She has over 9 years of experience writing about fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, translating medical research and expert insights into practical advice readers can trust. Tavishi Dogra is a Deputy Chief Content Producer, Health & Wellness, at Hindustan Times.
She joined Hindustan Times to simplify wellness subjects by cutting through jargon. Career journey and experience Tavishi began her health journalism journey in 2017, and has since reported for RSTV, Financial Express, Jagran, HT Media Labs and Zee.
Education and professional background Tavishi holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and began her career reporting on public affairs for broadcast. Editorial Philosophy I write with one single goal: To simplify health in a world full of noise by finding what’s actually doable, safe, and evidence-based for my readers. I test claims against research and user experiences. India is a land of bright skies and long summers, yet beneath the sunshine lies a widespread problem: more than three out of four Indians are Vitamin D deficient or have insufficient levels. The symptoms are usually vague: a general feeling of tiredness, sudden muscle cramps, niggling bone pain, and low mood. It’s a paradox playing out in clinics and homes across the country. Most parts of the country get plenty of sunlight year-round. Yet, people complain of bones quietly losing strength, leading to osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures later in life. The reasons are deeply human, deeply mundane. Many of us spend most of our day indoors sitting at desks in cubicles at work, in classrooms, and in our cars commuting to work or school. So the UVB rays our bodies actually crave don’t reach us. One important reason for Vitamin D deficiency in our community is our dietary pattern. Indians traditionally follow a low-fat, high-fiber diet, which is excellent for cardiovascular health and weight management but may be relatively low in Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin. Animal fat is one of the richest sources of Vitamin D, so it is a double-edged sword. it also provides a significant amount of Vitamin D While animal fat can have cardiovascular and gut-related consequences. Air quality and tall buildings that block light on streets below also reduce sunlight exposure, especially in big cities. Heavy smog and pollution can reduce UVB light penetration by more than half. Tall buildings also block much of the sunlight on streets by creating extensive shaded areas. (Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up to date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority. They were provided to HT Shop Now by the brand for testing and evaluation. Our opinions remain independent and based on our personal experience with the items. Please patch test the products before use.)
When all else fails, I speak to the expert who sees 50 patients a day, not the one with the most followers. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products.
“Home is mostly in apartment blocks where most people see bright light outside, but it doesn’t filter indoors,” Dr Sabyasachi Bardhan, Senior Consultant, Orthopedic Surgery, Narayana RN Tagore Hospital, Mukundapur, Kolkata, tells Health Shots . Those early years in policy and TV shaped how she writes today: fast, factual, and human-first.
Subject expertise With 9+ years tracking India’s health conversations, Tavishi knows the gap between clinical advice and daily life. In a single clinical picture, 76 percent of post-menopausal Indian women with osteoporosis had vitamin D levels <20 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter), with another 18 percent just below the ideal range. An extra 15-20 minutes of morning-to-mid-morning sun on the arms and legs three times a week, combined with good skin protection and on-site advice, can offer significant benefits.
She knows fads from fundamentals and curates science-backed, expert-recommended solutions. In fitness, she breaks down bodyweight training, recovery, and posture fixes for desk-bound readers. In nutrition, she translates guidelines into affordable, desi meal tweaks. In mental well-being, she focuses on stigma-free, actionable tools — all backed by research, expert input, and lived context. Another major factor is social norms and cultural clothing practices, which limit skin exposure to sunlight, especially for women. Skin color also matters: darker skin produces more vitamin D than lighter skin. Next, factor in the increased use of sunscreen and the deliberate avoidance of the harsh midday sun in cities with very warm climates. The window for producing Vitamin D naturally shrinks dramatically, despite the scramble to find foods rich in Vitamin D to include in daily diets. Osteopenia first, osteoporosis next, especially in post-menopausal women, older adults, and the average Indian who spends most of their time indoors. The human price follows close behind: a fall that results in a fracture, a recovery that takes months, a life that becomes more guarded. The good news is that vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency can be fixed in simple, practical ways. Incorporating vitamin D testing into a routine test panel for anyone presenting with symptoms, and disseminating public health messages to build awareness of the importance of vitamin D, can translate awareness into behavior. India’s vitamin D deficit stems from lifestyle choices, an urban ecosystem, and public policies that may need a rethink. Through concerted and consistent action, the nation can leverage its best natural resource, sunlight, to usher in a future with healthier bodies and stronger bones, through intelligent food fortification, targeted supplementation, innovative urban planning, and clear discourse on sun exposure and nutrition.
From decoding health trends and interviewing doctors to testing fitness routines herself, Tavishi always approaches content with one filter: “Will this help someone make a better decision today?
