Remembering Pooja Ramchandran

-Anu Acharya 

I met Pooja in 2013 when we had just started Mapmygenome. Something was striking about her personality. She was warm, passionate, articulate, funny and exuberant. We clicked instantly and knew she would be a great addition to the team. But genetic counselors were rare, and we did not really have a full-time role at that time since we had just begun and so she became a consultant. She moved to another company for a year from 2015 to 2016. During that time we realized that Mapmygenome and Pooja needed each other. Our culture was more in tune with her and we needed her guidance and leadership to build our genetic counseling team that was now growing.

She was now part of our core team and she was an amazing fit with all of us. She was
incredibly passionate about genetic counseling that she had pioneered after studying at John Hopkins in the US and returned to India to ensure that the country could use her skills. It wasn't easy as she often told me but she was determined. She ensured that anyone who became part of the team understood not just the science of genetic counseling but also the art of listening and communicating with empathy. That, I think, is what made all the difference.

She was dealt with a poor set of genes, but that never deterred her. She had autoimmune related disease for as many years as I knew her and before. But when Pooja counseled patients, one could never tell that she suffered immense amounts of pain in her life. She would take care to cover those flare ups with full sleeves, socks and her infectious smile till the final months of her life. Over the years, it became harder for her to type, the flare ups were increasing but she found solace in becoming a standup comedian at night till she physically could. She was also a wonderful singer and in the last trip we took to Kerala, she was learning a new musical instrument called a handpan and I was lucky to hear her play it then. The last meal we shared was breakfast in Kochi and we took the meal upto the terrace and took some photos and laughed with the wandering wind.

One of the initiatives we took recently has been the “Genomics Gupshup” series where we chat with experts in genetics and allied areas and chat about genomics. I am glad that we spoke in February and had a fun conversation as always.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmfbLrqu4jk

Like some of us in Mapmygenome, she always enjoyed a good prank. But this time, life played a terrible one. She was falling sick more often but then she emailed me on the 1st of April that they were looking at an initial diagnosis of metastatic ovarian cancer and wished that it was an April fool’s joke. But clearly it wasn't.

Over the next few days she would call me to update on the course of treatment. I think the last time I spoke to her was on April 22nd or so. She sounded groggy and sick and immediately said it was “drunk pooja'' and we laughed about it. On April 24th, I had a missed call and it was her sister who answered it. Over the next few days, she would tell us how she was. The team sent her a video hoping for the best. On 30th of April, she told me that Pooja was gone. There was no coming back from this.

We will miss Pooja terribly, but she leaves a legacy behind. We now have a meeting room which has all her books and is named after her. Hopefully that will continue to inspire others in the genetic counselling field.

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Pooja Ramchandran was an alumnus of the esteemed joint genetic counseling training program
between Johns Hopkins University and the National Human Genome Research Institute, USA. She returned to India in 2008 with the aim of contributing to healthcare with her unique clinical expertise in the fields of medical genetics and psychological counseling. In the past, Ramchandran has worked with Eastern Biotech, a Dubai-based genetic testing company; assisted reproductive technology clinics at DY Patil, Hiranandani Fortis, and Lilavati hospitals in Mumbai; the Maternal Fetal Medicine unit at Hinduja Healthcare, Mumbai; and Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA), a non-profit organization where she remains actively involved in the volunteer training program as a cancer educator. Ramchandran has been a speaker at several international and national conferences, as well as patient advocacy groups and educational institutes. She has contributed chapters to publications for physician education in the assisted reproduction and prenatal genetics specialties.
Ramchandran was Vice President, Genetic Counseling at MapMyGenome, India's leading genomics company where she oversaw and facilitated genetic counseling expertise for genetics and genomics referrals for prenatal, pediatric, adult patients from across the country and the globe. She also dedicated time to mentor students interested in the field of genetic counseling through shadowing opportunities that provide insights into the intellectually stimulating and emotionally fulfilling career as a genetic counselor. An opinion leader, Ramchandran was a much sought-after expert in a niche profession and, being the first genetic counselor in the country with a formal degree in genetic counseling, she was committed to establishing global standards of genetic counseling in India.

Remembering Pooja Ramchandran

We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Pooja Ramchandran — a pioneer in the field of genetic counselling in India, VP Genetic Counselling at MapmyGenome, and a beloved colleague, mentor, and friend to all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Pooja was the first genetic counsellor in India with a formal degree in genetic counselling, having graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2008. She dedicated her career to establishing the genetic counselling profession in India — a mission she pursued with extraordinary passion, expertise, and compassion. She was a much sought-after expert in a niche profession, and her contributions to MapmyGenome, to her patients, and to the broader genetics community in India are immeasurable.

Pooja had a rare gift: the ability to translate complex genetic information into clear, compassionate guidance that empowered patients and families to make informed decisions about their health. She was a pioneer, a mentor, and a force of nature — and she was also, characteristically, a stand-up comedian who brought laughter and lightness to every room she entered.

Her legacy lives on in every patient she counselled, every colleague she mentored, and every family she helped navigate the most difficult moments of their lives with knowledge, dignity, and hope.

We miss her deeply. We honour her always.