Browsing by Author "Pooja Tripathi"

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Delineation of Groundwater Potential Zones Using GIS and Analytic Hierarchy Process in Parts of Varanasi and Chandauli Districts
(Technoscience Publications, 2025) Pooja Tripathi; Birendra Pratap; Sanjay Kumar Tiwari; Rajnish Kumar; Sandeep Kumar Maddheshiya; Purnendu Shekhar Shukla; Mohammad Ashraf
This study employs Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to delineate groundwater potential zones. Various thematic layers, including geomorphology, land use and land cover, geology, rainfall, slope, soil composition, drainage density, and the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), were integrated using a weighted linear combination in the GIS platform’s spatial analyst tool. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to assign different ranks to these layers and their sublayers. Groundwater potential zones were categorized as poor (16.54%, 96.25 km2), moderate (67.20%, 391.13 km2), and good (16.26%, 94.62 km2). Validation involved observing water levels in various wells within the study area, with the results’ reliability assessed using a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, demonstrating an accuracy of 88%. The study area faces rapid urbanization and industrialization, stressing the aquifer’s groundwater availability. Identifying groundwater potential zones is thus crucial for effective groundwater development and management. © 2025 Technoscience Publications. All rights reserved.
Geographic disparities and determinants of full utilization of the continuum of maternal and newborn healthcare services in rural India
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2024) Pooja Tripathi; Mahashweta Chakrabarty; Aditya Singh; Subhojit Let
Background: To further reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, it is essential for mothers and newborns to fully utilize all essential services within the continuum of maternal and newborn care. However, research on maternal and child health services in India has not sufficiently examined geographical disparities in the full utilization of these services and the factors influencing the full utilization, particularly in rural areas. This study aims to address this critical gap. Methods: Utilizing data from 130,312 mothers collected in the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21), this study employed spatial analysis to uncover geographical disparities in the full utilization of the continuum of maternal and newborn healthcare services in rural India. Additionally, binary logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with this utilization. Results: In rural India, 54.3% mothers recieved four or more antenatal care visits, 88.6% received skilled birth attendance, and 75.5% of mothers and 79.8% of newborns received postnatal care within 48 hours of birth. However, only 43.5% mothers-newborn dyads in rural India utilized all four services of the continuum of maternal and newborn healthcare. There were significant geographical disparities in the full utilization of the continuum of maternal and newborn healthcare services. Hotspots were primarily identified in districts of southern states, western Maharashtra, and central Odisha, while cold spots were evident in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, and Nagaland, as well as in the Empowered Action Group states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. Key determinants influencing the full utilization of the continuum of care in rural India included maternal education, household wealth, parity, health insurance coverage, and exposure to mass media. Specifically, the odds of fully utilizing the continuum of care were significantly lower among women without formal education (adjusted odds ratio = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.56–0.65), those from the poorest wealth quintile (0.65, 0.61–0.69), and mothers with six or more children (0.42, 0.37–0.47), compared to mothers with higher education, those in the richest wealth quintile, and mothers with a single child, respectively. Additionally, mothers from the southern region were more than twice as likely (2.11, 1.99–2.20) to fully utilize the continuum of healthcare services compared to mothers from the northern region. Conclusion: The significant geographical disparities in the full utilization of maternal and newborn healthcare services in rural India highlight the necessity for tailored, region-specific interventions. Future programs should focus on addressing the barriers to care by prioritizing vulnerable groups, including those who are poor, uninsured, less educated, adolescents, and women with high parity. © The Author(s) 2024.
