Director
Dr. Renu Abraham Varughese, a distinguished clinical gerontologist, accomplished scholar, and
educator, serves as an Associate Professor at Mercy University in New York, USA. She holds a PhD in
Gerontology, an MPhil in Gerontological Guidance and Counselling, an MS in Clinical Aging, and is
currently pursuing an MBA in Organizational Leadership.
Dr. Varughese’s passion and strong commitment to research on aging in developing nations led her
to India, where she conducted a groundbreaking five-year cross-cultural comparative study (2000-
2005) of seniors residing in long-term care centers in India and the USA. This study was the first of its
kind between developed and developing nations.
Dr Varughese was awarded the prestigious US-Nehru Fulbright for Professional Excellence in 2015 by
the US Department of State and Cultural Affairs. The research focussed on the feasibility of
implementing a culturally appropriate Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) for residents in long-
term care facilities in India. In 2016, the Fulbright Board awarded her a travel grant to Sri Lanka to
present this research.
Dr. Varughese received the most prestigious Fulbright Specialist award (2019-2024) to spearhead
the “Train the Trainer” program for the elder care workforce in South Africa and Sub-Saharan
countries in 2024, hosted by CommonAge and TAFTA.
Dr. Varughese is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and serves as the national head of
CommonAge’s India chapter. She is also the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for the Travancore
Foundation, a group of assisted living facilities in Kerala, India. Additionally, she is the founding
director of the Travancore Foundation Education and Research Center on Ageing (TF ERCA), the first
senior care institution in India to establish a service-academic collaboration. TF ERCA offers Post
Graduate Diploma and Certificate programs in geriatric care, with an emphasis on interprofessional
education.
Dr. Varughese employs a dynamic mentoring and simulation-based learning approach, fostering an
engaging environment where learners can explore complex global issues and develop analytical skills
for effective solutions. She strategically prepares learners at all levels, including early-career
researchers, to become the next generation of leaders. Through her interdisciplinary research, global
partnerships, and commitment to mentorship, Dr. Varughese makes significant contributions to the
aging sector and inspires positive change in the lives of elders worldwide. Dr. Varughese is a global
speaker at universities and colleges, promoting the concepts of healthy aging and combating ageism.
She has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences in Vienna,
Singapore, South Africa, India, and various locations across the U.S.
Other awards and grants Dr Varughese has received include:
- The Sath Sevana (devotion to service) Award in 2023 by the Indo-American Press Club, USA
- The Founder’s Excellence Award in 2022 by Association for Senior Living India (ASLI) as the first women to receive this award for exemplary elder care service
- The John Hartford Foundation geriatric scholar awards in 2007 and 2010 and various other academic and scholar society scholarships.