Our Team

Abhimanyu works as a Senior Project Lead in the EdTech team and is based out of Delhi. He currently focuses on improving and scaling various edtech products catering to the FLN segment to ensure continued learning at home. Prior to CSF, he worked with 321 Education Foundation after completing the Teach For India (TFI) Fellowship in 2017. At 321, he collaborated with more than 30 low-cost private schools across Mumbai and Bangalore to improve classroom instructional practices and student mastery in grades K-3. As a TFI Fellow, Abhimanyu taught 37 students in grades 2 and 3 in Ahmedabad. He holds an MBA in Strategy from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and an undergraduate degree in engineering from NMIMS, Mumbai. In his free time, he enjoys watching Formula 1, exploring the best food joints in town and travelling to new destinations.

Abhishek works as a Project Lead in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Delhi. Prior to CSF, he managed and led multiple CBSE projects including CTET, working in the Government Project team. Abhishek has also worked with Teach For India (TFI) and 321 Education Foundation. At 321, he worked as a Kaizen Manager on the monitoring aspects of the school strengthening/teacher training programs. During his time as a TFI fellow, he taught Maths to 210 students in a government school and iTeach school across 2 years. Abhishek is a commerce graduate from National PG College, Lucknow University. During his free time, he can be found solving puzzles, number problems, and travelling.

Ajaysinh works as a Project Manager in the Strategic Support States Team and is based out if Gujarat. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering and a Postgraduate Diplomain CSR. With over four years of experience in the social development sector, Ajaysinh has worked across various domains such as education, skill development, health, and water. His journey in the social sector began with the Gandhi Fellowship, where he developed a deep understanding of primary education and community engagement. Prior to joining CSF, Ajaysinh contributed to impactful initiatives at Educational Initiatives, NavGurukul, and CSRBOX. In his free time, he enjoys classical dancing and fun loving activities.

Dr. Akashi Kaul works as a Director in the RMEAL team at CSF and is based out of Delhi. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from Punjab University, a Master’s Degree in Communication from SIMC, a Master’s in Education Degree from University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Education Policy from George Mason University. She specializes in evaluation methods and designs, with close to 15 years of experience. Her previous roles include leading the education, child protection and equity vertical at a leading Indian RMEL firm, contributing to external evaluations for NIH, NSF, NASA and US Dept. of Labour and State as an evaluation expert and conducting independent research on advancing evaluation methodologies in the global south. She enjoys designing research and evaluation for complex interventions in complex contexts, particularly with an eye towards using innovative methodologies and learning mechanisms.

Akshay works in the State Reform team, supporting the Haryana state in the implementation of the NIPUN Bharat Mission. Currently, his key responsibilities include monitoring, capacity building and operational support for the NIPUN Haryana Mission. Previously, he worked as an IB analyst in the Consumer & Retail sector at Bank of America. Akshay holds a postgraduate diploma in management from IIM Kozhikode and a bachelor’s in business studies from Delhi University. In his free time, he can be found making impromptu trips to Himachal or thinking about making impromptu trips to Himachal.

Akshit works with CSF’s SRT Team and supports the implementation of its FLN program across 3 states in North and Central India.He holds a B.Tech Degree from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh and loves to quiz. Prior to CSF, Akshit has worked as a Research Analyst with Mckinsey’s Digital vertical and briefly for the governance consulting firm Samagra; where he supported Uttar Pradesh government’s healthcare service delivery program, Mission Niramaya.He enjoys sketching and is always up for a conversation about rock bands and Formula 1.

Alankita works as a Project Lead in the RMEAL team at CSF and is based in Delhi. She holds a M.Phil. (Political Science) from the University of Delhi and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. Prior to joining CSF, she has explored both university lectureship and research. Alankita worked with the National Assessment Centre-PARAKH at NCERT where she was a part of the team responsible for the development and administration of National-level large-scale assessments like the Foundational Learning Study (FLS), 2022 and National Achievement Survey (NAS), 2021. In her free time, Alankita can be found reading fiction and chilling at beaches.

Amarjit works as a State Head in the Strategic State Support team and is based out of Bhubaneswar. His work involves working closely with various State government stakeholders and executing Nipun Odisha Mission (FLN) and other projects. Amarjit had full time and consultancy positions with UNICEF, British Council and international organisation in the school education sector and provided strategic direction, vision and leadership in demonstrating the movement of child-centred pedagogy into practice in classroom teaching and learning through harnessing open resources, online learning and social media tools. During his association with the State Government of Odisha as CEO, Mo School Abhiyan, Amarjit was responsible and accountable for the management of programmes, alumni, CSR and govt grants, large-scale technical collaborations, CSR and Industries connect, and Communication & Media management. Amarjit holds a master’s degree in social work and culture from Utkal University of Culture. In his free time, he enjoys reading books and writing articles on public policies and current issues.

