About Us I Sehgal Foundation I India's top Rural Development NGO (2024)

WE BELIEVE

Every person deserves to lead a more secure, prosperous, and dignified life. With that vision in mind, the S M Sehgal Foundation mission is to strengthen community-led development initiatives to achieve positive social, economic, and environmental change across rural India.

S M Sehgal Foundation (Sehgal Foundation) has been working since 1999 to improve the quality of life of the rural communities in India. As a rural development NGO, established as a public, charitable trust, Sehgal Foundation has a skilled and dedicated team that creates sustainable programs to address rural India’s most pressing needs: Sehgal Foundation has five main program areas: Water Management, Agriculture Development, Local Participation and Sustainability, Transform Lives one school at a time, and Outreach for Development. These programs are supported by a skilled research team that engages in participatory research, impact assessment, and interactive dialogues to determine informed actions to achieve sustainable results.

With support from donors and partners around the world, Sehgal Foundation's grassroots programs and development interventions have already reached people in 12 states across India, empowering individuals and communities in need to escalate and enhance their own development.

With more than two decades of experience in sustainable rural development, the teams at Sehgal Foundation in twelve states, so far, across rural India have been on the forefront to design and implement interventions based on collective action, addressing pertinent rural development issues. The foundation teams engage in participatory research in development and policy issues, impact assessment, interactive dialogue, and community media to take informed actions, provide training and education opportunities to others in these efforts, and to achieve sustainable results.

Our Ethos and Values

Our organization’s operating philosophy is based on the principle of “loose and tight,” meaning flexible in operations and firm on core values. Sehgal Foundation embraces core values of integrity, excellence, professionalism, optimism, and respect, along with the belief that, with appropriate support from civil society organisations and the government, rural communities will be mobilised to develop their own vision for development and transform their awareness into action.

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  Adarsh Anand

  M.Sc, Program Lead

  Mid-level project manager with expertise in Project handling, Budgeting, Project conceptualizing, Proposals development, Community Need Assessments, Liaising & Coordination, Fund Mobilizations and Human Resource Management.
  Email: a.anand@smsfoundation.org

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  Akansha Sharma

  M.Sc, Manager, Partnerships and Fundraising

  M.Sc. in Resource Management and Design Application (Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi), project development and project management. Email: a.sharma@smsfoundation.org

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  Amba Mukherjee

  MA, Associate Social Scientist, Rural Research and Development

  Masters in Environment and Development Studies from Dr. BR Ambedkar University Delhi. Rural research development, water, sustainable agriculture,rural livelihood, research studies.
  Email: a.mukherjee@smsfoundation.org

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  Ankit Ojha

  MSW, Program Lead, Transform Lives one school at a time

  A rural development practitioner from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, holds a master’s in social work. With 8 years’ experience, he’s dedicated to driving positive community change as Program Lead at S M Sehgal Foundation.
  Email: a.ojha@smsfoundation.org

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  Jan Dirk Geertsema

  Advisor

  Jan Dirk (JD) is author, management consultant, executive coach, and management trainer since 1997, working extensively with management teams in the global business theatre, including Agriculture, Airline, Automotive, Biotechnology, Chemical, Food, Graphic Arts, Manufacturing, and Software Engineering industries, and with the governments of the USA, Ukraine, and the Netherlands. JD teaches ‘Leadership & Human Logic’ at various international universities.

  JD has been supporting the S M Sehgal Foundation as a volunteer since 2004, primarily focusing on management and team development.

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  Arun Maheshwari

  Advisor

  Arun Maheshwari studied at IIT, Mumbai and IIM, Kolkata, and proceeded to the US in 1967, where he studied at Columbia, Stanford, and Wharton.

  He has worked for McKinsey as a consultant, and for many Fortune 500 companies, including Tata Consultancy Services, as a senior executive. He founded and managed two different software companies in India between 1996 and 2008. After retirement, he served on the boards of many listed and private companies.