Isolation and identification of Rhizospheric and Endophytic Bacteria from Cucumber plants irrigated with wastewater: Exploring their roles in plant growth promotion and disease suppression
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Kumar Shreshtha; Satyam Raj; Arun Kumar Pal; Pooja Tripathi; Krishna Kumar Choudhary; Debasis Mitra; Anju Rani; Sergio de los Santos-Villalobos; Vijay Tripathi
Wastewater contains various emerging contaminants, including heavy metals, residues of pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. Therefore, irrigation with wastewater can enhance heavy metal contamination in soil and adversely affect plant growth. To mitigate this problem, plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) can improve plant growth under heavy metal stress. This study aimed to isolate and characterize rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria from the rhizosphere soil and roots of a cucumber plant irrigated with municipal wastewater. A total of 121 morphologically distinct bacterial isolates from the rhizosphere and 90 bacterial isolates from the endophytic region were isolated and tested for heavy metal resistance and in vitro plant growth-promoting characteristics, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) production, and siderophore production. Most of the bacteria analyzed from the rhizospheric and endophytic regions showed various plant growth-promoting characteristics and were tolerant to different heavy metals at various concentrations. Bacterial strains R1 (Proteus sp.) and E2 (Bacillus sp.) were antagonistic to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici. Wastewater irrigation increases heavy metal-resistant bacteria in cucumber plants, which can alleviate heavy metal stress. Additionally, Proteus sp. and Bacillus sp. isolates are potential candidates for removing heavy metal-contaminated soil and could be potential biofertilizer candidates for selected plants and biocontrol agents. © 2024 The Author(s)
Mitigating antibiotic pollution in wastewater by harnessing the potential of microalgae-based bioremediation technologies
(Springer, 2024) Amantika Singh; Pooja Singh; Jayant Kashyap; Pooja Tripathi; Krishna Kumar Choudhary; Pradeep Kumar Sharma; Rachan Karmakar; Maulin P. Shah; Vijay Tripathi
The excessive use of antibiotics and their increasing environmental concentrations is a severe threat and potential hazard to public health. Unfortunately, traditional wastewater treatment technologies aren’t efficient against antibiotic- and other emerging contaminant-rich wastewater. Recently, nature-based methods for wastewater treatment, such as algal-based technologies, have been observed to be viable and capable of the significant bioremediation of antibiotics in wastewater environments. Microalgae, including Scenedesmus quadricauda and Chlorella psychrophile, have already been reported as capable of absorbing and removing tetracycline and azithromycin antibiotics, respectively. Numerous algal species can also remove a significant proportion of different numbers of antibiotics through biodegradation when global wastewater pollution is at a record high. Microalgae may even affect the solubility of antibiotics through hydrolysis, leading to a breakdown of the β-lactam ring structure where present or through the resulting changes in pH, etc. This review provides critical insight into the important factors in removing antibiotic pollution from wastewater and enhancing the removal efficiency. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Plant Research 2024.
Potential environmental and human health risks caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and emerging contaminants (ECs) from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill
(MDPI AG, 2021) Uttpal Anand; Bhaskar Reddy; Vipin Kumar Singh; Amit Kishore Singh; Kavindra Kumar Kesari; Pooja Tripathi; Pradeep Kumar; Vijay Tripathi; Jesus Simal-Gandara
The disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) directly at landfills or open dump areas, without segregation and treatment, is a significant concern due to its hazardous contents of antibioticresistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and metal resistance genes (MGEs). The released leachate from landfills greatly effects the soil physicochemical, biological, and groundwater properties associated with agricultural activity and human health. The abundance of ARB, ARGs, and MGEs have been reported worldwide, including MSW landfill sites, animal husbandry, wastewater, groundwater, soil, and aerosol. This review elucidates the occurrence and abundance of ARB, ARGs, and MRGs, which are regarded as emerging contaminants (ECs). Recently, ECs have received global attention because of their prevalence in leachate as a substantial threat to environmental and public health, including an economic burden for developing nations. The present review exclusively discusses the demands to develop a novel eco-friendly management strategy to combat these global issues. This review also gives an intrinsic discussion about the insights of different aspects of environmental and public health concerns caused due to massive leachate generation, the abundance of antibiotics resistance (AR), and the effects of released leachate on the various environmental reservoirs and human health. Furthermore, the current review throws light on the source and fate of different ECs of landfill leachate and their possible impact on the nearby environments (groundwater, surface water, and soil) affecting human health. The present review strongly suggests the demand for future research focuses on the advancement of the removal efficiency of contaminants with the improvement of relevant landfill management to reduce the potential effects of disposable waste. We propose the necessity of the identification and monitoring of potential environmental and human health risks associated with landfill leachate contaminants. © 2021 by the authors.
