Founder & Director
Prof. Sarman Singh
MD, FRCP, FRSC, FAMS, FRSTMH — Internationally acclaimed medical scientist, former Director of AIIMS Bhopal and AIIMS Bibinagar, and one of the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists (Stanford University, 5 consecutive years). With over four decades of leadership in medicine, research and institutional development.
Prof. Sarman Singh
Founder & Director — ACCORD Asha
Former Director & CEO — AIIMS Bhopal
Founder Director — AIIMS Bibinagar, Telangana
Prof. Sarman Singh is the Founder and Director of the Advanced Centre for Chronic and Rare Diseases (ACCORD Asha). His career spans more than four decades at the intersection of medical research, clinical practice, teaching and institutional leadership — including serving as Director & CEO of AIIMS Bhopal, one of India’s premier medical institutions.
Throughout his career, Prof. Singh observed a persistent gap in healthcare: patients with rare and chronic conditions received a diagnosis, but the system did not provide the coordinated, long-term care they needed afterwards. Fragmented specialists, disconnected appointments, limited rehabilitation options and families left to navigate alone — this pattern repeated itself across conditions and across years.
ACCORD Asha is his answer to that gap — a centre built specifically for continuity, where diagnosis is not the end of care but the beginning of a structured, multidisciplinary journey.
Education & Qualifications
Graduate Studies
BSc — Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Agra (Zoology, Botany, Chemistry)
MBBS — King George’s Medical College, Lucknow (1982)
MD — Medical Microbiology
Doctor of Medicine (MD) — Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh (1987).
Diploma in Hospital Administration (DHA)
DHA — YMCA, New Delhi. Specialisation in Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration and Management.
International Certifications
Harvard University — Certificate Course in International Research Ethics (conducted at University of Natal, South Africa)
University of Michigan, USA — Post Graduate Certificate Course in Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases
University of Michigan, USA — Certificate Course in Epidemiology
Career & Leadership Timeline
Founder & Director — ACCORD Asha
Established the Advanced Centre for Chronic and Rare Diseases in New Delhi. Leading development of a comprehensive centre connecting diagnosis, coordinated care, rehabilitation, research and family support.
Director of Medical Research — AV Medical College, Pondicherry
Director of Medical Research and Institutional Collaborations at Aarupadai Veedu Medical College, Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation, Puducherry (until September 2025).
Mentor — MEDSER Centre, IISER Bhopal
Mentored the Medical Sciences and Engineering Research Centre at IISER Bhopal, fostering collaboration between medicine and basic sciences (until February 2024).
Director & CEO — AIIMS Bhopal
Appointed by the Government of India as Director & CEO of AIIMS Bhopal in June 2018. Led the institute through organisational development, academic expansion and a strong evidence-based response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Superannuated in November 2021.
Founder Director — AIIMS Bibinagar, Telangana
Simultaneously served as Founder Director of AIIMS Bibinagar, establishing the new institute from its foundational stage.
Professor of Microbiology — AIIMS New Delhi
Rose to full Professor at India’s premier medical institution. Made seminal contributions to translational medicine and infectious disease research.
Founder — ABHAS (Association for Better Health and Society)
Founded to address poor hygienic conditions in India and to promote public health awareness and social hygiene.
Clinical Microbiologist — AIIMS New Delhi
Joined AIIMS New Delhi in 1988. Spent three decades building the department into a centre of excellence for diagnostic microbiology.
Research & Publications
Prof. Singh’s research spans infectious diseases, public health, mycobacteriology and parasitology, focusing on developing affordable diagnostic technologies for underserved populations.
405+ Peer-Reviewed Publications
Published in world-leading journals including The Lancet, The Lancet Global Health, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Cell, PNAS, BMJ and many others.
6 Books & 52 Book Chapters
Authored or edited six books and contributed 52 chapters to edited volumes covering microbiology, infectious diseases and public health.
7 Patents & Commercialised Technology
Seven patents for diagnostic technologies, with one successfully commercialised for real-world infectious disease detection.
17,000+ Citations
Over 17,405 total citations on Google Scholar. H-index of 66 and i10-index of 276.
Stanford Top 2% Scientist
Consistently ranked among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier for five consecutive years (2020–2024).
