Our Team

Aditi Thacker

Chief Financial Officer

Accounts

Aditi Thacker is a Chartered Accountant who completed her CA in 2008. She started her professional journey with Talati and Talati, Chartered Accountants in Ahmedabad. She has done IPO related work for Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation and been part of audits of various listed and unlisted companies and NGOs such as AKRSP, Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan and Hunnarshala. She has been CfP’s Chief Financial Officer since its inception.

Syed Kashif Raza

Associate

Accounts

Syed Kashif Raza is a postgraduate from Aligarh Muslim University and has over 10 years of experience in accounting, auditing, taxation and payroll both in India and places abroad. He has worked with manufacturing companies, trading companies and NGOs and has currently joined CfP as an Accountant.

Mathews Morris

Administrator

Administration

Mathews Morris has an MBA in Finance and HR Management and completed his Bachelor’s in Commerce from Agra University. Over the last decade, Mathews has been working as an Accounts & Admin Assistant with various non-profit organizations in the field of Child Rights and Education, Women Empowerment and Primary Health Care. He currently works with CfP as an administrator and acts as the interface between Sahjeevan and CfP.

Riya Sequeira Shetty

Coordinator

Administration

Riya Sequeira Shetty has a keen interest in ecology and sustainability and has worked in different areas of conservation covering wildlife, ecology, outreach and solid waste management. She graduated with a degree in English Literature and has a PG diploma in Liberal Studies from Ashoka University. She has managed a jungle resort in the Nilgiris, and a cafe in the Andaman islands. She currently works as coordinator with CfP, providing administrative and managerial support to the team.

Vasant Saberwal

Director

Administration

Vasant Saberwal did a master’s degree in wildlife biology from the Wildlife Institute of India and his PhD on the politics of shepherd access to grazing resources in the Himalaya from Yale University. Between 1999 and 2004 he was part of Moving Images, where he co-directed a series of films on a range of environmental issues. Between 2004 and 2014 he worked at the Ford Foundation where he oversaw work on rainfed agriculture, pastoralism and the Forest Rights Act. He was the founding editor of the journal Conservation and Society. His publications include Pastoral Politics; People, Parks and Wildlife; Battles over Nature; and Democratizing Nature. He is the director of CfP, and anchors its research agenda.

Vishnu Gor

Administrator

Administration

Vishnu Gor has an MBA degree in finance and HR from KSKV Kutch University. He has four years experience in HR and Administration at Divya Bhaskar Corp. Ltd, and at Mother Dairy, Bhuj, Kachchh. He now works with CfP as an administrator and acts as the interface between Sahjeevan and CfP.

Dhanya

Communications

Dhanya is keenly interested in the narratives of marginalized communities, having volunteered at Make A Difference, an NGO, in 2018. She has a Master's degree in English literature from Manipal Centre for Humanities and based her final thesis on the LGBTQIA+ community of India. She hopes to channel her resources into understanding and amplifying voices that need to be heard. Dhanya is a part of CfP's Communications team.

Madhu Ramaswamy

Communications

Madhu Ramaswamy is a communications expert with three decades of experience as a documentary script writer, researcher, print media writer, designer and graphic artist working on a wide range of issues including ecology, sustainable livelihoods, climate change, social justice and environmental and rural governance. He is the author of Sahjeevan’s Metamorphosis Report and is currently a part of CfP’s Communication’s team.

Amanat Ali

Fellow

FRA

Amanat Ali is a member of the Van Gujjar community and has been actively involved in Haridwar to expedite the FRA process & is also involved in the work with the Animal Husbandry Department, Uttarakhand.

Amit Rathi

Coordinator - Uttarakhand

FRA

Amit Rathi completed his Master’s in Law with a focus on Access to Justice from TISS, Mumbai in 2015. Since then he has worked with the Van Gujjar semi-nomadic pastoral community in Uttarakhand. He joined the Centre for Pastoralism in 2018, where he currently anchors the Centre’s work with the Van Gujjars, focused specifically on using the Forest Rights Act towards securing herder rights to summer and winter grazing.