Prevalence and determinants of anaemia among men in rural India: Evidence from a nationally representative survey
(Public Library of Science, 2022) Aditya Singh; Sumit Ram; Shivani Singh; Pooja Tripathi
Anaemia among men is a significant health issue which has not been given due importance. Only a handful of studies have captured the prevalence of anaemia among men. There is dearth of evidence base on anaemia among men in India. Therefore, this study attempts to fill this research gap by examining the socioeconomic, geographic, health-related, and behavioural differentials of anaemia among rural men in India. We analysed a cross-sectional sample of 61,481 men aged between 15–54 and living in rural areas from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted in 2019–21. Bivariate statistics and multivariable logistic regression were employed to assess the factors associated with anaemia. In rural India, three out of ten men were found to be anaemic. Older men [49–54 years] (Odds Ratio: 1.10, 95% CI, 1.00–1.21), men without a formal education (OR: 1.36, 95% CI, 1.26–1.47), those from Scheduled Tribes (OR: 1.48, 95% CI, 1.39–1.58) and men who belonged to the poorest wealth quintile (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.25–1.35) had a higher risk of anaemia. Men who were underweight were more likely to be anaemic (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.30–1.43). When compared to the central region, men from the eastern (OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.39–1.55) parts of India had higher a risk of anaemia. The findings suggest the need to recognise anaemia among men as a public health issue. When developing policy, significant variation in socioeconomic, geographic, health-related, and behavioural factors must be taken into account. Men should also be screened on a regular basis in order to reduce the national burden of anaemia. © 2022 Singh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Prevalence and determinants of self-reported heart disease among Indian men aged 15–54 years: Evidence from NFHS-5
(Elsevier B.V., 2023) Sumit Ram; Rakesh Chandra; Ananya Kundu; Aditya Singh; Shivani Singh; Arabindo Tanti; Bijoy Bhattacharjee; Pooja Tripathi
Introduction: There is a scarcity of pan-India epidemiological studies examining the factors associated with self-reported heart disease. Therefore, this study examined the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported heart disease in India using data from a large-scale nationally representative survey conducted in 2019-21. Data and methods: This study used data from the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted during 2019-21. A cross-sectional sample of 1,01,529 men aged 15–54 years was analysed. Bivariate statistics and binary logistic regression were employed to assess the prevalence and determinants of heart disease. Result: The prevalence of self-reported heart disease among Indian men aged 15–54 was 1050 per 1,00,000 men. Men aged 40–49 (OR: 3.70, 95% CI: 2.59–5.28), 49–54 years (OR: 5.67, 95% CI: 3.92–8.19), Muslim men (OR:1.62, 95% CI: 1.32–2.00), men from rural areas (OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.23–1.83), and southern region (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.40–2.59) had higher odds of heart disease. Men who consumed tobacco had higher odds of developing heart disease (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 0.95–1.33), as did those with comorbidities such as cancer (OR: 50.93, 95% CI: 35.26–73.57) and diabetes (OR: 5.06, 95% CI: 4.08–6.28). Conclusion: Several sociodemographic, geographic, biological and behavioural factors were associated with self-reported heart disease among Indian men aged 15–54 years, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions to address these risk factors. Further research is needed to develop effective strategies to reduce the burden of heart disease in India. © 2023 The Authors
Spatial heterogeneity in unintended pregnancy and its determinants in India
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2024) Anshika Singh; Mahashweta Chakrabarty; Aditya Singh; Shivani Singh; Rakesh Chandra; Pooja Tripathi