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  Venkata Subbarao

  Advisor

  Venkata Subbarao, Kolli, PhD, is a strategic business leader with extensive experience in agriculture, biosciences, and life sciences; a seasoned professional and a strategic thinker. He retired as Regional President – Corteva Agriscience and has also served as Vice Chair for Federation of Seed Association of India, President of National Seed Association of India from 2011-13; on CII Agriculture Council and FICCI Biotechnology committee.

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  Vyoma Nair

  Advisor

  Vyoma Nair is executive board adviser to Nucleus, is an expert on international expansion who developed an integrated “one-stop shopping” service model covering multi-country HR, legal, accounting, tax, and compliance services for smaller US tech companies seeking international expansion. She worked with Redback Networks, RedHat Software, and Theorem Clinical Research.

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  Anjali Godyal

  P.G Dip, Chief Operating Officer

  Rural management diploma (Institute of Rural Management, Anand, Gujarat); rural community development, project development, project management in water, agriculture, and governance.
  Email: a.godyal@smsfoundation.org

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  Anjali Makhija

  MA, Chief Executive Officer

  Social work master’s (Delhi School of Social Work), economics degree (Delhi Univ.), Leadership Foundational Principles certificate course by HarvardX; strategy building, program planning, and people management; building capacities on themes of rural development and women empowerment. Certified Corporate Director, Institute of Directors (IOD), Life member of National Association of Professional Social Workers in India (NAPSWI), Member of undergraduate board of studies in the Department of Social Work, BPS University, Sonipat, and Internal Committee member for Marks and Spencer India Sourcing Office. Email: anjali.makhija@smsfoundation.org

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  Aparajeeta

  M.tech, Program Lead, Water, Research and Training

  Mechanical Engineering grad with a M. Tech in Water Science & Governance from TERI SAS. 6+ years experience in drinking water sector, creating affordable, sustainable solutions for rural communities. Skilled in training on WASH, Fluoride & Fluorosis, and WASH for healthy homes.
  Email: a.vaibhav@smsfoundation.org

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  Arti Manchanda Grover

  MA, Sr. Manager, Public Relations

  Mass communications master’s (Guru Jambheshwar Univ.), Journalism degree and business journalism and communication diploma (Delhi Univ.); development communications and community radio. Sehgal Foundation Gender Committee Chair (2021-2023). Email: arti.manchanda@smsfoundation.org

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  Bandana Pradhan

  PCSM, Manager, Partnerships and Fundraising

  Hailing from Kalimpong is now the Manager of Partnerships at Sehgal Foundation. With 7+ years in Social Development, she has led impactful projects for the Government of India, focusing on Water and Sanitation, Panchayati Raj, and Covid-19 vaccination, particularly in Northeast India, ensuring community benefits and project sustainability through field visits, workshops, and stakeholder engagement. Email:b.pradhan@smsfoundation.org

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  Chander Shekhar

  MBA, Associate Director, Finance and Accounts

  Finance master’s (Amity Univ., Noida); accounting, payroll management, taxation, and statutory compliance.
  Email: c.shekhar@smsfoundation.org

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  Chander Shekhar Mehra

  MA, Social Scientist, Rural Research and Development

  MA (Economics) (IGNOU); BA (H) Economics (Delhi University ). Rural livelihood, agriculture, education, labour, and development research. Monitoring and evaluation; impact assessment; and quantitative research.
  Email: cs.mehra@smsfoundation.org

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  Debika Goswami

  MA, Sr. Program Lead, Local Participation and Sustainability

  History master’s (Presidency College, Univ. of Calcutta), “Non-Farm Activities and Rural Development in Developing Countries” (Univ. of Rome, La Sapienza); grassroots research and rural governance.
  Email: d.goswami@smsfoundation.org

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  Ellora Mubashir

  PhD, Project Documentation Specialist

  PhD in Life Sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Management experience in the corporate and CSOs, documentation expertise in scientific and social science fields, CSR projects, and academic publications.
  Email: e.mubashir@smsfoundation.org

