About the Editor: Namratha R. Kandula, MD, MPH—Cross-Cultural Understanding and Prevention Strategies for Immigrant Populations

By the age of four, Namratha R. Kandula had lived in as many countries."England, India, Canada, the U.S.," she says.But her family settled in Bethlehem, a small town in Pennsylvania."We were one of the first Indian families to move there," Kandula says."My parents were both physicians and they helped establish the first Hindu temple in that area.Many other families moved in after we did.I remember parties when I was young, where the adults talked upstairs as the kids played in the basement.It was a very tight-knit community."Growing up with that sense of communal identity was foundational to Kandula's life and work.When she first entered college, Kandula majored in religion."I was interested in the role religion can play in how we understand the world," she says."How these shared stories can bring people together."But during this time, she also took an opportunity to volunteer at an orphanage in Hyderabad, India."Working with these children, playing, nurturing-I became interested in how important emotional, physical, and psychological supports are for a healthy life," she says.With a new focus,