Post Graduate Program In Development Management

Aakash Sethi is a social entrepreneur focused on empowering unemployable youth in India to navigate the future of work and learning by mastering 21st-century skills through self-learning. He works to integrate the culture, tools, and practice of self-learning into the Indian education and vocational training ecosystem, enabling teachers to become champions of 21st-century skills and helping young people build purpose, autonomy, and ownership over their learning and career pathways.

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He has previously served as Program Officer at Ambuja Cement Foundation, Regional CSR Coordinator at Microsoft Middle East & Africa, and Country Director at the International Youth Foundation, and has been an active member of AIESEC. He is a Finalist for the Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year (2019) and an Ashoka Fellow.

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Education: Economics at St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad.

Ajit retired in 2023 as Chief Strategy Officer at Tata Steel Foundation (TSF). He came to TSF from Tata Sons, where he headed the community services function for the Tata group (including CSR, disaster response, volunteering and business and human rights) from 2014 to 2022.

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He began his career with an NGO in western Rajasthan. He has since worked on social development and disaster response across the country. His main interests are in the delivery of basic services to communities who are most difficult to reach - the poorest, the most marginalised, the peripatetic, and those in remote locations.

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Education: Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Shriram College of Commerce; Master’s in Rural Management from the Institute of Rural Management (IRMA); Chevening Gurukul Scholar (2001), London School of Economics, studying leadership and development; Attended the core (2003) and advanced (2006) courses of the World Bank’s International Program for Development Evaluation Training, Ottawa, Canada

Dr Badshah’s work explores the intersection of space, technology, and social impact, particularly how exponential technologies influence societies and how nonprofits can effectively leverage them. He is the founder and curator of Accelerating Social Transformation, a mid-career professional development certificate course on social impact. In May 2020 Dr. Badshah and his colleagues launched Restart Partners, funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce and supported by Facebook, to increase confidence in mask adoption and vaccines and help restart the economy.

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A seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in international development, corporate philanthropy, and social enterprise, Dr. Badshah led Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts for ten years, administering community investments and employee contributions, and launching initiatives such as Unlimited Potential and Youth Spark to expand digital access for underserved communities globally. He is the author of four books, including Purpose Mindset: How Microsoft Inspires Employees and Alumni to Change the World (HarperCollins Leadership, 2020), has published widely on topics ranging from urban development to vaccine acceptance. He also conducts Purpose Mindset leadership Workshops with organizations to help individuals articulate their strengths and values and craft their purpose statement. and hosts the podcast Living with Purpose. He serves on multiple nonprofit boards and actively advises organizations and leaders on social and philanthropic strategy.

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Education: Doctoral graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Amitabh Behar is the Executive Director (Interim) of Oxfam International and a global civil society leader with deep expertise in tackling economic and gender inequality and strengthening citizen participation. Prior to this role, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Oxfam India.

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He has held several leadership positions in civil society, including Vice Chair of the Board of CIVICUS, a global alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society worldwide. He serves on the boards of organisations such as the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) and the Global Fund for Community Philanthropy (GFCF). Earlier, he was the Executive Director of the National Foundation for India, Convener of the National Social Watch Coalition, and Co-Chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, a network of over 11,000 civil society organisations.

Anand Mistry is the co-founder of ProjectCHAKRA, which designs and runs experiential education programmes to inspire action for social impact and entrepreneurial leadership. The organisation recently won the Progressive Education Delivery Award at the PIEoneer Global Education Awards and works with institutions such as Imperial College Business School in the UK.

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Anand specializes in experiential learning and social impact innovation. He completed a UNDP placement with a social enterprise based in the Gandhi Ashram and is a New Entrepreneurs Foundation Fellow.

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Education: Studied Economics at the University of Bristol and the National University of Singapore.

Ankur Kulshrestha has over 15 years of industry experience, having worked with Maruti Suzuki (Finance & Strategy), EY (Business Consulting), and FinStudyClub (Edtech).

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His professional expertise spans finance, strategy, valuation, and corporate restructuring, supported by global certifications and extensive practice in financial risk management and corporate finance.

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Education: Executive Program in Leadership and Management from IIM Calcutta; Fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India; CFA® Charterholder; Certified Financial Risk Manager®; Certified Valuator with immense experience in Valuation and Corporate Restructurings; B.Com (H) from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University; Pursuing doctoral program from IIM Rohtak in the field of Integrated and Sustainability Reporting.

Ankur Sarin is a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. His research focuses on the consequences of inequalities and the instruments used to counter them, including public policy and civil society initiatives.

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In addition to academic research, he has engaged in action research initiatives aimed at strengthening and supporting these instruments in practice.

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Education: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Policy from the University of Chicago; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics from Bates College.

Arjun Shekhar is the Co-Founder and Senior Partner at Vyaktitva, and Co-Founder of Pravah and ComMutiny – The Youth Collective. He is also part of the founding team of vartaLeap, a multi-sectoral coalition incubated by ComMutiny. Across these ecosystems, he has provided strategic direction, mentored second-line leaders, social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, and co-created narratives and high-impact public initiatives to inspire personal and social change at scale with soul.

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Since setting up Vyaktitva in April 1997, he has worked as a consultant in human resources, training, and organisational development. His work spans conceptualisation, design, and implementation of HR and change interventions including organisation restructuring, performance management, role and competency mapping, 360-degree feedback, assessment centres, career planning, reward and recognition systems, and leadership and organisational development. He is also a published author of two novels, The Flawed God and End of Story (Hachette), and two non-fiction books. Ocean in a Drop: Inside-Out Youth Leadership (Sage) and ComMutiny:Sparking an Inside-out Youth Revolution (Konarak).

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Education: Master’s in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics; Diploma in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from XLRI, Jamshedpur (1990).

Arjun Uppal has over 42 years of experience with leading companies, many engaged in agribusiness. He is currently Vice President of Corporate Affairs at DCM Shriram Ltd, where he advises the Chairman on public policy and its business implications, manages industry association relationships, represents the company at external forums, supports policy recommendations, and contributes to governance of higher education institutions.