Amola works as a Project Manager in the EdTech Team and is based out of Delhi. She works to improve and scale diverse EdTech solutions. She works closely with grantee organizations and funders to develop a supply of vibrant products for children from low-income backgrounds. She joined CSF after graduating from Ashoka University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She is interested in the intersection of technology and development, and opportunities to see change up close. Her time outside of work is spent chasing her cat, bouldering, and traveling.

Ananth works with the state reform team as a Project Lead and is based out of Panchkula. Ananth holds an engineering degree from NIT Trichy and a management degree from IIM Calcutta. Prior to CSF, he has worked on pivotal roles at GDi Partners, BCG, IPAC, and Saint-Gobain. He seamlessly blends corporate expertise with his lifelong passion for education, characterized by an insatiable curiosity for positive change. When free, You’ll find him engrossed in books or engaged in interesting debates with anyone who wishes to join in.

Ananya works as a Project Manager in the Early Childhood Education team and is based out of Lucknow. Prior to CSF, she was a Teach for India fellow (2022) in low-income government schools in Delhi, she is now committed to eliminating education inequity through systemic reforms informed by grassroot insights. She was also a Young India Fellow and holds a degree in Psychology from Lady Shri Ram College. Ananya can often be found sketching on prohibited surfaces, volunteering at animal shelters, or chatting with the local strays.

Ananya works with the State Reform team as a Project Manager and is based out of Panchkula. Ananya has completed her bachelor’s degree from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. Prior to CSF, Ananya has worked with Ernst & Young for (close to) four and a half years and supported different government and public sector clients on Investment Promotion initiatives. She has experience in product development and digital transformation. She is into drama, acting, and dance.

Aniket works as Project Manager in the RMEAL team and is based out of Delhi. He has a strong commitment to evidence-based policy making in India. He holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, Delhi, and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune. With prior experience at Samobdhi Research and Communications and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Aniket brings invaluable insights to his role. In his leisure time, he enjoys immersing himself in video games and exploring history through documentaries.

Anindita works in the Administration Team at CSF as Manager-Facilities and Resources and is based out of Delhi. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (Hons) from Jesus and Mary College, DU. Prior to CSF, she has worked with various Indian and multinational companies like the Spice Group, Sangeet Natak Akademi, ChrysCapital, American Express and Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (CII) all of which have helped widen her knowledge base. She enjoys interacting with people from all spheres of work and also being socially active. She is an avid traveller and passionate about art, music and dance.

Anirudh works as a Senior Project Lead in the RMEAL team and is based in Delhi. He holds a Masters degree in Education (Research Design and Methodologies) from University of Oxford and a Masters degree in Education (Elementary) from Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai. Prior to CSF, he has over a decade of experience across more than ten countries working with global think tanks, research institutions, and government stakeholders to produce high-quality, evidence-based research outputs.

Anirudh works as a Project Manager in the State Reform Team and is based out of Panchkula. He holds a Masters in Public Policy from NLSIU, Bangalore and has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics. Prior to joining CSF, he worked as an Analyst for Sattva Consulting. In his free time, Anirudh likes cooking, thinking about cooking or making plans to visit the newest cafe in town.

Anirudh works as a Project Manager in the EdTech team and is based out of Delhi. Prior to joining CSF, he worked as a business manager at Internshala wherein he was working to bridge the gap between millions of employers and jobseekers in the country. He holds a master’s degree in development studies from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from Amrita University. In his free time, he enjoys playing football, exploring new places, and catching-up with the latest happenings in the world of politics.

Ankit Parmar works as a Project Manager in the DPMU(UP) team and is based out of Jhansi. He is a Teach for India alumni with a strong commitment to education and a deep interest in historiography. He has worked as an educator with the Shiv Nadar Group of Schools. In addition to his work in education, Ankit is passionate about addressing the challenges of the Indian education system, exploring the nuances of historical narratives, and delving into the world of food. He has worked with Oxford University Press, further demonstrating his engagement with the academic and educational community.

Ankit works as a Senior Project Lead in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Delhi. Prior to joining CSF, he was working as a management consultant and was involved in planning and implementation of upcoming MDB funded metro/rail projects in Delhi NCR region. He has extensive experience of supporting government clients with solutions based on project portfolio management, financial analysis & planning and performance improvement. Ankit holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from IIT-Roorkee and MBA in Business Management from XLRI-Jamshedpur. He believes that India’s journey from a developing country to a developed country can be expedited by reforming the school education landscape in the country. He is passionate about travelling in mountains.