Key Research Areas
Leishmaniasis, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, Toxoplasmosis, Mycobacteriology, Parasitology, Public Health, Translational Medicine and diagnostic innovation.
Awards & Honours
More than 30 national and international awards recognising contributions to medicine, research, institutional leadership and public health.
Lifetime Excellence in Medical Leadership, Research & Public Health Award
Conferred at the 7th Cancer Summit & Awards 2026 by IHW Council.
PRSI National Awards — Pride of India Award
Conferred by the Public Relations Society of India for exemplary COVID-19 response at AIIMS Bhopal.
Time Cybermedia International Health Award
For outstanding contributions to healthcare and medical research.
Vigyan Ratna Samman (Science Excellence Award)
Council of Science and Technology, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Dr. B. C. Roy Award (Hari Om Ashram Alembic Research Award)
Presented by Smt. Pratibha D. Patil, President of India. One of India’s most prestigious medical honours.
Merit Award — International Immunocompromised Host Society (USA)
For research excellence in immunocompromised host infections.
ICMR Award — Indian Council of Medical Research
For outstanding research work by a scientist from an underprivileged category.
Young Scientist Award — International Immunocompromised Host Society (USA)
For early-career research excellence.
Biotechnology Long Term Overseas Associateship Award
Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
Mentorship & Editorial Leadership
32 PhD Scholars Supervised
Guided 32 doctoral candidates to completion, building India’s next generation of medical researchers.
40 DM/MD/MS Specialists Trained
Mentored 40 specialist doctors through postgraduate medical training.
65+ MSc Students
Trained over 65 Master’s level students in microbiology, laboratory sciences and public health.
Editor-in-Chief — Journal of Laboratory Physicians
Providing editorial leadership and academic direction for this peer-reviewed journal.
Section Editor — PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Academic Editor for one of the world’s most respected open-access publishers.
40+ Editorial Boards
Serves on more than 40 editorial and advisory boards of national and international journals.
National & International Committees
Prof. Singh serves on grant review panels and expert committees for governments and funding agencies around the world:
UK Medical Research Council
Grant review panel member for a leading global medical research funder.
Government of Germany
Expert review panels for German federal research ministries.
Government of Italy
Expert reviewer for Italian research funding agencies.
Government of South Africa
Advisory and grant review roles for South African research bodies.
Government of Saudi Arabia
Expert review panels for research evaluation.
Indian Expert Bodies
ICMR, DBT, DST, BIRAC, DHR, NAAC, NMC (MCI), MoHFW, CCSEA and numerous universities.
Vision for ACCORD
Rare and chronic conditions are not just diagnostic challenges. They are system challenges — and the system must be designed around the person who needs care for years, not the appointment that lasts thirty minutes.
Prof. Singh’s vision for ACCORD Asha is rooted in the belief that healthcare institutions must take responsibility for what happens after diagnosis. Key pillars include:
- Continuity of care — beyond episodic treatment to structured long-term pathways
- Multidisciplinary coordination — connecting all care providers under one framework
- Diagnostic excellence — accurate, timely and affordable diagnosis
- Rehabilitation as core — integral to the care journey
- Family and caregiver support
- Research and capacity building
- Collaboration over competition
Need for ACCORD like facilities
“Over the years, I saw the same pattern again and again: a child is diagnosed with a rare condition, the family is told what it is — and then they are left to figure out what comes next, largely on their own. No coordination. No continuity. No centre that takes responsibility for the whole journey.”
“That is not acceptable. A diagnosis is only the beginning. What matters is what happens after — and that is what ACCORD is built to address.”
Explore more
About ACCORD
Our mission, vision, infrastructure and development roadmap.
Rare Disease Care
Rare disease diagnosis, treatment and continuing care at ACCORD.
Chronic Care
Coordinated long-term care designed for continuity.
Rehabilitation
Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and functional support.
Patients & Families
Guide for families navigating rare and chronic disease care.
Partnerships
Collaborate with ACCORD.
Get in touch
ACCORD Asha
Advanced Centre for Chronic and Rare Diseases
13, Gaushala Rd, Ansal Villas
Satbari, New Delhi 110074
India
Medical emergency warning: ACCORD's website and contact channels are not emergency services. For a medical emergency, contact your nearest emergency department or emergency service.