History and Background

SAPHA was established in the spring of 1999 by ten committed individuals in an effort to raise awareness about public health issues of South Asians at a national level. In 2001, SAPHA was formalized with the formation of Board of Directors and attained a 501(c)3 non-profit status. In 2002, SAPHA received a national level recognition with the release of a ground-breaking report A Brown Paper: The Health of South Asians in the United States. The Brown Paper reviewed research and literature on South Asian health in the U.S. to document health disparities as well as highlight the importance of this less-studied group in health research. Since its first publication, SAPHA has successfully passed many milestones in promoting the health and well-being of South Asians throughout the United States.