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Previously, he was Head of Agri Business at DCM Shriram, overseeing dairy, fruits and vegetables, seeds, cattle feed, vocational training, and telecom businesses under the Haryali Kisaan Bazaar retail chain. He has also served as Advisor to ICICI Bank’s Rural Credit Businesses, Managing Director of Mother Dairy Foods Ltd during its formative years, and spent 20 years at Hindustan Unilever Ltd in commercial and general management roles, including turning around the Seeds business and Kimberly Clark Lever Limited to profitability. His interests include agriculture, economic trends, social entrepreneurship, and mentoring.

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Education: Chartered Accountant; B.A. (Hons) in Economics from St. Stephen’s College.

Arun Bhattacharyya is a Fellow (Ph.D.) of IIM Bangalore and a PGDBM from IIM Calcutta, with over 30 years of combined industry and academic experience. He began his corporate career as a mechanical design engineer, where he played a key role in designing equipment for projects for the World Bank, steel plants, and public health departments. In the later phase of his corporate career, he led strategic product and brand management initiatives, sales management, and B2B marketing.

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His core interest areas include strategy, marketing, and entrepreneurship development at various levels. He has published in journals such as the Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Education, IIMB Management Review, Oxford University Press publications, and the Journal of Entrepreneurship.

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Education: Fellow (Ph.D.) from IIM Bangalore; PGDBM from IIM Calcutta.

Ashish Agarwal has been guided by the belief, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” After graduating from MIT, Pune in 2010 and briefly joining the Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai, he moved to Bangalore and worked as a Senior Business Analyst at Mu Sigma. Driven by a deeper intent to serve society, he pursued Rural Management at the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), where his journey in social entrepreneurship began. Post IRMA, he established Paryavaran Mitra at Gandhi Ashram — a social enterprise empowering rag-picking communities through solid waste management. Over the past decade, it has evolved into a self-sustainable model supporting hundreds of waste-pickers daily, with workshops conducted in India, the UK, and the USA.

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Recognising the growing imbalance in the lives of urban youth, he has since 2021 focused on advocating Mindful Consumption as a pathway to inner and societal wellbeing. This initiative is grounded in over 2,500 hours of research and engagement with stakeholders across 95+ institutions, spanning 7 domains and 10 countries. The work aligns with India’s LiFE mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to foster balance, purpose, and long-term societal transformation.

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Education: Graduate from MIT, Pune; Postgraduate in Rural Management from the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA).

Ashraf Patel is the co-founder of Pravah and ComMutiny – The Youth Collective, organisations working to promote ‘inside–out’ youth leadership using the 5th Space framework. Along with over 100 members in the collective, she has helped shape the youth work field in India by developing world-class designs and high-impact interventions with young people and youth-focused organisations, including initiatives promoting young women social entrepreneurs. She is currently part of the cross-sectoral vartaLeap Coalition in India, working towards the mission “Every youth a Jagrik, Every space nurturing Jagriks” — building a narrative of youth leadership grounded in justice, equality, liberty, and fraternity.

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Ashraf is an Ashoka Fellow and recipient of the Jubilant Schwab Social Entrepreneurship Award of the Year (2020), and was honoured as a Distinguished Alumna of XLRI in 2015. She serves on boards and advisory groups of key organisations in India and is a member of the Commonwealth Alliance of Youth Work Associations (CAYWA), International Forum for Volunteering in Development (IVCO), and Catalyst 2030. She is the co-author of Ocean in a Drop – Inside Out Youth Leadership (Sage, 2013) and began her professional journey in Human Resource Development in the corporate sector.

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Education: Graduate in Physics from the University of Delhi; Postgraduate in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations (PM&IR) from XLRI, Jamshedpur.

Avani Kapur is the Founder and Director of ResGov and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research. A public finance expert with nearly two decades of experience, her work focuses on India’s welfare architecture, including budget tracking, fund flows, data and governance systems, state capacity constraints, and state–citizen engagement. Prior to founding ResGov, she led the Accountability Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research.

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She has authored several articles, reports, and opinion pieces on state finances, governance, accountability, and welfare systems, and has conducted workshops and trainings with Indian Administrative Service officers, Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assemblies, Indian Economic Service officers, and officers of the National Audit and Accounts Academy. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-conceptualised the PULSE4Development platform to bring the development community together for shared learning and collaboration. She is a Tech4Good Fellow, a member of the WICCI Council of Ethics, and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Development Policy and Practice.

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Education: Alumnus of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), United Kingdom; Smith College, Massachusetts, United States of America.

Bipasha Roy is a Design Thinking Consultant and internationally certified facilitator in LEGO® Serious Play® Methods and Materials, as well as a Certified UX Designer from IDF and a practitioner of NLP. She brings over 25 years of experience across Business Development, Marketing, Capabilities Development, Content Creation, Customer Service, and Event Management, having worked with leading organisations in Consumer Durables, Realty, Media, and Education.

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Over the years, she has conceptualised and delivered high-impact brand and learning interventions across sectors. She launched and edited an education supplement for The Indian Express, developed sustainable franchise and business models in education, and designed co-scholastic and capability development programs that have reached diverse audiences across India, UAE, and Singapore through 500+ workshops. As Co-Founder of Mobius Space Consulting Pvt. Ltd., she has led innovation and business strategy engagements for organisations such as BSH Hausgeräte, Swiss Re, Bank of America Continuum, SKF India, GlaxoSmithKline, Lanxess India, RINL (Vizag Steel Plant), and ChildLine India. She also serves as visiting faculty for Innovation & Design Thinking programs at institutions including SPJIMR Mumbai, IIM Kozhikode, IIFM Bhopal, Calcutta Business School, Indo German Training Centre Mumbai, Flame University Pune, and Sardar Patel Institute of Technology Mumbai.

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Education: Bachelor of Science (BS) in Economics, Calcutta University, Kolkata (1988–1991).

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Dr Karol is a Ph.D. in Social Sciences (Economics) with over 24 years of multi-functional experience in Programme Management, Decentralised Planning, Participatory Research & Evaluation, Community Development, and Capacity Building & Training. He leads the portfolio of projects on rural and urban governance and service delivery at PRIA, with special reference to elected representatives across all tiers of PRIs and ULBs, as well as communities. He has guided and developed capacity building and training materials for civil society organisations, elected local body representatives, and government officials on various aspects of decentralisation and urbanisation.

