Qualitative research methods provide a rich and in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under study. The need for qualitative insights to understand complex issues ranging from health seeking behaviours to complex decision-making on health expenditure has been widely acknowledged in global public health research. As public health is increasingly being viewed as a social science, there is a growing demand for qualitative techniques. Our Transdisciplinary Centre for Qualitative Methods (TCQM) under Public Health Evidence South Asia (PHESA) and Prasanna School of Public Health (PSPH), a joint initiative by Manipal Academy of Higher Education and the Utrecht University, The Netherlands, will aim to meet this need by serving as a regional hub for capacity building in qualitative methods in South Asia. The centre will educate, facilitate and promote trans-disciplinary qualitative research for a comprehensive understanding of the issues pertaining to public health.