Meer Hamja

Fellow

FRA

Meer Hamja is a member of the Van Gujjar community. He has an interest in pastoralists' rights and the FRA. Hamja has been actively involved in Uttarakhand for many years to expedite the FRA process, and works on issues of the Van Gujjar community, assisting them with legal processes. He is the state president of Van Gujjar Yuva Tribal Sangathan. He has a BA in History, Political Science and Sociology from Dev Suman University, Tehri Garhwal, and is now pursuing a Masters in Social Work in Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani.

Mohammad Shamshad

Fellow

FRA

Mohammad Shamshad is a member of the Van Gujjar community and has been involved in Dehradun, Tehri & Pauri to expedite the FRA process.

Ramesh Bhatti

Advisor

FRA

Ramesh Bhatti studied Sociology and Rural Development. He has been a part of Sahjeevan since 2000. Over this time, he has led the organization’s work on pastoralism, including the revival of a livestock-based livelihood in Kutch, institution-building among pastoralist communities in the region, and facilitating the submission of a community’s claim to manage the Banni Grasslands, under the Forest Rights Act. Ramesh anchors CfP’s work on breeds.

Viyona Mohan

Thematic Anchor

FRA

Viyona Mohan completed her graduation in Public Policy and Environmental Studies at FLAME University, and is now finishing her post-graduation in Public Policy and Governance at Azim Premji University. Over the last few years she has been part of various policy analysis projects relating to environment policy. Her research interests include issues concerning forests and community rights, environmental resource management, water distress management and emission reduction in urban mobility. Viyona coordinates the Forest Rights and Governance Programme at CfP.

Anurag Kushwaha

Coordinator - Milk (Rajasthan)

Livelihoods

Anurag Kushwaha has more than 5 years of professional experience in the Corporate & Government sector, working with institution and capacity building, and livelihood projects. He completed an M.A. in Development Studies from IGNOU, New Delhi and a one Year PG Diploma in Rural Development Studies from NIRD&PR, Hyderabad. He has also done a B-Tech in Dairy Technology from ICAR-NDRI, Karnal and is a Certified Project Management professional from NMIMS, Mumbai. Anurag is the Rajasthan state coordinator for CfP’s Livelihoods work on milk.

Chamba Tsetan

Thematic Anchor - Wool

Livelihoods

Chamba Tsetan was born and brought up in a nomadic village called Kargyam in the Changthang Plateau of Ladakh. He graduated with a degree in Science from Government Degree College, Leh and later studied at SECMOL. He then did the Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University and the Mother Teresa Fellowship with the Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy. For the past 3 years, he has worked at the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh as an Academic Coordinator and works closely with his community as a founding member of the Youth Association Kargyam. He has also been a part of the Indian National Ice Hockey team since 2015 and represented India at various international tournaments. Chamba is a member of the wool team at CfP.

Emmanuel Theophilus

Project Anchor - Kumaon

Livelihoods

Emmanuel Theophilus is an ecologist based in the high Himalaya of Pithoragarh, Kumaon. He has worked at the National Dairy Development Board, the Tree Growers Cooperatives Federation and the Foundation for Ecological Security. He has been a visiting professor at Williams College, Massachusetts and at Acadia University, Nova Scotia. His research interests include alpine and river ecosystems, as well as snow leopard conservation, yak breeding (he co-owns a herd of sheep and horses that undertake the annual migration from the terai to the high pastures in our valley) pastoralist livelihoods, and the Commons. Theo is leading this work in the Kumaon Himalaya.

Mahendar Singh

Field Staff (Kumaon)

Livelihoods

Mahendar Singh has worked as an agro-pastoralist, a woodsman and a herbs collector. He is deeply observant and knowledgeable about high altitude plants and animals.

Manoj Mishra

Thematic Anchor - Livelihoods

Livelihoods

Manoj Mishra studied at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, has a PG Diploma in Forest Management from the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, and did his PhD in Economics from South Gujarat University, Surat. He has over two decades of experience in the development sector, having worked initially with civil society organizations and subsequently served as faculty at the Entrepreneurship Institute of Development, Gujarat. He has advised the Government of India, ILO, UNIDO and several African and middle-eastern countries on policies relating to sustainable livelihoods. Manoj anchors CfP’s work on livelihoods.