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He is a certified mentor under the Mentor Training Programme (MTP) on Community Based Research organised by the Knowledge for Change (K4C) Consortium, an initiative of the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research & Social Responsibility in Higher Education led by PRIA and the University of Victoria, Canada. He currently serves as the Global Coordinator of the Knowledge for Change Consortium (K4C).

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Education: Ph.D. in Social Sciences (Economics).

Dr Andharia has over 35 years of experience in the development sector. In 1995, she co-founded ANANDI along with four colleagues, building a collective leadership model that worked closely with the poorest communities in Gujarat. For nearly two decades, she engaged directly with women from marginalised rural communities in Gujarat and Maharashtra, shaping her grounded feminist perspective and deepening her understanding of intersectionality, vulnerability, marginalisation, and empowerment. She later spent three years developing the Civil Society, Governance and Human Rights portfolio at an Indian philanthropy.

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Dr Andharia joined ISDM in 2018 as a Bricoleur and served as Program Director – Post Graduate Program in Development Leadership (2019–2020). She has co-authored several papers on gender equality and related themes and continues to support governance processes of women-led organisations.

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Education: Ph.D. (2018) for her thesis on Impact of Progressive Laws and Civil Society Facilitation on Empowerment: Women Law Users’ Perspective; Master of Arts in Social Work from TISS (1989); B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.

Dr Bandyopadhyay is the Director of Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), India, with three decades of experience working with academic institutions and civil society organisations. He is a renowned expert in citizen participation and civic engagement, with extensive experience in planning, monitoring, and evaluating development projects and programmes in both urban and rural contexts. His work has a strong focus on social accountability and democratic governance. He is also the Vice Chair, Asia Democracy Network (ADN) and Co-Coordinator, Asia Democracy Research Network (ADRN).

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An internationally acclaimed researcher, trainer, and facilitator of organisational development and programme planning, monitoring, and evaluation, he specialises in participatory research and learning methodologies. He has authored numerous books, articles, manuals, and monographs that have significantly contributed to participatory urban governance, participatory development, and civil society building in Asia.

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Education: Ph.D. in Anthropology

Dr Mukerji is a bricoleur and faculty at the Indian School of Development Management. She has over twenty years of work experience, including four in the software industry and twelve years of teaching courses on Information Systems, Data Science and Business Analytics, Public Policy, and General Management. Prior to ISDM, she taught at the Central University of Gujarat, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, and the Indian Institute of Management Kashipur.

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Her doctoral dissertation looked at the pattern of access and use of telecentres by households in rural India, drawing implications for policy and practice. It is published as a book titled ICTs and Development: A Study of Telecentres in Rural India, by Palgrave Macmillan (UK) 2013. Her research on Digital Platforms and the Digital Divide is published in the Australasian Journal of Information Systems, Information Technology and Development, and Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries. Her current research interests include organisational and societal level changes brought about by data and technology.

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Education: Alumnus of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), India; Doctoral degree (PhD)

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Courses taught:

1. Mathematics
2. Introduction to Development Management
3. Data Management for Development

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Dr Monica Sharma (MD) is an educator and designer of whole systems transformation with over 30 years of global experience in leadership development for equity. She is the author of the award-winning book Radical Transformational Leadership: Strategic Action for Change Agents, winner of the 2017 Nautilus Gold Book Award for Business and Leadership. The book presents a conscious full-spectrum response model, offering tested templates, tools, and approaches to enable measurable and lasting change. Her work has delivered sustainable results across 65+ countries, addressing key sustainable development goals through transformational leadership methodologies.

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As Director of Leadership and Capacity Development at the United Nations, she designed and led transformative programs worldwide, publishing and presenting over 250 articles in international forums. She offers Radical Transformational Leadership courses globally, across civil society, government, business, media, academia, and the UN, with over 15,000 alumni. Her work integrates ethical leadership, systems and cultural change, and strategic values-based action to empower leaders to create sustainable and equitable impact.

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Education: Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Dr Abidi has approximately 25 years of experience of working and consulting with Social Purpose Organisations and teaching at reputed institutions. Currently, she is part of the founding team and board of Rubaroo, Hyderabad, Trustee of Had Anhad, Indore, and Director, Social Synergy Foundation, Mumbai. The first two organisations work with adolescents and young people to empower them to be active citizens, whereas the Social Synergy Foundation works with small and medium-sized non-profits in India.

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Her field experience has strengthened her teaching both graduate and post graduate students in the Delhi School of Social Work, School of Planning & Architecture, Ambedkar University and University of Pittsburgh. Her forte is designing and facilitating learning experiences. Through her work with Pravah, she has mentored many young people and youth-led organisations across nations.

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Education: Clinical Psychology; Applied Development Psychology; Doctorate in Psychology from Ambedkar University, Delhi

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Courses Taught:

1. Context Based Collaborative Learning
2. Introduction to Development Management

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Dr Pundhir is an international humanitarian services and socio-economic-environmental development specialist with over 27 years of experience advancing human rights and environmental action at national and global levels. As Senior Vice President, Global CSR at HCLTech, she leads the company’s global CSR agenda and heads the HCLFoundation in India. She has designed and executed programmatic frameworks aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on the most disadvantaged and isolated communities, and has envisioned and shaped HCLTech’s flagship Global CSR Policy and the Foundation’s strategic direction.

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Previously, she served as Director Programme Development, Asia at SOS Children’s Villages and as Global Advisor on Child Protection in Development at Plan International’s International Headquarters. She has travelled to nearly 40 countries in pursuit of social development initiatives and brings deep expertise in poverty alleviation and community-centred approaches.

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Education: Doctorate in Public Health Management from IIHMR University, Jaipur; M.Phil. in Health Systems Management from BITS Pilani; Equivalent Bachelor’s degree in Indian Classical Dance (Kathak) from Gandharv Mahavidyalaya.

Dr Priyanka Chhaparia is a committed advocate for responsible business, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable development. Her academic journey includes a Bachelor's in Economics, a Master's in Development Studies, and a PhD from IIT Kanpur. Her doctoral thesis focused on qualitative inquiry into the CSR initiatives of pharmaceutical foundations.