Ankur is committed to solving India’s development problems like quality education in the public system. In 10+ years of experience, he has designed and implemented scalable models that delivered. He started his career as an entrepreneur and provided Ed-tech services to 31 low-income private schools in rural Haryana, supporting the career progression of 3600+ students to top-notch colleges in the country. In 2015, he got his first multi-state engagement with Ravi J. Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation, IIM Ahmedabad, where his team could impact government school students from over 16,000+ schools of Gujarat via GCERT. Later, working as an ED of a non-profit, he spearheaded a state-wide educational transformation project with the Haryana government, impacting over 4900+ teachers and 2.6 lacs+ students during COVID. In 2021, he worked with Delhi Government to set up the Desh Ke Mentors program, India’s largest mentoring program supporting over nine lakh school students in exploring their career journeys. This short stint with Delhi Government helped him bring transformation from within the system. Currently, as a part of the Government Projects team at CSF, he is leading TicTacLearn – India’s largest content repository of Maths & Science educational content available in six languages. Ankur earned a post-graduate diploma in management from XLRI Jamshedpur and a bachelor’s degree in computer science & engineering from Guru Jambeshwar University, Hisar.

Anuj works as a Project Manager in the Classroom Instruction and Practice team and is based out of Delhi. He was associated with Teach for India as a fellow in Delhi, where he taught grade 4 & 5 students at a budget-private school near Bhajanpura, Seelampur. During his fellowship, he realised the power of an effective curriculum on a larger landscape of the education system and, hence, explored different roles around curriculum and international pedagogy. Prior to joining CSF, he worked as a Teaching Faculty with Shiv Nadar School. He is often described as a ‘go to person’ by his friends and you may find him binge-watching sitcoms during his spare time.

Anurag works with the State reform team as Project Manager and is based out of Bhopal. He holds an integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Before joining CSF, he was working as an associate consultant with Ernst and Young LLP in planning and implementation of the public transportation projects. He wants to be part of India’s transformational journey and solve complex grass root problems of
Indian society. He enjoys reading non-fiction books, playing online blitz chess and loves watching biopic movies.

Anushri works as a Project Manager in the State Reform team and is based out of Lucknow. Anushri has a foundation in Sociology and holds a master’s degree in development from Azim Premji University. Prior to joining CSF, she worked as a good governance fellow with the Govt. Of Punjab and has had experience working in varied domains like microfinance, employability, youth, health and gender. In her free time, she likes to immerse herself in theatre and remains interested in how creativity and art can ameliorate self-esteem and mental health.

Anustup leads the Classroom Instruction & Practices (CIP) team at CSF. In his role, he works with multiple CSF partner organizations and state government agencies to support the implementation of the FLN mission. Prior to working at CSF, his work involved supporting and scaling up an entrepreneurial venture named XSEED Education. Anustup joined CSF to pursue his passion to improve public education at scale. He did his master’s in education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Public Policy at Georgia Tech. He is passionate about equipping teachers with the right tools and skills to succeed in the classroom. In his free time, he enjoys listening to podcasts and is constantly on the search for the next viral meme.

Arabinda works with the Strategic Support States team as a Project Lead and is based out at Bhubaneswar. Arabinda holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Gokhale Institute of Politics and
Economics, Pune and Master in Population Studies from IIPS, Mumbai, and has worked with diverse teams across India.Prior to joining CSF, Arabinda has worked with UNICEF, CARE,
UNFPA, INDEPTH Network and KHPT, Bangalore. He is a development sector professional whose primary engagement in development sector as monitoring, evaluation and research domain. He has designed and implemented various research project in developmental issues including education for over 16 years with a deep interest and commitment towards bridging practice with scientific research findings.

Arpit works with the State Reform Team at CSF as a Project Lead and is based out of Panchkula. Arpit holds a Master’s in Business Management from IIM Lucknow complementing his professional expertise with a robust academic foundation. Previously a Teach For India fellow in 2016, he brings a wealth of experience in the education sector, particularly in the management of expansive projects. In his free time, Arpit enjoys exploring unconventional destinations, demonstrating a keen interest in offbeat travel experiences during his leisure time

Ashish works as a Project Manager in the DPMU teamand is based out of Agra. He holds a Master’s degree in Disaster Management from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. His professional engagements include collaborations with multilateral and government institutions such as UNICEF and Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management. Prior to joining CSF, he has worked as a Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associate in Ambala and as a consultant with Directorate of Urban Local Bodies, Haryana. In his free time, Ashish likes to play basketball and hike with his friends.