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  Lalit Mohan Sharma

  M.Tech, Principal Scientist, Water Research & Training

  Civil engineering graduate (Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi); master’s in management and systems (Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi); water management technology research, development, and implementation.Email: lalit.sharma@smsfoundation.org

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  Manoj Sharma

  MBA, Head, IT Infrastructure

  Master’s in information technology management (Sikkim Manipal Univ.), BA in IT (Delhi Univ.); information technology in profit and nonprofit sectors.
  Email: m.sharma@smsfoundation.org

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  Meenakshi Mrinalini

  P.G Dip, Sr. Manager, Human Resources

  Human Resource Management (The Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India); human resources operation and administration, team management, employee engagement, data verification, training, and quality monitoring. Email: m.mrinalini@smsfoundation.org

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  N P Singh

  M.Sc, Sr. Program Lead, Agriculture Development

  Specialization in soil microbiology (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar); Livelihood Enhancement through innovative agriculture solutions and allied activities; development and management; and social mobilization. Email: n.singh@smsfoundation.org

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  Navneet Narwal

  MA, Principal Lead, Project Implementation

  Law degree (Delhi Univ.), English master’s (Punjab Univ., Chandigarh), MBA (Sikkim Manipal Univ.), journalism diploma (Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Chandigarh); grassroots policy training.
  Email:n.narwal@smsfoundation.org

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  Neema Joshi

  M.Sc, Sr. Manager, Partnerships and Fundraising

  Agriculture master’s from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar; Programme Planning Development and Management, Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Manila, Philippines. Sustainable agriculture, value chain development and governance.
  Email: n.joshi@smsfoundation.org

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  Niti Saxena

  M.Sc, Chief Technology Officer

  Human development master’s (Lady Irwin College, Delhi Univ.); social science research includes qualitative research and participatory development. Email: niti.saxena@smsfoundation.org

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  Pankaj Gaur

  MBA, Manager, External Reporting & Indirect Taxes

  Finance master’s (Amity Univ.), master’s in commerce and social studies (Agra Univ.); accounting, financial, and project reporting. Email: pankaj.gaur@smsfoundation.org

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  Pawan Kaswan

  M.Tech, Program Lead, Water Management

  MTech, Construction Technology and Management; BTech Civil Engineering MDU, Rohtak; diploma in Civil Engineering. Planning and execution of Rainwater harvesting structures (check dams, ponds, RWH tanks) and school transformation work.
  Email: p.kaswan@smsfoundation.org

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  Pawan Kumar

  MSc, Principal Lead, Agriculture Development and Extension

  Agriculture economics master’s (G. B. Pant Univ. of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar), forestry, science policy, and management master’s (Oxford Forestry Institute, Oxford Univ.); agricultural development, watershed management, and natural resource management. He is a Commonwealth Scholar 2001 and also a Ford Fellow 2015. Email: pawan.kumar@smsfoundation.org

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  Pooja O. Murada

  MA, Principal Lead, Outreach for Development

  Mass communications master’s; English honors; bridge marketing program (Tuck School of Business); over twenty years in brand management, marketing, and development communications in corporate and development sector. Spearheaded a community radio in an aspirational district; former chairperson of the gender committee at Sehgal Foundation, invited ICC member, Volvo India, and former governing board member of Community Radio Association.
  Email: poojamurada@smsfoundation.org

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  Ramesh Kapahi

  P.G Dip, Chief Financial Officer

  Finance and marketing diploma (Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, Delhi); internal auditing, company finance, and administrative leadership functions.
  Email: r.kapahi@smsfoundation.org

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  Rashi Gupta

  M.Sc, Manager, Partnerships and Fundraising

  Msc, International Business (University of West London), English Honours (Delhi University). Multi-sector project development, project management, corporate partnerships and fundraising.
  Email: r.gupta@smsfoundation.org