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She has designed and taught various courses, with a focus on sustainable development. She has contributed to various national and international projects with organizations like UNICEF and IDRC, focusing on business ethics, responsible supply chains, and the apparel and textile sector.

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Education: Bachelors in Economics; Masters in Development Studies; PhD from IIT Kanpur

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Courses taught:

1. Research Methods
2. Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

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Dr Shukla is a Professor and academic leader at Bennett University, serving as Controller of Examination and Associate Dean - Academics & Evaluation. She brings rich teaching experience along with significant publications and diverse research contributions relevant to MBA education.

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She holds a doctorate in English Literature, with key research areas in managerial communication, intercultural communication, leadership, and business communication, strengthening management education and soft skills training.

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Education: Ph.D., M.A., B.Ed., DBM in English, Business Communication & Soft Skills; St. Mary’s Convent, Kanpur.

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Ishita Singh is deeply committed to bridging the gap between the availability and accessibility of rights for Indian citizens. Her work focuses on facilitating awareness and empowerment through a constitutional lens, particularly among historically marginalised communities.

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She has conducted capacity-building sessions with diverse stakeholders including community leaders, women, tribal and Dalit groups, religious minorities, youth, persons with disabilities, and transgender individuals, enabling them to advance sustainable development using constitutional tools and frameworks. At We The People Abhiyan, she works as a Facilitator, manages a team of facilitators across geographies, and develops both standardised and contextualised content to strengthen citizen education and engagement with constitutional values.

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‍Education: Master’s degree in Constitutional Law.

Junofy Rozarina is a lecturer, researcher, public speaker, and consultant in the fields of behavioural economics, decision-making, and strategic thinking. She has delivered training programs and provided behavioural science consultancy to organisations such as Google, Migros, and UNDP, and regularly lectures at universities around the world. She has published two books and more than 35 research papers.

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She is the Founder and CEO of the India Behavioural Economics Network, a non-profit organisation promoting behavioural economics.

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Education: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Zurich; Master of Science (MS) in Economics from the University of Konstanz; Master of Science (MSc) in Economics and Development Economics from the University of Nottingham; Master of Business Administration (MBA), Pondicherry University (Remote/Part-time); Master of Science (MSc) in Psychology, Alagappa University (Remote/Part-time); Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics from the Central University of Tamil Nadu, India.

Kakul Mishra has 20+ years of varied experience spanning areas of general management, strategy, business development, operations, partnership & program management, and organisation scaling.

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Kakul has spearheaded innovative models across sectors such as Education, Telecom, Aviation, Financial Services, and Vocational Skilling. Her projects emphasise impact-based skilling across communities of students, job aspirants and professionals.She led the setup of the Centre for Digital Governance, an anchor agency to operationalise the National Urban Digital Mission, under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs. She set up a skills organization in the Allied Healthcare space, getting global skills standards to India. Beyond work, her interests include reading and swimming.

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Kakul is an IIM Bangalore alumnus and a certified assessor from Australian Institute of Management.

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Courses taught: Program Management

Kaustubh Khare has over a decade of experience working with not-for-profits, social enterprises, and government departments in the areas of primary education and climate change. He has collaborated with organisations such as the Central Square Foundation, EkStep Foundation, Language and Learning Foundation, Vikramshila Education Resource Society, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Most recently, he led the design of foundational literacy and numeracy toolkits for government schools across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

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He has designed and facilitated courses on Group Dynamics and Leadership and Visual Thinking at Ashoka University, ISDM, Plaksha, Naropa Fellowship, and the Vedica Scholars Program. His research interests include Organisational Design, Visual Semiotics, and Indian Heritage.

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Education: IIT Kharagpur, Ashoka University, and the University of Tartu; (Master’s thesis at the University of Tartu on “Semiotic Analysis of the Mission Prerna Structured Pedagogy Toolkit”.)

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Khilesh Chaturvedi has been engaged with social change organisations since 1988 and has over 30 years of experience as a trainer and evaluator. Since 2013, he has been working as an advisor and freelance consultant, designing and delivering customised, process-oriented capacity building initiatives.

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His areas of focus include Results-Based Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Community-Led and Managed Development, Facilitation Skills, and Training of Trainers. In addition to trainings and workshops, he conducts organisational assessments and evaluations of programmes and projects. He has worked with international, national, regional, and grassroots organisations across India and countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Netherlands, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Micronesia.

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Education: Master’s degree in Social Work, Institute for Social Sciences, Agra (1986–1988).

Laavanya Tamang is a Senior Research Associate with ResGov. Her interests lie in digital governance, where she explores questions of accountability and transparency at the intersection of technology and social security.

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Prior to joining ResGov, she worked with LibTech India based in Jharkhand. She is also affiliated with the Right to Food and Work Campaigns in India.

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Education: Bachelor’s in Economics from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University; Master’s in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics.

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Maharshi Vaishnav is the CEO of the Motilal Oswal Foundation. Prior to this, he spent over a decade at Educate Girls, where he held multiple roles including CEO. During his tenure, he led a team of more than 3,000 changemakers working across 30,000 villages in India to identify and enroll the most marginalized out-of-school girls, support their retention in schools, and improve learning outcomes. He also played a key role in raising over $100 million in funding for the organisation.

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Before transitioning to the social sector, Maharshi spent a decade working in various roles across the private sector. His work today continues to focus on advancing large-scale impact through philanthropy and education initiatives.

Mariyam Hisam Siddiqui is an experienced educator and social worker with seven years of experience designing and implementing programs for children, youth, and women. She discovered her passion for social impact early in life and has since dedicated herself to advancing meaningful community-based initiatives.

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An alumna of La Martiniere Girls’ College, Lucknow, she combines academic grounding with creative engagement. A theatre enthusiast, she conducts theatre workshops for people of all ages and enjoys reading, watching films, and travelling to explore new places.

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Education: B.A. (Honours) in History from Hindu College, University of Delhi; Master’s in Social Work from Jamia Millia Islamia.

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Maulik Chauhan is the founder of Trestle Research and Consulting, with over 15 years of experience in research, data management, and analysis. He spent seven years at J-PAL South Asia, focusing on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and randomized control trials (RCTs). As a United Nations consultant, he supported African countries in transitioning Consumer Price Index (CPI) data collection from paper-based systems to digital platforms.

