The Gates Foundation appointed Archna Vyas as its Gates Foundation India Director, the organization said on Tuesday, making her the first woman to lead its operations in one of its most significant country partnerships.

Vyas will oversee the foundation’s collaboration with Indian government agencies, philanthropists and private sector partners on healthcare, sanitation, gender equality and agricultural development initiatives aligned with India’s development goals, the foundation said in a statement.

The foundation has operated in India since 2003, working on issues ranging from digital public infrastructure to financial empowerment as the country has lifted millions out of poverty over the past two decades.

As the new Gates Foundation India Director, Vyas previously served as global director for the foundation’s Global Policy and Advocacy division, leading work on growth, opportunity and empowerment. She joined the organization in 2014 and has worked across its health and poverty alleviation programs.

“India is our most significant country partnership,” Vyas said in the statement. “I look forward to working closely with governments, communities, philanthropists, and our partners to support the Government of India’s vision of becoming a developed economy by 2047.”

Before joining the foundation, Vyas led communications and digital marketing for Reckitt across South and Southeast Asia. She holds a master’s degree in physics from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma in business administration from the Institute of Management Technology.

Ankur Vora, the foundation’s chief strategy officer, said the Gates Foundation India Director brings deep understanding of India’s development landscape and a track record of building impactful partnerships.

Vyas succeeds Hari Menon, who led the India office since 2019 and will transition to a global leadership role in January 2026, the foundation said.