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  Richa Saxena

  M.Sc, Associate Social Scientist, Rural Research and Development

  M.Sc. Anthropology (Amity University), B.Sc. Life Sciences (Delhi University). Rural Research, Monitoring and Evaluation.
  Email: r.saxena@smsfoundation.org

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  Salahuddin Saiphy

  P.G Dip, Principal Lead, Water Management

  Master’s in Applied Geology , PG Diploma in Hydrogeology Aligarh Muslim University, environmental monitoring and impact assessment diploma (Jamia Hamdard Univ., New Delhi); design, implementation, and monitoring of rainwater harvesting and water management projects.
  Email: s.saiphy@smsfoundation.org

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  Sam Kapoor

  M.Sc, Sr. Manager - Partnership and External Relations

  Instructional design and technology master’s (California State Univ.), business computer IS degree (Minnesota State Univ.), AA degree (Minnesota State Univ., Akita, Japan), Japan Area studies certification; training and development.
  Email: s.kapoor@smsfoundation.org

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  Saurabh Srivastava

  P.G Dip, Sr. Program Lead, Local Participation and Sustainability

  International business management diploma and sustainable development practices diploma (Birla Institute of Management Technology), pharmacy degree (Uttar Pradesh Technical Univ.); capacity building of village-level institutions in health, education, and governance. Email: s.srivastava@smsfoundation.org

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  Shalinder Singh

  P.G Dip, Manager, MIS

  BSc PGDCA Punjab University Chandigarh Manager MIS (Solution Design Architect, big data analytics, machine learning, cloud technologies, data visualization and research data collection technologies, public health systems.
  Email: s.singh@smsfoundation.org

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  Shailesh Kumar Pant

  B.Sc, Program Lead, Agriculture Development and Extension

  BSc Agr. & AH from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology. Expert in Livelihood Enhancement.
  More than twenty years of experience in the corporate and development sector.
  Email: s.pant@smsfoundation.org

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  Shashank Devra

  P.G Dip, Program Lead, Local Participation and Sustainability

  Post graduate diploma (Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal) with specialization in development management; project management, financial inclusion, community-based organizations development and management, stakeholder management, micro-enterprise development, women empowerment and development, adolescent empowerment.
  Email: s.devra@smsfoundation.org

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  Shruchi Singh

  M.Sc, Sr. Program Lead

  Masters in Agriculture Agronomy from JNKVV, Jabalpur, Certified Scrum Master from Agile Premier Hyderabad. Farmer producer organization, sustainable agriculture practices; natural resource management; community mobilization; women empowerment and capacity building; livelihood interventions.
  Email: sh.singh@smsfoundation.org

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  Siprian Kiro

  MBA, Program Lead, Outreach for Development

  Program Lead, Outreach for Development, Graphic designing, documentation, Training, Community Development, and Capacity Building of rural people.
  Email: k.siprian@smsfoundation.org

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  Sonia Chopra

  MA, Program Lead, Outreach for Development

  Master’s degrees in library and information and in political science (Delhi Univ.); content development for various publications, database management, and community radio. Email: sonia.chopra@smsfoundation.org

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  Subhransu Kumar Bebarta

  P.G Dip, Sr. Manager, Partnerships and Fundraising

  Post graduate diploma (Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal); course on rural entrepreneurship from Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands; rural community development, project development in water, agriculture, and governance.
  Email: s.bebarta@smsfoundation.org

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  Surinder Mohan Sehgal

  Founder and Chairman of Board of Trustees

  Surinder (Suri) M. Sehgal, PhD, leading international crop scientist; chair of the Board of Trustees of S M Sehgal Foundation and Sehgal Foundation, USA; founder of the William L. Brown Center for Economic Botany at the Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, Missouri, and emeritus trustee of the Garden.