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He has contributed to international development projects with The World Bank, Harvard University, the London School of Economics, and MIT, and was recently featured in a SurveyCTO podcast for his contributions to the development sector.

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Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering; Master’s degrees in Business Administration, Public Administration, and Development Studies; Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Statistics; Certifications in Data Science, Python, and GIS.

Meenu Venkateswaran is the co-founder of Pravah and ComMutiny – The Youth Collective, and played a pivotal role in founding vartaLeap, a multi-sectoral coalition incubated by ComMutiny. She brings extensive experience across corporate and social sectors. As CEO of Pravah (2005–2010), she led organisational strategy, managed teams, and oversaw programme implementation.

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She has contributed to designing and implementing leadership development programmes and organisational development interventions for youth, facilitators, and social sector leaders. As guest faculty at ISDM, she teaches the course ‘Par-us-Par – Spurring Collectivization: Nurturing Alliances, Networks, and Coalitions.’ She is co-author of Ocean in a Drop – Inside Out Youth Leadership (Sage, 2013), serves as a lead member at Vyaktitva consulting with organisations such as J-PAL, Breakthrough, and Porticus. She is also a co-founder of Indicult, a slow fashion lifestyle brand promoting artisans across India.

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Education: Degree from Delhi School of Economics (1985); Degree from IIM Bangalore (1990).

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Mihir Mathur uses systems thinking and modelling to create conversations on sustainability agendas and to facilitate group decision-making processes. He founded DESTA Research LLP in April 2018 and currently serves as Visiting Faculty for System Dynamics Modeling at TISS, Hyderabad. He works with philanthropies, think tanks, and nonprofit organisations to mainstream systems thinking into planning and implementation processes.

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He has previously worked with the Climate Change Adaptation Program at Watershed Organisation Trust, Pune (2009–2014), and in Earth Sciences & Climate Change at TERI, New Delhi (2014–2017). Since 2018, he has been leading DESTA Research LLP as Founder Director.

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Education: Postgraduate Degree in Finance with specialization in System Dynamics from Sadhana Center for Management and Leadership Development, Pune.

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Mona Kothari Dikshit is an Associate Academic Director at the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM), Noida. She has worked for 20+ years as a grassroot practitioner in the domains of rural livelihoods promotion, microfinance, promotion of community-based organisations (SHGs, Cooperatives, Farmer and craft-based Producer Organisations,) and NGOs. She has been/is Board Member of some reputed NGOs. The BASIX Social Enterprise Group, Swiss Development Cooperation, NDDB/TANCOF and Sewa Mandir are the organisations where she has been employed; working mainly in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and UP.

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She is an experienced trainer and facilitator for development of community organisations, and youth leadership development. Mona has done major consulting assignments with national and international agencies namely TRIFED, FICCI, Tata Trust, Central Tibetan Authority, RGICS, World Bank, UNDP and JICA. She also ventured two years in fulltime private practice as a biodiversity farmer-entrepreneur.

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Education: Postgraduate from the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), Gujarat

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Courses taught:

1. Strategy for SPOs
2. Scale and Sustainability

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Naghma Mulla is the CEO of EdelGive Foundation and serves as a Director on its Board. Over the past eight years, she has been instrumental in driving the foundation’s vision towards building growth and scale for the organisations it supports. Under her leadership, EdelGive has pledged nearly INR 4 billion in commitments and supported over 150 NGOs since its inception.

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She focuses on forging strategic partnerships with diverse Indian and international stakeholders across the development ecosystem. She has created and nurtured six collaboratives in key areas including Education, Women Empowerment, Capacity-Building, Climate Change, Migration, and Ecosystem-Building. She began her career with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance as part of its foundational team.

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Education: Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI); Master of Commerce (M.Com) from the University of Pune.

Nikita Rakhyani is a certified participatory researcher, trainer, and expert in youth engagement with over seven years of experience across India and the Global South. She has worked with more than 3,000 young people across Asia on issues such as active citizenship, social accountability, democracy, urban governance, digital literacy, and climate change. She has conducted numerous participatory research studies with women, men, and adolescents in urban and rural India, focusing on climate adaptation, digital trust, mobility, and the needs and aspirations of low-income communities.

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Currently, she leads the PRIA International Academy, which offers learning programs for students and development professionals, and serves as a Rising Star Mentor with People Powered. She believes that empowering local communities and fostering civic and democratic responsibility are essential for driving meaningful social change.

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Education: Postgraduate degree in Development Communication and Extension from the University of Delhi.

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P. R. Ganapathy mentors social entrepreneurs working to create impact for the next billion. He currently chairs the Chennai Regional Advisory Board of Teach for India and has previously served as South Asia Regional Director for Stanford Seed and President of Villgro. He is also the co-founder of Menterra Social Impact Fund, Haqdarshak (a civic-tech social enterprise), and Gridstone Research (a US-based financial information company).

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He worked with Infosys and the Tata Group in India and the US before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey. He has authored two spy thrillers, is a certified commercial pilot in both the US and India, and enjoys golf, squash, and trekking in the Himalayas.

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Education: Graduate of IIM Ahmedabad; Graduate of Hindu College, Delhi University.

Pritika Malhotra is a Senior Research Associate at the Foundation for Responsive Governance. She holds a Master’s in International Social and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and a B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from National Law University Delhi. Her research interests include education, public finance, and governance.

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Previously, she worked with the Accountability Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research, contributing to projects on social accountability and competency frameworks for bureaucrats. Her professional experience also includes roles at Teach For India and leading corporate law firms, where she advised government bodies and multinational corporations on commercial disputes.

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Education: Master’s in International Social and Public Policy from the London School of Economics; B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from National Law University Delhi.

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Prof. LS Murthy is an accomplished operations management professional specialising in operations planning and strategy. With a strong passion for teaching methodologies and problem-solving approaches, he has made significant contributions to academia through developing and overseeing executive-level management programs and teaching at Master’s and Doctoral levels.

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He has been associated with leading institutions including IIM Bangalore, IIM Nagpur, IIM Visakhapatnam, XIM Bhubaneswar, and XLRI Jamshedpur, where he has taught and held leadership positions. Combining technical and managerial expertise, he brings deep academic and professional experience to his role.