Background: Understanding the geographic variation of unintended pregnancy is crucial for informing tailored policies and programs to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Although spatial analyses of unintended pregnancy have been conducted in several developing countries, such research is lacking in India. This study addresses this gap by investigating the geographic distribution and determinants of unintended pregnancy in India. Methods: We analysed data from the National Family Health Survey-5 encompassing 232,920 pregnancies occurring between 2014 and 2021 in India. We conducted a spatial analysis to investigate the distribution of unintended pregnancies at both state and district levels using choropleth maps. To assess spatial autocorrelation, Global Moran’s I statistic was employed. Cluster and outlier analysis techniques were then utilized to identify significant clusters of unintended pregnancies across India. Furthermore, we employed Spatial Lag Model (SLM) and Spatial Error Model (SEM) to investigate the factors influencing the occurrence of unintended pregnancies within districts. Results: The national rate of unintended pregnancy in India is approximately 9.1%, but this rate varies significantly between different states and districts of India. The rate exceeded 10% in the states situated in the northern plain such as Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, as well as in the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, within these states, numerous districts reported rates exceeding 15%. The results of Global Moran’s I indicated a statistically significant geographical clustering of unintended pregnancy rates at the district level, with a coefficient of 0.47 (p < 0.01). Cluster and outlier analysis further identified three major high-high clusters, predominantly located in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh, northern West Bengal, Bihar, western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, alongside a few smaller clusters in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. This geographic clustering of unintended pregnancy may be attributed to factors such as unmet needs for family planning, preferences for smaller family sizes, or the desire for male children. Results from the SEM underscored that parity and use of modern contraceptive were statistically significant predictors of unintended pregnancy at the district level. Conclusion: Our analysis of comprehensive, nationally representative data from NFHS-5 in India reveals significant geographical disparities in unintended pregnancies, evident at both state and district levels. These findings underscore the critical importance of targeted policy interventions, particularly in geographical hotspots, to effectively reduce unintended pregnancy rates and can contribute significantly to improving reproductive health outcomes across the country. © The Author(s) 2024.
Spatiotemporal change in socioeconomic inequality in hygienic menstrual product use among adolescent girls in India during 2015–2019
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2023) Mahashweta Chakrabarty; Aditya Singh; Shivani Singh; Pooja Tripathi
Background: The use of hygienic products, such as sanitary napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups, to absorb menstrual blood is vital for the health and well-being of adolescent girls in India. However, the degree of inequity in the use of such products among this subpopulation remains inadequately explored. To fill this critical knowledge gap, this study aims to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of hygienic product use among adolescent girls in India from 2015 to 2020. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 117,749 to 114,839 adolescent girls aged 15–19, obtained from two consecutive rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted in India during 2015-16 and 2019-21. Our approach involved utilizing Erreygers’ Concentration Index (ECI) and Concentration Curve to quantitatively assess and visually represent socioeconomic inequality in hygienic product usage. Additionally, we investigated the spatiotemporal variation in this inequality over the study period and decomposed the ECI to identify the key contributing factors. Results: The findings reveal that hygienic product usage among adolescent girls in India has increased by 13 percentage points (PP), from 37% in 2015-16 to 50% in 2019-21. This increase is also visible across all household wealth quintiles. However, the bottom quintiles experienced a greater rise (+ 15 to 16 PP) than the top quintile (+ 8 PP). During the study period, the ECI reduced marginally, from 0.48 in 2015-16 to 0.43 in 2019-21. However, the extent of this reduction varied across different states. The greatest reduction in ECI was recorded in Punjab (-0.23 points), Telangana (-0.16 points), and West Bengal (-0.14 points). In contrast, there were a number of states with high socioeconomic inequality (ECI > 0.30) in 2015-16, where inequality reduction was minimal (< 0.05 points) over the study period. This included more developed states of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat and relatively less developed states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam. Some states, such as Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, recorded an increase in socioeconomic inequality over the study period, with ECI rising