Professor and Head at Veterinary College and Research Institute, Salem TANUVAS, India
Dr. M. Vijaya Bharathi is a highly accomplished veterinary epidemiologist and public health expert with over two decades of academic, clinical, and research experience. Currently serving as Professor and Head of the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology at Veterinary College and Research Institute (VCRI), Salem, she has been a driving force in infectious disease control, epidemiology, and veterinary public health in India. Dr. Bharathi has made pioneering contributions in rabies research, zoonotic disease control, and veterinary education, and is a recognized leader in academic and community engagement.
Publication Profile
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Educational Background 🎓
Dr. M. Vijaya Bharathi began her academic journey in the field of veterinary science by obtaining her Bachelor of Veterinary Science (B.V.Sc) degree in 1999. She continued her postgraduate studies and earned a Master of Veterinary Science (M.V.Sc) degree in Veterinary Preventive Medicine in 2001. Driven by her passion for epidemiology and public health, she pursued and completed her Ph.D. in Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine in 2005. Her academic qualifications reflect a strong foundation in preventive medicine, infectious disease control, and epidemiological research, forming the bedrock of her distinguished career.
Professional Experience 💼
Dr. Bharathi’s professional career spans over two decades, during which she has held several academic and research positions within reputed institutions. She began as a Research Associate at Kerala Veterinary University under TANUVAS from 2002 to 2003, contributing to vital research in veterinary health. From 2005 to 2010, she served as an Assistant Professor in the Emergency and Critical Care Unit at Madras Veterinary College, where she gained extensive clinical and academic experience. Following this, she worked at the Farmers Training Centre in Kancheepuram from 2010 to 2011, where she engaged in veterinary outreach and farmer education.
She returned to Madras Veterinary College in 2011 and continued as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine until 2018, during which she played a significant role in teaching, research, and extension activities. From 2018 to 2020, she was promoted to Associate Professor and Section Head at the PG Research Institute in Animal Science, Kattupakkam, where she supervised postgraduate research and coordinated disease control programs. Between 2020 and 2023, she served as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine at Madras Veterinary College.
Currently, she holds the position of Professor and Head of the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology at the Veterinary College and Research Institute (VCRI), Salem, where she continues to contribute to veterinary education, public health, and zoonotic disease control at the highest level.
Research Interests 🔬
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Zoonotic and infectious diseases (e.g., rabies, canine distemper, CPV, leptospirosis, brucellosis, Lyme disease)
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Veterinary Epidemiology and disease forecasting models
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Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine
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One Health approaches
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Rabies elimination strategies
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Molecular diagnostics in veterinary virology
Key Research Highlights
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First report of Canine Parvovirus 2c (CPV-2c) in Tamil Nadu
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Isolation of Brucella biovar-2 and biovar-4
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Development of disease forecasting models for rabies, CPV-2, and distemper
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Chairman of advisory committees for 6 Ph.D. and 4 M.V.Sc. students
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Co-PI in major externally funded projects including rabies diagnostics and canine virus bank development
Awards and Honors🏆✨
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7 International Awards and 3 National Awards from scientific conferences
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Organizing Secretary for 2 international conferences
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Participation in 25+ national and international conferences
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Presenter at WSAVA conferences in Bangkok and Singapore
Publications & Educational Contributions📚
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30 International research articles
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25 National research articles
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20 Popular articles
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27 Pamphlets, 15 book chapters, 3 books, and 1 technical bulletin
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55 abstracts in conferences/seminars
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Developed video films, fact sheets, and manuals for veterinary education
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Innovative teaching through visual and practical materials
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Spearheaded One Health awareness through public campaigns and university events
Outreach and Extension🎤
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Organized World Zoonoses Day (2024), World TB Day, and One Health Marathon
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Created and distributed educational content via radio, TV, print, and pamphlets
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Conducted free rabies vaccination camps and pet parents meets
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Established the Infectious Disease Unit and Immunization Unit at Madras Veterinary College
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Initiated animal blood donation camps and flood relief veterinary services
Conclusion🌟
Dr. M. Vijaya Bharathi stands as a pillar of veterinary public health in India, combining her strengths in academic leadership, community engagement, and translational research. Her sustained focus on zoonotic disease control, especially rabies, and her significant outreach through One Health initiatives mark her as a visionary in veterinary epidemiology. Her contributions have had a far-reaching impact not only within academia but also among practicing veterinarians, pet owners, and public health policymakers.
Publications 📚
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🔬 Prevalence and staining characteristics of Blastocystis isolates from food animals in Tamil Nadu
👥 GM Arpitha, C Sreekumar, BR Latha, MV Bharathi
📘 Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 11, 61–65
📅 2018 | 🔗 Cited by: 18
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🧫 Isolation and characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from small ruminants (sheep and goats) in Chennai city, South India
👥 MVB Ajay Suryakant Satbige, C. Sreekumar, C. Rajendran
📘 Journal of Parasitic Diseases, 41(3), 869–873
📅 2017 | 🔗 Cited by: 16
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🥛 Milk ring test as ready aid to diagnose bovine brucellosis in lactating cows of Tamil Nadu, India
👥 VN Kumar, MV Bharathi, K Porteen, M Sekar
📘 Journal of Advanced Dairy Research, 4(161), 2
📅 2016 | 🔗 Cited by: 14
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🐶💉 Investigation of protective level of rabies antibodies in vaccinated dogs in Chennai, India
👥 G Yale, S Sudarshan, S Taj, GI Patchimuthu, BV Mangalanathan, …
📘 Veterinary Record Open, 8(1), e8
📅 2021 | 🔗 Cited by: 11
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🐕🦠 Heterogenous immunoglobulin (IgY) therapy: A new modality in canine parvovirus enteritis treatment
👥 MVBN V. Naveenkumar
📘 Indian Veterinary Journal, 96, 76–77
📅 2019 | 🔗 Cited by: 11
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🧪 Risk factors associated with prevalence of bovine brucellosis in milk from Tamil Nadu, India
👥 VN Kumar, MV Bharathi, K Porteen
📘 Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci., 6(7)
📅 2017 | 🔗 Cited by: 11
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🧬 Molecular epidemiology and evaluation of haemato-biochemical parameters in canine parvoviral enteritis dogs in Chennai, India
👥 SRRARK Surendhar M, M Vijaya Bharathi, G Selvaraju
📘 Int. J. Chemical Studies, 6, 119–123
📅 2018 | 🔗 Cited by: 10
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🕒🐕 Temporal pattern and risk factors for occurrence of Canine Rabies in Chennai
👥 V Naveenkumar, MV Bharathi, P Kannan, G Selvaraju, K Vijayarani, …
📘 Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 90, 101903
📅 2022 | 🔗 Cited by: 8
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🐶💊 Factors associated with the occurrence of canine parvoviral enteritis in dogs
👥 V Naveenkumar, MV Bharathi, K Porteen, G Selvaraju, K Vijayarani
📘 Journal of Animal Research, 9(6), 893–896
📅 2019 | 🔗 Cited by: 8
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🧪🐐 Comparison of modified direct agglutination and indirect haemagglutination tests for detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in goats in Chennai
👥 MV Bharathi, AM Basheer, S Nedunchelliyan, SS Sarman Singh, …
📘 [Journal/Conference not specified]
📅 2003 | 🔗 Cited by: 7