute of Technology, numerous presentations at national and international conferences, and multiple publications in renowned journals reflect her active engagement in the scientific community and her contribution to disseminating knowledge in oncology. Dr. Khare is at the forefront of cutting-edge research methods, particularly in cancer studies and innovative procedure development. In July 2023, she joined Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) as a Director, prioritizing awareness, education, and prevention initiatives for cervical cancer. Through CPAA’s Eliminate Cervical Cancer Program, she dispels myths, educates communities about lifestyle factors, and organizes screening and vaccination camps in diverse settings, contributing to both immediate challenges and long-term health improvements. Her passion lies in breast and cervical cancer research and immunology, where she aspires to make substantial contributions thereby positively impacting the healthcare landscape. Moreover, Dr. Khare has played a pivotal role in assisting renowned companies in establishing their molecular and cytology labs. Her expertise in this area has been instrumental in advancing their research capabilities and expanding their scientific endeavours.Dr. Noopur Khare
Director, Cancer Prevention Unit
Niharika Raina
Niharika Raina has a bachelor’s degree in Arts and Diploma in Interior Designing. She started working with CPAA’s Delhi Branch as a volunteer in 1980 and full time thereafter in 2000. She was responsible for organising cancer screening and awareness camps and in managing day to day operations of the branch. She now heads the New Delhi branch and is deeply involved in spear-heading and supervising it’s activities.Niharika Raina
Director, New Delhi Branch
Sumangla Sapru
After her graduation in Economics from Sophia College, Mumbai, Sumangala worked for a year with CPAA in 1986. She joined CPAA's Pune Branch in 2013, having spent several years in the interim in the education sector where she worked as a teacher and coordinator at various schools. While her initial focus was on fundraising activities, she gradually took on additional responsibilities including organising detection camps and awareness sessions and handling administrative matters. She took over as the head of the Pune branch in 2018 and under her guidance the unit has gone from strength to strength in organising each of CPAA's core activities.Sumangla Sapru
Executive Director, Pune Branch
Kirti Dustakar
Kirti has a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Economics from Mumbai University. She joined CPAA in 1995 initially in the Diagnostic Services department. Since then she has gained experience across several departments within CPAA giving her a unique over-all perspective. She found her calling during her stint in the Administration department and has grown professionally demonstrating a great sense of responsibility, accountability and skill. In this capacity she has worked closely with the management which has enhance her analytical skill, attention to detail. These experiences have helped her to contribute significantly to the digitalising process of CPAA by taking the lead in implementing the HRMS system.Kirti Dustakar
Treasurer, Director Human Resources
Clotilda D’souza
A versatile professional with over 28 years of work experience, Clotilda (fondly known as Clotty) joined Cancer Patient's Aid Association (CPAA) in 2011. With a wide range of expertise that spans operations, logistics, finance, and human resources, as our Director of Administration, Clotty delivers seamless end-to-end office operations by leveraging technology and best management practices resulting in a consumer-grade experience.Clotilda D’souza
Director, Administration
Aditi Bapat
Aditi has a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Economics from Mumbai University and a Diploma in Software Technology and Systems Management from NIIT. She has successfully completed her UICC APCASOT fellowship at the Queensland Cancer Fund, Brisbane, Australia. She joined CPAA in 2001 and currently heads the Information Technology Services of CPAA. She is responsible for overseeing technology operations and evaluating them, devising and establishing IT policies and systems, planning, implementing, and managing computer networks and software to mobile devices and cloud computing in order to harness emerging technologies to improve efficiency and create new opportunities for the organization. She conducts regular training and upskilling sessions for all employees on information technology policies and procedures to ensure compliance. She also manages CPAA’s digital platform and oversees branding and related collaterals.Aditi Bapat
Director, Information Technology
Phul Mathur
Director, Resource Development
Zainab Allana
Director, Resource Development
Zakia Topiwala
Director, Resource Development
Kavita Kulkarni
Director, Resource Development
Susmita Mitra
Director, Special Projects