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  Edda Gudrun Sehgal

  Co-founder

  Edda G. Sehgal, educated at Hohenstaufen Gymnasium, Goppingen, Germany; cofounder and trustee of S M Sehgal Foundation in India and Sehgal Foundation, USA; and founder, with Suri Sehgal, and board member of Proagro Group, India, and Global Technologies Incorporated, USA (1990–1998).

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  Anjali Makhija

  Trustee and CEO

  Anjali Makhija, social work master’s (Delhi School of Social Work), economics degree (Delhi Univ.), Leadership Foundational Principles certificate course by HarvardX; Certified Corporate Director, Institute of Directors (IOD), Life member of National Association of Professional Social Workers in India (NAPSWI), Member of undergraduate board of studies in the Department of Social Work, BPS University, Sonipat, Internal Committee member for Marks and Spencer India Sourcing Office. Email: anjali.makhija@smsfoundation.org

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  Bernd Uwe Sehgal

  Trustee

  Bernd Uwe Sehgal, PhD, member of the board of directors of Sehgal Foundation, USA, and board member of the William L. Brown Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden, USA.

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  Bhamy Venkatramana Shenoy

  Trustee

  Bhamy Shenoy, PhD, associated with Mysore Grahakara Parishat, Pratham, and other NGOs.

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  Ganesan Balachander

  Trustee

  Ganesan Balachander, PhD, former director, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore, India, and member of the Consortium Board of Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

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  Gensuke Tokoro

  Advisor

  Gensuke Tokoro, professor (special appointment) at the Institute of Innovation Research of Hitotsubashi University (2008–2014); president and CEO of NAI, Inc. and Kyoto Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.; and board member of Institute for the Study of Panspermia and Astroeconomics.

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  Jan Leemans

  Advisor

  Jan Leemans, PhD, member board of directors, Misr Hytech Seed International, Egypt; Solynta, Wageningen, The Netherlands; and Agrosafve, Gent, Belgium; and former research director of Plant Genetic systems, Belgium.

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  Jane E. Schukoske

  Advisor

  Jane E. Schukoske, BA, JD, LLM, advisor, higher education and development consultant based in the USA. Former positions: executive director of US-India Educational Foundation, associate professor at University of Baltimore School of Law, and CEO of S M Sehgal Foundation (2011–16).

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  Rajat Jay Sehgal

  Trustee

  Rajat Jay Sehgal, executive vice president of Sehgal Foundation; former managing trustee and executive director of S M Sehgal Foundation.

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  Raman K. Sehgal

  Advisor

  Raman K. Sehgal, MBA, managing director and member of the Board of Directors of Misr Hytech Seed International, Egypt, and member of the Board of Directors of Hytech Seed, India.

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  S.K. Vasal

  Advisor

  S. K. Vasal, PhD, plant breeder and geneticist from CIMMYT, World Food Prize laureate, and recipient of Dr. M. S. Swaminathan Award for leadership in agriculture.

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  Suhas Pralhad Wani

  Trustee

  Suhas P. Wani, PhD, Research Program director, Asia Region, and director, ICRISAT Development Center, ICRISAT, Patancheru, Telangana, India (www.icrisat.org).

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  Vidhi Tandon

  CA, Manager, Accounts

  Chartered Accountant (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India); financial statements, statutory audit, core accounting, exceptional reporting.
  Email: v.tandon@smsfoundation.org

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  Vikas Jha

  PhD, Principal Lead, Local Participation and Sustainability

  Doctorate (Jawaharlal Nehru Univ., New Delhi); policy studies diploma (SOAS, University of London); policy analysis in development sector, governance and advocacy, capacity building, community mobilization, social accountability. Email: v.jha@smsfoundation.org

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  Vrinda Sharma

  MA, Associate Social Scientist, Rural Research and Development

  M.A, Associate Social Scientist Masters in Sustainable Development Practice from TERI School of Advanced Studies. Development research and data analytics, monitoring and evaluation, rural livelihoods, gender and governance.
  Email: v.sharma@smsfoundation.org