Munna Nitwal

Field Staff (Kumaon)

Livelihoods

Munna Nitwal has worked across the Himalaya on infrastructure projects, but brings to the team his application and hard work on all matters.

Narain Nitwal

Field Staff (Kumaon)

Livelihoods

Narain Nitwal, known amongst us as Nabbu, has worked as a herb collector at high altitudes. His experience, familiarity and knowledge of the high-altitude terrain is unmatched in the region.

Prem Rana

Field Staff (Kumaon)

Livelihoods

Prem Rana has worked as a shepherd in the past, and is also an agro-pastoralist. He is the backstop on all matters related to food and logistics.

Trilok Rana

Field Staff (Kumaon)

Livelihoods

Trilok Rana comes from an agricultural family, and has built his knowledge about the bird flora that makes him the most sought-after birding guide in the region. He assists in paperwork for the team.

Khyati Vinod

Designer

Living Lightly

Khyati Vinod is an architect with many years of experience in the field. She is part of the exhibition design team at Living Lightly.

Nikita Naik

Fellow

Living Lightly

Nikita Naik is an architecture graduate from Pune University with an internship in sustainable architecture from Raman Construction, Auroville. Her interest in sustainable living enabled her to work in diverse avenues exploring architectural firms around Pune and experimental studio spaces like Earthitects in Bangalore. She spent a year and a half with MASHAL, an NGO, where she had the opportunity to document the Wari pilgrimage and propose ideas for the sustainable development of roads and water resources along its routes. She currently works with Living Lightly in association with the All India Fellowship to document cultural narratives in collaboration with the Van Gujjar community.

Priyashri Mani

Associate Curator

Living Lightly

Priyashri Mani has worked over 13 years in the development sector with marginalised communities - in the areas of livelihoods, women’s empowerment and adivasi rights. She has a Masters’ degree in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) University of Sussex, UK and a Bachelors’ (Hons) in Sociology from Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi University. Priyashri is also co-founder of Hoopoe on a Hill which has been working with honey gatherers in the Palani Hills to package and market forest honey since 2015. She has joined the Living Lightly team as an Associate Curator.

Pronita Bhaduri

Design Manager

Living Lightly

Pronita Bhaduri is an architect with over ten years of experience. She completed her degree in B. Arch from Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai, and specialises in Exhibit and Interactive design. Her forte lies in designing museums with immersive technology integration. Under her own architectural firm, Ingenium, inaugurated in 2015, she undertook several museum and exhibition projects in Delhi and Punjab. She currently works as a Design Manager for the Living Lightly exhibition team.

Sushma Iyengar

Lead Curator

Living Lightly

Sushma Iyengar is a social worker and educator. In the past three decades she has led transformative action with marginalised communities in the area of gender justice, indigenous cultures, cultural livelihoods, local governance, and post-disaster rehabilitation. Based in Kutch, she is also the lead curator of the exhibition ‘Living Lightly - Journeys with Pastoralists’ - an outcome of her long-standing interest in and experience with indigenous communities, including nomadic pastoralists.

Aftab

Fellow

Research

Aftab is an active member of the Van Gujjar Tribal Yuva Sanghatan. Previously, he has been involved in the documentation of migratory routes of Van Gujjar families and has experience in filing claims under the FRA in the state of Uttarakhand. He now works with CfP to coordinate all field-related activities in Uttarakhand for the research thematic.

Amiya Walia

Research Associate

Research

Amiya Walia has a Bachelor’s in Psychology with a Minor in Environmental Studies from Ashoka University. She is passionate about environmental justice and her research experience includes topics such as forest rights, manual scavenging and waste management. Previously, she worked for two years in the research and knowledge department of a social sector consultancy working on impact assessments and landscaping studies. Amiya has recently joined the research team as a research associate.