Atma works as a Project Lead in the EdTech team and is based out of Delhi. She is responsible for managing stakeholders including researchers, grantee organizations, and implementation partners to execute projects that can drive the evidence generation agenda for EdTech. Prior to joining CSF, Atma was part of the Corporate Services Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Geneva providing partnerships and stakeholder engagement support to governments in Somalia, Ghana, Uganda, Mozambique, Iraq, Colombia, and South Asia. She has also previously worked with multiple organisations within the development sector such as UNDP India, UNJIU Geneva, and the SOS Children’s Village in Nepal. Her interest in the education sector comes from her time as a Teach For India (2016) Fellow, serving as a full-time teacher in a low-income government school in Yerwada, Pune. Atma holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from TISS and a master’s degree in Development Studies from the Graduate Institute of Geneva. Outside of work, Atma is always trying to read at least 3 books simultaneously and hopes to write her own someday.

Atul works as a Project Lead in the Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives team and is based out of Delhi. He holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Hansraj College, Delhi University, and began his journey in the development sector at IIM Ahmedabad’s Ravi J. Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation as National Campaign Manager, overseeing the creation of 2000+ learning projects for 16,000+ government schools across Gujarat and Maharashtra. As a CMGGA in Haryana, Atul conceptualized Shikshit Haryana, an e-learning district initiative (DI) scaled as the state’s response to COVID-19, which became the first CMGGA DI to win the Haryana Good Governance Award and the ICT Award 2021 from CIET (NCERT). Prior to joining CSF, he supported the Director, Urban Local Bodies, Haryana, in planning and implementing waste and air quality management programs in the state. In his free time, he enjoys practicing yoga.

Avnish Kumar works with the State FLN Projects team as a District Consultant based in Bihar. He brings years of experience in child rights, education, and governance with masters in accounts. He found his purpose when he witnessed how soft skills enabled him and his peers. Previously he has been a Fellow at Transforming Rural India Foundation under Aspirational District Transformation Program and Gandhi Fellow for two years. He has worked closely with the District Magistrate and supported the district administration in strategic planning, project management, implementation, and fundraising across rural India. He loves writing poems and stories. He aspires to drive change in society at scale

Ayush Prabhat works as a Project Manager in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Agra. He graduated with a Bachelor’s in Humanities and Social Sciences from University of Delhi. Prior to CSF, he worked at Teach for India where he had the opportunity to work on various projects. Apart from being passionate about the possibilities in our classrooms, Ayush is always up for long walks. He enjoys exploring curious questions about the world we share together.

Ayush works with the State Reform Team at CSF as a Project Associate, and is based out of Bhopal. He graduated from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), University of Delhi with a degree in B.Com (H). Prior to joining CSF, he worked in the Founder’s Office at an Early Stage E-Commerce Startup. He has gained experience as a Management Consultant with Zinnov and as a Founder of a social innovation think-tank. He has also worked in the slums of Delhi, leading a venture to supply affordable Sanitary Napkins to all females. In his free time, you will find him reading, trekking, running marathons, and enjoying open water swimming.

Ayushi works as a Project Manager in the Strategic Support States team and is based out of Kodangal. She holds a master’s degree in development studies from SOAS, University of London and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Delhi University. Prior to CSF, she has worked in the research and design area for over 4 years. She worked at NISG and Deloitte in the e-governance vertical. In her free time, she loves exploring places while walking and you will almost always find her on a football field or playing any sport.

Barasha works with the State FLN Projects team as a Project Consultant and is based out of Guwahati. She holds a bachelors graduation in Political Science (Honours) from Ramjas College and a Masters in Political Science from Indraprastha College for Women. She was a Teach For India Fellow (2018 cohort, Delhi) and has worked as a Program Manager in NEAID implementing various education projects across Northeast India. Barasha finds painting therapeutic and loves to travel around observing different cultures and traditions of diverse communities, while enjoying the nature. Also, she is an adventure junkie and a thrill seeker.

Bhagyashree works as a Research Associate with the Classroom Instruction and Practice team at Central Square Foundation. Prior to joining CSF, Bhagyashree worked with Samavesh on primary education for 3 years in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, where closely worked with 112 teachers on foundational numeracy and literacy, as well as early childhood education. She liaised with various stakeholders such as block officials, students, SMC, and the tribal community. In TPD, she developed the modules for teacher training programs. During her time as a volunteer, Bhagyashree taught social studies to till 5th std in Bhandara, Maharashtra. She has completed a Masters in Education (MA Education) from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru and Commerce graduate from Nagpur University. During her free time, Bhagyashree enjoys writing poetry.