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Education: Degree in Mechanical Engineering; Alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad.

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Courses taught:

1. Case Study - World Tailors: Stitching together a plan for growth
2. Operations Management

Rashmi Hegde is a development professional with over three decades of experience designing and implementing initiatives focused on child rights, education, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), livelihoods, and women’s empowerment. She specialises in piloting and scaling programs with an emphasis on systemic reforms, sustainability, and community ownership, and has established models of community-owned early childhood care centres in marginalised areas.

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She has been instrumental in nurturing community-based organisations, cooperatives, and producer companies, enabling communities to lead their own development processes. With a postgraduate degree in Social Work, she has collaborated extensively with national and international NGOs as well as government bodies, championing inclusive, community-driven approaches to sustainable development.

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Education: Postgraduate degree in Social Work.

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Ravi Sreedharan transitioned to the social sector in 2011 after a distinguished 24-year career in the corporate world. During his time at HSBC, he worked across more than 30 countries and held several senior leadership roles, including Regional Marketing Head for the Middle East and Africa, Head of Consumer Products for Asia Pacific, Consumer Banking Head for Indonesia, and CEO and President Director of Bank Ekonomi, which was later acquired by HSBC.

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After moving to the development sector, Ravi joined the Azim Premji Foundation as Head of Education Leadership & Management, where he focused on strengthening leadership capacities within the education system. His work reflects a strong commitment to improving educational institutions and leadership practices in the social sector.

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Education:

Masters in Business Administration, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU.

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Courses taught:

Introduction to Development Management

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Ruchi Ghose is a designer and facilitator of experiences that enable individuals and organisations to work towards greater wellbeing. Deeply committed to cultivating wellbeing as a learnable skill, she works with educational institutions and social sector organisations to build awareness and capacities for socio-emotional growth. Her journey in education began as a primary school teacher at The Shri Ram School, Aravalli (2001), and has since evolved into a sustained engagement with educational change and leadership development.

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Her experience spans teacher professional development, school leadership coaching, whole-school transformation, and the design of technology-supported solutions for educational change. She has worked with The Teacher Foundation and the Azim Premji Foundation (2010–2017), where she contributed to setting up demonstration schools, designing instructional leadership programs, and supporting school leaders and government functionaries. She has also been part of collaborative research initiatives and has authored and co-authored publications on teacher development, peer learning, and educational reform.

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Education: Certified CBCT (Cognitively Based Compassion Training) Facilitator, Emory University, USA; Certified L1 Facilitator, SEEL (Socio Emotional Ethical Learning), Emory University, USA; MBA from UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles; M.A. in Economics, Calcutta University; B.A. (Honours) in Economics, Calcutta University.

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Sajit Nair has over 15 years of experience working in various social purpose organizations. He has worked in the domains of Education, Disability, Livelihood and Healthcare. Previously, Sajit was a part of Resource Mobilization, and Program management for livelihood projects across 17 states in India.

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His expertise also includes initiating and managing Grants. He also maintains donor relationships with National and International Organisations. As part of his current responsibilities, Sajit is working to build knowledge infrastructure in collaboration with other teams. He ensures that there are no bottlenecks in the transfer of knowledge to students. Sajit also maintains and helps evolve a functional 'Learning Management System’.

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Education: Sajit has a graduate degree in Physics from Mumbai University and a PGDM in Voluntary Service Organisation from NMIMS.

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Courses taught:

1. Insight Architect : Excel
2. Program Management

Shankar is part of the founding team of ECube Investment Advisors, which is setting up a fund to invest in publicly listed companies and support improvements in their sustainability and ESG performance. He advises companies and NGOs on corporate sustainability and sustainable development. His last full-time role was as Chief of the Tata Sustainability Group (TSG), where he provided guidance, thought leadership, and strategic support on sustainability and corporate responsibility across the $100 billion Tata group.

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With over a decade focused on corporate sustainability, he led efforts at TSG to integrate emerging ideas such as natural and social capital valuation, circularity, and sustainable supply chains into core business strategy, and helped curate the group’s disaster response, volunteering, and skilling initiatives. Earlier, he worked with SustainAbility (UK) and PricewaterhouseCoopers advising companies on sustainability strategy and reporting. His prior experience includes nearly 15 years in social development with ActionAid and the American India Foundation, which he helped establish in India as its first Executive Director. He also founded Partners in Change, a pioneering CSR advisory non-profit. He has served on several nonprofit boards and was part of the two-member panel that drafted India’s National Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct (2019).

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Education: PGDM from Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (1980–1982); B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (1973–1978).

Sharad Agarwal is an education sector professional who works closely with schools to improve the quality of education and strengthen academic outcomes. With over two decades of experience, he began his career in the automotive industry working with global OEMs across multiple regions before transitioning to the education sector to drive improvements in K–12 education across India.

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He also serves on the board of IIMPACT, a nonprofit organisation that works to educate and mainstream out-of-school girls. Through its extensive network of learning centres, IIMPACT has supported tens of thousands of girls to access education and opportunities. Sharad combines industry experience with a strong commitment to social impact and educational transformation.

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Education:

‍Masters in Business Administration, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, B.Tech., Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.

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Courses taught: Operations Management

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Shilpa Jhawar is a social entrepreneur with two decades of experience in people and organizational development. Shilpa has done master's in psychology followed by a certificate course in counselling. She has been practicing as a counsellor and coach to a diverse range of professionals and young people both in corporate and development sectors. She has co-founded an organization Had-Anhad working on education and youth development in Madhya Pradesh, she led Had-Anhad for 8 years before passing on operational leadership to the second line members.

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Before starting her own social purpose organization, she also held leadership positions in organizations like Change.org and Pravah. As part of an HR consulting firm Vyaktitva she has done intense organization and people development work with companies like Bausch & Lomb, Airtel, 20:20 media and many more. Currently, she provides independent consultation mainly in the area of curriculum Design, facilitation, narrative building, individual Coaching & organization Development.

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Education: Master's in Psychology; Certificate course in Counselling

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Shivangi Bhasin recently graduated from Ambedkar University with a Master’s in English, where she wrote her thesis on the literary history of Siberia. With a keen interest in Eastern Europe, she hopes to further explore the region through her PhD and future travels.