to 0.31 and 0.46 (highest in the country) in 2019-21. The decomposition analysis revealed that the inequality in using hygienic products was primarily explained by place of residence, exposure to mass-media, education, and region of residence. Conclusions: The findings suggest the need for targeted policies to reduce existing socioeconomic inequality in the usage of hygienic products among adolescent girls in India. Specifically, interventions should target regions with low use of hygienic products, economically disadvantaged groups, and poor and vulnerable populations. State-specific policies and programs are also necessary to address the disparities in socioeconomic inequality. Additionally, efforts to reduce inequality should address the underlying factors contributing to inequality. © 2023, BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
The Crucial Role of Dairy in the Transformation of Where Health and Nutrition Are Most Common Worldwide
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025) Pooja Tripathi; Kalpana Patani
Throughout the crucial years of growth and development, malnutrition in all its manifestations can have a long-lasting detrimental effect on a child’s health and well-being. Many people worldwide still experience both over nutrition and under nutrition, especially small children who are dependent on others for survival, even though the majority of cases of malnutrition can be avoided with straightforward dietary adjustments. A growing variety of problems, including infectious diseases, pollution, poor environmental conditions, climate change, and food-related issues, are having an impact on children’s health. The creation and consumption of food, which are the primary contributors to these problems, need to be radically altered if the 2030 Sustainable Development objectives must be fulfilled. Food production and sources (plant-versus animal-based). Methods and the results of studies on sustainability and health in policy considerations, food processing, the effects of a more globalized food system, and food loss and waste have gained prominence. Several studies warn against consuming meals that come from animals that are hungry resources. Additionally, processed foods offer more plant-based options and have been linked to excessive waste and pollution. However, further explanation is needed for a few of these ideas when taking global child health concerns into account. Children’s global nutritional demands, along with the welfare and level of living of their families and communities, can be greatly influenced by the foods they eat. The need for nuance may be seen clearly in the variations in dairy production and consumption patterns around the world and the effects these variations have on dairy products. For the food system’s sustainability as well as for the health of children. This narrative review attempts to address the effects of dairy products on children’s health within the framework of a sustainable food system. To effectively balance trade-offs, optimize outcomes, and prevent unintended consequences, a complete strategy that takes into account the four domains of sustainability—health, economy, society, and the environment—should be used to examine child health within this framework. To guarantee that children have access to nutrient-dense, healthful foods in sustainable food systems, children’s needs must be given special consideration in the broader narrative of the food system’s transformation. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.
Wealth-based disparities in the prevalence of short birth interval in India: insights from NFHS-5
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2024) Aditya Singh; Anshika Singh; Mahashweta Chakrabarty; Shivani Singh; Pooja Tripathi
Background: Short birth interval (SBI) has profound implications for the health of both mothers and children, yet there remains a notable dearth of studies addressing wealth-based inequality in SBI and its associated factors in India. This study aims to address this gap by investigating wealth-based disparities in SBI and identifying the underlying factors associated with SBI in India. Methods: We used information on 109,439 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (2019-21). We assessed wealth-based inequality in SBI for India and its states using the Erreygers Normalised Concentration Index (ECI). Additionally, we used a multilevel binary logistic regression to assess the factors associated with SBI in India. Results: In India, the prevalence of SBI was 47.8% [95% CI: 47.4, 48.3] during 2019-21, with significant variation across states. Bihar reported the highest prevalence of SBI at 61.2%, while Sikkim the lowest at 18.1%. SBI prevalence was higher among poorer mothers compared to richer ones (Richest: 33.8% vs. Poorest: 