Bhawna works a Project Manager in the Finance Team and is based oout of Delhi. She is responsible for day-to-day accounting and managing the monthly MIS, along with employee engagement. Bhawna has spent 5+ years in the corporate sector as a Finance Executive and has experience of all compliance handling like including GST, ESI, PF, etc. Bhawna holds an M.COM degree From Indira Gandhi National Open University along with a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Delhi University. During her free time, she enjoys watching movies and TV series, listening to music and travelling with family and friends.

Chandni Kalra works with the State FLN Projects team as Project Consultant based in Bhubaneswar. She has Experience in combining human and material resources to deliver excellent education, ensuring fair treatment with equal opportunity when it comes to access to resources. She started off her journey in the Education space as a TFI Fellow, moved on to be a member of the Selection team at TFI and then joined LEAD to understand stakeholder management better. Having explored all these she is here at CSF to learn and grow with everything that this role has to offer. You can often find her lost in her Lalaland, far away from the chaos with a bowl of Mississippi.

Debapriya works as a Project Manager in the Research, Monitoring & Evaluation, Assessment and Learning (RMEAL) Team and is based out of Delhi. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College for Women and a Master’s degree in Development Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Prior to CSF, she has worked as with Sambodhi as a research manager. Her primary research interests lie at the intersection of gender, labour and education. She likes to spend her free time reading and travelling. She also enjoys music and dance, and is currently learning Odissi.

Debatri works with the Classroom Instruction and Practice team that works closely with multiple states and partner organisations on developing and implementing the FLN Mission. Prior to CSF, Debatri has been a Program Manager at Teach for India, working with close to 40 Fellows over 3 years, building the program in first year intervention schools. She also did the TFI Fellowship, teaching Literacy and Social Studies to Primary School students in a municipal school. Debatri completed her Masters in Literature from Delhi University. During her free time, Debatri reads books and doodles with the intent to upload them on her instagram page someday.

Debesh has a diverse experience of over 15 years as a Media & Comms professional, working across the media, digital comms, and behavioural campaigns spaces. In his last professional stint, he worked with WaterAid India as the media and comms lead, where he was leading on the communications strategy and overseeing execution plans for building advocacy and thought-leadership around water, sanitation, and hygiene issues. Before that, at Youth Ki Awaaz- a youth centric online platform- he was working on developing strategy and planning online and offline campaigns on various social justice issues; business development; including building capacity for campaign acquisition and outreach for new campaigns with brands and non-profit entities. Prior to this, he has been associated with organizations like British Council; The Indian Express, The Pioneer; with brief stints at The Guardian & BBC World News, where he was working on different aspects involving: planning and executing digital comms. strategies; designing social media campaigns; digital project planning; securing and managing non-paid partnerships in areas of digital innovation; writing and reporting on features and urban lifestyle trends.

Deepak works as a Senior Project Lead in the State FLN Projects team. He has over ten years of experience with managing program portfolios, strategic planning, program scale up, advocacy and partnerships with governments. He has previously worked with consulting firms, and large-scale technical assistance organizations such as Evidence Action, Georgetown University’s Institute for Reproductive Health. He is a Post-Graduate in Health & Hospital Management from IIHMR University, Jaipur.

Deergha works as a Project Manager in the State Reform Team and is based out of Delhi. She graduated from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Her interest lies in exploring all the nuances of the education system. She is a designer turned educator with experience managing projects, research, and design with stakeholders from SCERT Sikkim, Azim Premji Foundation, government school teachers, and school communities in Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Delhi. Before working with CSF, she was a fellow at Teach For India, Delhi. Deergha is never without an audiobook and has experimented extensively to concoct her version of the perfect cup of ginger chai.

Devam works as a Project Manager in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Jhansi. He holds a Masters in Rural Management from IRMA. Prior to CSF, he worked as an Assistant Manager at Mahindra and Mahindra’s. His journey reflects a keen enthusiasm for nation-building, rooted in the belief that education is key to social progress. Outside of work, Devam enjoys solo traveling, mountaineering, and playing outdoor sports, finding joy in adventure and exploration.

Devanshi works as a Project Manager in the EdTech team and is based out of Delhi. She holds a degree in Chartered Accountancy. Prior to CSF, Devanshi worked with Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd. and Bain & Co. She ventured into the development space via a short policy making course. Her belief in education being a fundamental game changer coupled with the curiosity to understand how scale projects work brings her to CSF. In her free time, she can be seen reading, trying new yoga poses, exploring the art scene around and is always up to create an itinerary for random, scenic places.