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In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her three dogs, valuing the simple and slower moments in life.

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Education: Master’s in English from Ambedkar University.

Shruti Priya is the Service Engagement Specialist at PRIA International Academy with over four years of experience in youth engagement, participatory research, capacity building, teacher professional development, and education. Prior to this role, she worked as a Program Officer at PRIA (Participatory Research in Asia), where she was part of teams designing and supporting fellowship programmes that amplify young voices in governance and climate action across South and Southeast Asia.

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Her work includes facilitating trainings, mentoring young researchers, and contributing to research studies on digital trust, climate-resilient cities, and inclusive urban development. With a background in social work, Shruti believes in collaborative, community-based efforts to drive meaningful change and continues to learn through on-the-ground engagement.

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Education: Master’s in Social Work from Jamia Millia Islamia; Political Science (Honours) from Ramjas College, University of Delhi.

Sidharth Santhosh is a Senior Research Associate and a founding team member at ResGov. Their work examines how bureaucrats learn welfare governance, collaborate within state systems, and manage citizen–state coalitions in India. At ResGov, Sidharth also supports organisational strategy for fundraising and planning, and contributes to capacity-building programs for bureaucrats, NGOs, and university students. Prior to joining ResGov, they worked with the Accountability Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research and with IIEP-UNESCO.

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They have also served on the Youth Board at Reap Benefit and were a Young Curator and Learners’ Voice Fellow at the World Innovation Summit for Education (Qatar).

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Education: Master’s in Public Policy and Economics from Sciences Po, Paris; Bachelor’s in Economics from Christ University, Bangalore

Simrita Kaur is a Bricoleur at ISDM and has worked as a teacher, trainer and an education consultant over a decade and half long career. She enjoys creating and designing learning opportunities for different kinds of learners. Simrita has taught history, social and political life to middle and secondary schoolers. She has trained teachers and school leaders; and has worked extensively with stakeholders across the Education sector.

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She is adept at developing, implementing, and monitoring curriculum interventions, and has consulted with Vikramshila Education Resource Society, Gubbachi Learning Community, Guardians of Dreams, and Language and Learning Foundation as a curriculum and subject matter expert. She has also authored learning documents and strategy notes on implementing the NIPUN Bharat mission for state governments.

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Education: Masters in History from Delhi University; Masters in Education from Azim Premji University

Siva Sankar Kantheti is a teacher educator and researcher in individual and organisational wellbeing. His work spans Teacher Professional Development, Personal Mastery, Universal Human Values, Compassion Training, and Socio-Emotional and Ethical Learning. He studies how contemplative sciences and Indian Darshans contribute to transformative change among teachers, educational leaders, and development professionals. With over 15 years of experience, he has designed and facilitated transformative learning experiences across institutions.

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He has played a key role in institutionalising value education in higher education, facilitating over 200 workshops since 2013 and contributing to large-scale teacher development initiatives benefiting thousands of educators. He established the Centre for Holistic Development of Human Consciousness (2018), impacting over 32,000 individuals, and currently leads operations and programs at VIRIDUS Social Impact Solutions. His work also includes teaching CBCT® with Emory University, designing Faculty Development Programs on Universal Human Values and Professional Ethics, and leading Jeevan Vidya programs for diverse stakeholders. Earlier in his career, he served in the Indian Air Force (2006–2011) in the Electronics and Communications stream, supporting operational monitoring and rescue missions.

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Education: Ph.D. in Consciousness Development and Value Education, Atmiya University; Master’s in Education from Azim Premji University; Master’s in Psychology from Sri Venkateshwara University; Bachelor’s in Education from Acharya Nagarjuna University; Bachelor’s in Science from Acharya Nagarjuna University; Certified Facilitator, CBCT® (Cognitively-Based Compassion Training), Emory University, USA; Certified L1 Facilitator, Socio-Emotional Ethical Learning, Emory University, USA; Certified Classical Yoga Teacher, The Yoga Institute, Mumbai.

Somya Nand is passionate about enabling meaningful education for all children. After working in the garmenting sector across geographies and witnessing deep societal inequalities, she shifted her focus to education as a pathway to emancipation. She co-founded Gubbachi Learning Community to improve learning outcomes in a peri-urban cluster in Bangalore.

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Since 2015, she has led Gubbachi’s work in educating underserved children and empowering migrant communities. In her role, she facilitates organisational development and resource mobilisation, while remaining closely engaged with students, especially through teaching and exploring Mathematics in the learning space.

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Education: Master of Arts (M.A.) in Education from Azim Premji University (2012–2014); Garment Manufacturing Technology from National Institute of Fashion Technology, Chennai (1996–1998).

Sparsh Verma is a marketing strategist with over 10 years of experience in branding, marketing communications, and storytelling. He has worked with corporates, startups, and social enterprises, crafting and executing strategic marketing plans that strengthen brand positioning, digital presence, and sales enablement. His work combines strategic thinking with hands-on consulting and project execution to drive impactful communication and marketing outcomes.

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Sparsh holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Management from UPF Barcelona School of Management and a B.Tech from NIT Patna. Outside of work, he enjoys writing stories and poetry, cooking, travelling, and going on road trips to explore new places—though he firmly refuses to choose between coffee and tea.

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Education: Master’s in Strategic Management, UPF Barcelona School of Management; B.Tech, NIT Patna.

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Courses taught: Communications in Social Sector

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Sudarshan Rodriguez has over 24 years of experience in the development sector. With multidisciplinary expertise spanning disaster management, environmental sciences, environmental economics, policy, and environmental law, he began his career at UNDP-India as a Programme Development Specialist on Environment & GEF programmes after completing his second master’s from the London School of Economics. Over the years, he has worked with the UN, grassroots organisations, policy think tanks, civil society, and academia across India, Asia, the US, and Europe in leadership and advisory roles.

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He has engaged in advocacy with governments and social movements on conservation, coastal and marine management, land rights, and livelihood issues, and was actively involved in disaster response and management during the 2004 Asian tsunami in coastal India and the Andaman Islands. Until March 2020, he served as Programme Director at the Mahatma Gandhi Academy of Human Development (MGAHD), TISS Mumbai, leading work on livelihoods and social entrepreneurship. He also designs and delivers Radical Transformational Leadership ‘learning-in-action’ programmes for the UN, businesses, and nonprofit organisations across multiple countries, with a focus on youth and leadership development in India and ASEAN countries.