Aniruddh Sheth

Thematic Anchor

Research

Aniruddh Sheth has a master’s degree in Environment and Development from Ambedkar University Delhi. He has previously worked with WWF-India on human-elephant conflict in South Asia. For his graduate project at AUD, Aniruddh walked with Fakirani Jat pastoralists in the Banni grasslands, in Kutch, Gujarat. His thesis focused on the history and political economy of Fakirani pastoralism amidst the rise of specialty milk markets. Aniruddh is interested in research that brings together development, state policy and human-environment relations in South Asia. Currently, he coordinates CfP’s research agenda.

Brij Bhushan Yadav

Field Researcher

Research

Brij Bhushan Yadav has a Master’s degree in Development from Azim Premji University, Bangalore, and an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Banaras Hindu University. His MA thesis looked at Phuhals & Pabaris and agro-pastoral communities of Kullu and assessed the impact of changing land use patterns on their livelihood identity and sovereignty. His interests lie in environmental studies, development economies, and policy in developing countries. Brij has joined the economic survey in Himachal and is part of the research team at CfP.

Dhanush Ramasubramanian

Cartographer

Research

Dhanush Ramasubramanian has works with the CfP research team as a Cartographer. Dhanush has a Master of Technology degree in Remote Sensing and GIS with a specialisation in Forest Resources and Ecosystem analysis from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun. He is passionate about bringing together technology, mathematics and pure sciences of environmental systems to better study India’s diverse ecology. His interests range from natural history and trekking to Indian culture and education.

Leo George

Cartographer

Research

Leo George specialises in Disaster Management and is an expert in assessing multi-hazard risks in Tamil Nadu’s coastal plains using Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing methods. He submitted his Doctoral thesis at the Central University of Tamil Nadu in the same field. Leo holds an undergraduate degree in Geography, Tourism and Travel Management from Madras Christian College and a postgraduate degree in Applied Geography from the University of Madras. He has also authored several articles for internationally acclaimed publications. Leo works with CfP as a cartographer.

Dr. Amrita Patel

Steering Committee

Dr. Amrita Patel is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Padmabhushan for her contribution to India’s dairy sector. She headed the National Dairy Development Board from 1998 to 2014 which led the world's biggest dairy development program - Operation Flood. She is the founder of the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), and currently a member of the Governing Board. She is also Former Chairperson of Shree Krishna Hospital, Anand.

Dr. Jayashree Ratnam

Steering Committee

Dr. Jayashree Ratnam is currently at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research where she serves as Director of the Wildlife Biology and Conservation Program. She is particularly interested in the history, ecology, function and conservation of tropical savannas, forests and grasslands. Current work includes paleo-history and functional ecology of Asian savannas and grasslands, and long-term monitoring of Asian tropical forests and savannas.

Jaya Jaitley

Steering Committee

Jaya Jaitley is the Founder of Dastkari Haat Samiti, the remarkable space in Central Delhi that hosts and showcases the work of craftspeople from across the country. She has been a passionate advocate for craftspeople, and has spent many decades in working to enhance their visibility and identifying means by which they might have improved access to mainstream markets. She has authored numerous books on Indian crafts and has curated shows all over the world. Jayaji was the former President of Samata Party.

Sandeep Virmani

Steering Committee

Sandeep Virmani is an architect, conservationist and institution builder who has spent the last 3 decades in Kutch, Gujarat, working with communities to enhance their livelihoods and improve the quality of their environments. Over the years he has helped set up four organizations in the region, including Sahjeevan; Arid Communities and Technologies (ACT), which focuses on water in all its dimensions; Satvik, for ecological farming; and the Hunnarshala Foundation, a non-profit working towards sustainable human habitation. Sandeep is on the board of a large number of organizations; he is CfP’s founder mentor and actively involved in all of the organization’s work.

Sunil Parekh

Steering Committee

Sunil Parekh is an International Success Coach, Mind Trainer & NLP Practitioner. After 24 years in the corporate sector he founded the Rise Development Academy Pvt. Ltd. with a vision of inspiring, motivating and empowering people to live happier, healthier and successful lives. He is currently on the board of the Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. and is the Head of Strategy & Corporate Affairs at Zydus Group. Mr. Parekh was previously the Executive Chairman for IIT Delhi Alumni Association.