52.9%). This wealth-based inequality was visible in the ECI as well (ECI= -0.13, p < 0.001). However, ECI varied considerably across the states. Gujarat, Punjab, and Manipur exhibited the highest levels of wealth-based inequality (ECI= -0.28, p < 0.001), whereas Kerala showed minimal wealth-based inequality (ECI= -0.01, p = 0.643). Multilevel logistic regression analysis identified several factors associated with SBI. Mothers aged 15–24 (OR: 12.01, p < 0.001) and 25–34 (2.92, < 0.001) were more likely to experience SBI. Women who married after age 25 (3.17, < 0.001) and those belonging to Scheduled Caste (1.18, < 0.001), Scheduled Tribes (1.14, < 0.001), and Other Backward Classes (1.12, < 0.001) also had higher odds of SBI. Additionally, the odds of SBI were higher among mothers in the poorest (1.97, < 0.001), poorer (1.73, < 0.001), middle (1.62, < 0.001), and richer (1.39, < 0.001) quintiles compared to the richest quintile. Women whose last child had passed away were also significantly more likely to have SBI (2.35, < 0.001). Furthermore, mothers from communities with lower average schooling levels (1.18, < 0.001) were more likely to have SBI. Geographically, mothers from eastern (0.67, < 0.001) and northeastern (0.44, < 0.001) regions of India were less likely to have SBI. Conclusion: The significant wealth-based inequality in SBI in India highlights the need for targeted interventions focusing on economically disadvantaged women, particularly in states with high SBI prevalence. Special attention should be given to younger mothers and those from socially disadvantaged groups to enhance maternal and child health outcomes across the country. © The Author(s) 2024.
Wealth-based inequality in underweight among Scheduled Tribe women in India: a regional analysis
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2025) Anshika Singh; Aditya P. Singh; Mahashweta Chakrabarty; Shivani Paratap Singh; Pooja Tripathi
Background: Despite widespread undernutrition among tribal women, there is limited understanding of wealth-based disparities in underweight within this group and how these inequities have changed over time across different regions of India. This study aims to explore trends and patterns of wealth-based inequalities in underweight prevalence among Scheduled Tribe (ST) women across various regions of India. Methods: The study analysed data from the fourth and fifth rounds of the National Family Health Survey, covering 113,549 and 121,326 non-pregnant ST women aged 15–49, respectively. Wealth-based inequality in underweight was assessed using the Erreygers normalized concentration index (ECI), while predicted probabilities of underweight, adjusted for relevant variables, were calculated using binary logistic regression. Findings: Between 2015-16 and 2019-21, underweight prevalence among ST women in India decreased from 31.7 to 25.5%, with all regions showing declines. The northern region witnessed the largest drop (20.1–9.8%), followed by the western region (38.7–30.0%) and eastern-central region. The northeastern region that had consistently low underweight prevalence witnessed minimal change over the study period. Wealth inequality, as measured by the ECI, slightly decreased over the study period, from − 0.177 in 2015–16 to -0.134 in 2019–21. However, the reduction in ECI varied significantly across regions. The northern region experienced the most significant reduction in wealth inequality, with a decrease of -0.145 ECI points. In comparison, the western, southern, eastern-central regions exhibited more modest reductions of -0.036, -0.027, and − 0.028 ECI points, respectively. The northeastern region, characterized by initially lower levels of inequality, demonstrated no change in its ECI over the study period. The predicted probabilities from the pooled logistic regression analysis indicated a decline in inequality over the study period. This reduction was primarily driven by significant decreases in underweight prevalence among the poorer and poorest wealth quintiles. Notably, the northern, western, eastern-central, and southern regions experienced the most pronounced improvements in underweight prevalence among these lower wealth groups. Despite overall progress, wealth-based inequality in underweight persisted, especially in the western, southern, and eastern-central regions, where the 2019-21 ECI remained more than − 0.10. Conclusion: Despite progress in reducing underweight among ST women in India, regional disparities and wealth-based inequality in underweight persist. Policies should focus on targeted, region-specific interventions that prioritize economically disadvantaged women, reduce inequality, and improve access to nutrition and healthcare, particularly in the western, southern, and eastern-central regions. © The Author(s) 2025.