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Education: Master’s degree from the London School of Economics (second master’s); other qualifications not specified.

Sudha Nair is an avid learner whose professional journey spans technology, marketing, textiles, and education. With a degree in Computer Science, she began her career marketing financial software before moving into the textile sector, where she spent over 12 years advocating for fair practices and building weaver cooperatives. A strong advocate for human rights, she worked to empower tailors and artisan communities through collective models.

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At 40, she transitioned into education, focusing on designing and implementing impactful programs across grassroots and university settings. Self-taught and digitally adept, she explores open-source platforms globally, creating content that integrates technology and education. With a master’s in Anthropology, she aspires to deepen her engagement with ethnography and the study of human societies, while continuing her personal journey toward inner awareness and growth.

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Education: Degree in Computer Science; Master’s in Anthropology.

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Sujatha Rao is deeply committed to the democratization of work, workplaces, education, and learning. Her practice focuses on building technology-enabled learning platforms that provide individualized and flexible pathways, especially for non-institutional learners. She works through design thinking and participatory, collaborative problem-solving approaches to support organisations addressing complex social and developmental challenges.

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She co-founded Chaabee, a social enterprise supporting out-of-school learners and individuals seeking flexible schooling pathways through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), offering multilingual digital learning support and vocational skilling. She also co-founded Viridus Social Impact Solutions, where she works on purposeful organisational design and leadership development for social impact, and mentors social entrepreneurs and organisational design consultants. Sujatha co-hosts the Workwise Pod, a podcast on building fair and empathetic workplaces, and provides academic consulting on curriculum design, pedagogy, and faculty development. She serves as an academic advisor to ISDM and Globalschoolleaders.org and is on the advisory board of ShikshaLokam.

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Education: PhD in Organisational Studies from the University of Sydney.

With 24 years in the advertising industry, Suman Srivastava has held senior leadership roles including CEO of Euro RSCG India, Chief Strategy Officer for Euro RSCG Asia Pacific, Chairman of its Emerging Markets Planning Council, member of the Global Management Committee, and Vice Chairman & Chief Strategy Officer of FCB Ulka Group in India.

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A passionate brand builder and educator, Suman has worked with leading brands such as Hindustan Unilever, Microsoft, IBM, Bharat Petroleum, Reliance, and Philips. He has taught at IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, ISB Hyderabad, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, MICA, and other institutions, and conducted workshops for corporations and social sector organisations including Microsoft, Intel, ILSS, Smile Foundation, United Way Mumbai, and Give India. He is actively involved in the voluntary sector, supporting causes ranging from education and child protection to rural tourism and skill development, and is associated with organisations such as Apnalaya, Samhita Social Ventures, Yuva Parivartan, Digiswasthya, GivFunds, Yein Udaan, and Karghewale.

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Education: Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi; Management from IIM Ahmedabad and IMD Lausanne, Switzerland.

Swapnil Agarwal is the Founder of Dhwani Rural Information Systems, a development-oriented technology organisation focused on providing affordable, integrated, and smart ICT tools for organisations working at the community and Base of the Pyramid (BoP) level. He is an experienced technology specialist with a strong track record of working with social sector organisations to strengthen systems and impact.

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His expertise includes business planning, market research, process mapping, technology consulting, and public speaking. He works at the intersection of technology and development, enabling organisations to adopt practical digital solutions that enhance effectiveness and outreach.

Vinay Mahajan is an Agricultural Engineer and a management postgraduate from IIM Ahmedabad. A researcher and singer-songwriter by choice, he co-creates and performs as part of the tri-lingual duo ‘Loknaad – People’s Voice’, bringing together music, field experiences, and social commitment.

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As part of Loknaad, he has co-created albums such as Insaan Hain Hum, reflecting on peace and borders, and Aazadi – We the People, celebrating constitutional values. Their songs, including Janane ka Haq, Haathon ko Kaam, and Aao Lakeerein Mita Dein, are widely used in social campaigns across the country and internationally.

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Education: Agricultural Engineering; Postgraduate in Management from IIM Ahmedabad.

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Vinita Singh has worked in the social development sector for 28 years, primarily in the areas of livelihoods, human rights, and citizenship education. Her work has focused on building people’s capacities by equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to address the challenges they face. She has been involved in setting up several organisations, including International Resources for Fairer Trade, Satark Nagrik Sangathan, and the National Homeworkers Group. Since 2010, she has been leading efforts to expand citizenship education in India as the Managing Trustee of We The People Abhiyan.

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Her core competency lies in facilitation and mentoring. She is also an effective public speaker on issues she is deeply passionate about, including democracy, active citizenship, and the Constitution of India.

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Education: Bachelor’s degree in Economics; Master’s degree in Management from S.P. Jain Institute, Mumbai; Master’s degree in Social Policy from the London School of Economics

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Yamini Aiyar is currently Senior Visiting Fellow at the Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia and the Watson Institute, Brown University. She served as President and Chief Executive of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), New Delhi, from 2017 to 2024, where she spearheaded the establishment of new research initiatives on State Capacity and Politics. Prior to becoming President, she founded the Accountability Initiative at CPR, known for its work on governance, social accountability, and expenditure tracking in social policy. Her work sits at the intersection of research and policy practice, with research interests spanning contemporary politics, state capacity, welfare policy, federalism, and India’s political economy.

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Yamini serves on several boards and advisory committees, including the Advisory Committee at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University; the United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration; the Council of the United Nations University; the Chief Minister’s Rajasthan Economic Transformation Advisory Council (2022–2023); the Expert Group on Medium-Long Term Post-COVID Strategy for the Government of Punjab (2021–22); the Delhi Board of School Education; and the Advisory Board of the Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies at IIT Mumbai.

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She has published widely in academic and public forums including The Economist, Foreign Affairs, Journal of Democracy, Indian Express, and The Hindu, and writes regular columns for Hindustan Times and Deccan Herald. Her forthcoming book, Lessons in State Capacity from Delhi Schools, will be published by Oxford University Press in October 2024.