Dinesh works with the Administration team as the Facilities Manager and is based out of Delhi. He holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Delhi and a Diploma in Hotel Management from the Indian Hotel Management Institute in Delhi. Prior to CSF, he was associated with firms such as Accenture, Omicron, Rockwell Automation, etc. that operate in the fields of IT and industrial automation. Most recently he worked with The Convergence Foundation for more than a year and a half. In his spare time, Dinesh enjoys traveling, listening to music and reading.

Parthajeet leads the State FLN Projects team which provides strategic support to states in their programmes to improve foundational learning. The team takes a systems approach and strengthens the academic as well as governance intiatives of the states. Parthajeet holds a PhD and Masters in Management and has more than a decade of rich national and international experience across top management consulting firms of advising governments, multi-lateral donors and foundations. In his free time, he loves to travel, read, write and listen to music.

Dr. Vaibhav Sindhi works as a Project Manager in the Classroom Instruction and Practice team and is based in one of our districts. He did his Post Graduation in Public Policy, Design & Management at the Indian School of Public Policy, Delhi. Prior to CSF, he worked at Health Department (NHM), led a team to develop COVID-19 facilities and managed critical healthcare logistics and Lifeline Foundation where he trained over 8,000 people in life-saving courses & secured funding for road safety education. His commitment to environment is showcased through his work on zero plastic policies & carbon-neutral event planning with Grant Thornton Bharat LLP. His entrepreneurial spirit is evident from his co-founding of Estudy Partner, aiding students in overseas dental education.

Eesha works as a Program Manager in the Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives team and is based out of Delhi. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from NIT Hamirpur and a Master’s degree in Development Studies from University of Sussex. Prior to CSF, she worked as a software developer in Oracle Financial Services Software (OFSS) and later as a team lead in a tech-media startup, Fossbytes. After deciding to pursue her passion for the development sector, she worked with Centre for Science of Student Learning (CSSL) where she discovered her love for education and development. In her recent engagement as a Change-Maker in Education (CMIE) Fellow with the Delhi Government. Having grown up in a military family, Eesha has traveled extensively, which has nurtured her love for exploring new places, people and cultures.

Saquib works in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team as a District Consultant and is based out of Aligarh. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Physics from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Uttar Pradesh and a Masters in Social Work from Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad, Telangana. Prior to CSF, Saquib has been a Gandhi fellow and has worked with organisations like Avanti Fellows, Aashiyana Foundation and GDI Partners. He has worked on programme implementation, baseline, end line, sessions, training of children and staff of the child care institutions. He also conducted baseline assessment training for more than 150+ block resource persons (BRPs/ABRCs) for proper execution of assessment and test conduction in school. Saquib likes to swim, play cricket and carom and has also started stock trading as a hobby.

Chaitanya works as a Project Associate in the State Reform Team and is based out of Lucknow. She holds a PG Diploma in Public Policy and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. She pursued a fellowship in social sciences that enriched her understanding of the education sector and inspired her commitment to driving meaningful change in this field. Before joining CSF, Chaitanya gained experience across multiple sectors, including tourism policy development at KPMG, where she contributed to policy formulation and stakeholder engagement within the Tourism PMU in Karnataka, as well as digital marketing in medical tourism with Practice Buzz. In her free time, Chaitanya enjoys playing the violin, listening to Carnatic music, reading poetry, and experimenting with new recipes.

Garima works as a Project Lead with the Strategic Support States Team and is based out of Delhi. She supports implementation of foundational literacy and numeracy programs to improve learning levels across five states. Previously, she worked with D. E. Shaw Research, out of their Hyderabad office, leading projects in operations and recruitment for the computational drug discovery research firm. Garima has an undergraduate degree in Commerce and Economics from Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi. When not working, she spends time traveling, reading, and practicing yoga.

Gaurav works as a Senior Project Lead in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Delhi. His journey with the education sector started as a fellow in Teach for India where he taught a classroom of 50 girls in 5th and 6th grade. Post fellowship, he worked as a Program Manager in TFI’s Delhi team, building professional and personal capacity in 30 fellows. Prior to CSF, Gaurav co-founded his own non-profit, Slam Out Loud, and led it as the Chief Operating Officer for 5 years. Gaurav has a Masters in Public Administration from National University of Singapore and is a certified action learning coach from the Action Learning Center, UK. Post work, he spends time solving puzzles, hoarding trivia, discovering new poetry, reading non-fiction and having conversations over/about food.

Gaurav Saroha works as a Project Manager in the School Governance team and is based out of Guwahati. He has previously worked with the Quality Council of India as an Associate Manager; worked on projects likeMade in India Brand Scheme and India’s Trade Deficit Policy. His work centred around government advisory, policy making and implementation. He has completed Young India Fellowship from Ashoka University and graduated with a BTech in Computer Science and Engineering. Most of his free time goes dabbling into foreign language movies and reading non-fiction books.

Gayathri joins CSF as a Project Manager in the Strategic Support States Team, Telangana and is based at Medchal-Malkajgiri. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics & Electronics from Loyola Academy – Alwal, Secunderaba. Prior to CSF, she has worked as a full-time Teaching Fellow & as a Transformational Teaching Fellow with Teach for India, Hyderabad. As the Content Advisor at TFI, Hyderabad, she held communities of practice for Secondary Science teachers in content and pedagogy. She established the first community centre in Teach for India, Hyderabad, impacting students, alumni and stakeholders of the community and designed a Science curriculum for the high school students of Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) – USA, a global community. In her free time, Gayathri can be found exploring street food or discussing Marvel comics.

Geetika works in the RMEAL team as a Senior Project Lead, designing and implementing assessments for different stakeholders in the school education system. She has been working in the education sector for more than a decade now. In her previous instinct as well, she has worked for designing and implementing large-scale assessments for different geographies to understand the impact of various programs. She has worked with teachers for their professional development and with policy makers to implement educational initiatives across geographies. Geetika is an IIM Lucknow alumnus, PhD in Economics, trained in business and data analytics and master’s in business administration. At heart she is a teacher and always tries to make things simpler for people to understand and implement. She likes to blend creativity and simplicity in the teaching, training by weaving story around work. She hails from the royal blue city of Jodhpur, married to a finance professional- professor and both love cooking and exploring food. In her free time, she can be seen playing mathematical games and doing creative work. She is associated with Robin Hood Army, which is an NGO works for providing free meals to the needy.

Gouri Gupta leads CSF’s work in the area of Education Technology. She works with a portfolio of EdTech products that take high-quality, contextual solutions to young children from low-income backgrounds to support learning. She works with leading researchers to build evidence on what works in EdTech and supports the building of public goods like EdTech Tulna that fill critical white spaces in the EdTech ecosystem. Gouri is part of many global and Indian expert groups in EdTech and skill development.

Prior to CSF, Gouri was part of the founding team at the National Skill Development Corporation, a public-private partnership created by the Govt. of India to invest in skill development ventures in India. Gouri crossed over into the development sector from The Boston Consulting Group where she was a Project Leader working primarily in the financial services domain. Gouri is a Chartered Accountant by training and a management graduate from IIM Bangalore.

Harish Doraiswamy is the Director of the Edtech team at CSF and his work involves working with state governments on their Edtech strategy and implementation. Prior to joining CSF in early 2020, Harish was Vice-President at Pearson India where he was responsible for the K12 School Management, Vocational Education, and International Qualifications verticals. Harish is an alumnus of IIT Madras and IIM Calcutta and has over 30 years of experience across various sectors and functions. He is excited to work on realizing the potential of technology to transform school education for the disadvantaged. In his free time, he loves to enjoy good food, music, the company of his friends, and travel.

Harnoor works as a Project Manager with the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Ghaziabad. She holds a Bachelor’s in Commerce degree from University of Delhi. Prior to CSF, Harnoor worked as a Teach For India Fellow where she ignited the academic journey of about 200 students, infusing passion for learning and fostering tangible growth. Founder of the Harnoor Madhar Foundation, she champions underserved communities in Punjab, ensuring access to quality education and holistic support. In her free time, she likes spending time with animals.

Harshit works as a Project Manager in the Policy & Communications team and is based out of Delhi. Prior to joining CSF, Harshit worked as a Reputation Manager at The Mavericks Communications LLP where he serviced some of India’s leading developmental sector institutions, helping them craft their communications and policy advocacy strategies. He has also worked with the Aam Aadmi Party, heading their survey and political research departments during the Delhi assembly elections and also handled their media department during the Punjab assembly elections.

Harshita works as a Project Lead in the State Reform team and is based out of Bhopal. She has an MBA degree from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. She also has 6 years of experience in the education space as a Teach for India Fellow, and with a non-profit startup, Saarthi Education, where she developed and scaled EdTech solutions. She enjoys reading, going on long trails, bicycling and sipping coffee. She is passionate about learning about climate change and sustainability.

Hemani works with the ECE team and is based out of Delhi. She is a science graduate from Miranda House, Delhi University and a qualified teacher. Prior to working with CSF, she has worked at LEAD for more than four years where she designed curriculum, and created books and digital plans with resources for pre-primary. She was a Fellow at Teach for India, teaching Maths and Science to grade 7-10 students. She also spent a summer at SECMOL, Ladakh, teaching conversational English and foundation mathematics to the students there. In her free time, Hemani enjoys reading, painting and watching movies.

Hita works as a Project Associate in the EdTech team and is based out of Delhi. She holds an undergraduate degree in Communication Studies, Psychology, and Literature. Prior to CSF, she completed the Young India Fellowship, earning a postgraduate diploma in Liberal Studies from Ashoka University. Hita has always aspired to work in the development sector, particularly in education, as she views it as powerful means towards social justice. Beyond her work, she writes poetry, enjoys reading, cherishes her time with nature, and is a cat parent.

Honey works as a Project Manager in the State Reform Team and is based out of Bhopal. Before joining CSF, he worked at Sattva Consulting, where he tackled various work streams and thematic areas, honing his skills in problem-solving and strategy formulation. He holds a Bachelors degree from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, followed by higher studies in Public Policy at the National Law School, Bangalore. Outside of work, Honey’s passions include working with data and traveling. He also enjoys cooking for others (when suitably stimulated).

Indranath works with the State FLN Projects team as a State Lead and is based out of Guwahati. He hails from North East India and is passionate about systemic reforms. He has 16 years of multi-faceted management experience in the development sector, successfully designing, implementing, and managing large-scale projects. Previously, he has worked with various state governments and multi-lateral agencies such as GIZ, UNICEF, and Mott Macdonald and holds a master’s degree in management. He is currently leading the CSF team in Assam towards ensuring FLN skills for all children.

Iram Gul works as a Project Manager in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Aligarh. She holds a B.tech in Mechanical engineering from Techno India University, Kolkata. Prior to CSF, she worked in the automotive industry with notable names like Maruti Suzuki. She embarked on her journey in the Education sector with Teach for India. She worked with several ed-tech companies such as Lead School and Convegenius. Iram played a crucial role in implementing innovative ed-tech solutions in both affordable private schools and government institutions, particularly in aspirational districts. In her free time, she likes writing poetry and traveling with an ardent inclination towards exploring spirituality.

Jahanavi Sharma works with the State Reform Team as a Project Associate and is based out of Panchkula. She holds a Postgraduate Degree in MSc. Development Administration and Planning from University College London, along with a bachelor’s in political science from Hindu College, University of Delhi. Previously, Jahanavi has interned with Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation and the Bachpan Bachao Andolan, where she co-led the ‘Justice for Every Child Campaign’ and has led several sponsored research projects in Brazil, Uganda, Singapore, and India. She enjoys reading dystopian fiction, playing Foosball and listening to the musical ‘Hamilton’.

Jatin works as a Project Manager in the State Reform Team and is based out of Panchkula. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Hansraj College and has served as Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associate in Sonipat. Previously, Jatin spent the past few years with Pravah, where he worked with youth and adolescents to develop their leadership capacity and enabled them to drive community action projects. He has also spearheaded initiatives on agency building, comprehensive sexuality education, and intersectional issues of caste, sexuality, and gender. In his free time, Jatin enjoys baking cakes, exploring new places, and discovering new art forms.

Jayashree works as a Project Manager in the Strategic Support States team in Assam and is based out of Guwahati. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature (Hons) from Hindu College (University of Delhi), and a master’s degree in Development Studies from Ambedkar University Delhi. Prior to CSF, Jayashree was involved with Pratham Education Foundation as a Project Associate. At Pratham, she took over projects centred on foundational learning of Anganwadi children. Her inclination towards the development sector is rooted in the desire to create an impact in society using education as an apparatus. Jayahsree loves to spend her leisure time watching anime, reading and cooking. She is also fond of exploring new places and cuisines.

Jephthah works as a Project Lead in the Strategic Support States team and is based out of Kodangal, Telangana. He recently moved back to India after spending 2 years working on an English Literacy project in Valencia, with the Ministry of Education, Spain. He holds a Masters degree in Sociology from Osmania University. In his free time, Jephthah likes to cook, hike and spend time with family and friends. He is a polyglot and can engage you in conversations about food, history and travelling.

Jigisha works as a Project Manager, Schools Governance team at Central Square Foundation is based out of Gandhinagar, Gujarat. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work. Prior to CSF, she has worked in various in variou, including Academic Excellence Manager, Project Coordinator, Program Leader, Program Mentor, and Gandhi Fellow. Their drive to make a meaningful difference and create impactful learning experiences led them to pursue a career in education. Jigisha derives pleasure from crafting transformative learning experiences and spearheading constructive societal transformation. She is an Adventure seeker and Campsite DJ. Also she has an uncanny talent for transforming mundane work situations into hilarious memes that instantly lighten the mood and go viral within the office.

Jishnu works as a Project Associate with the RMEAL Team and is based out of Delhi. Prior to this he had interned with organisations like Sattva Consulting, Swasti, Pradan, CCS and Goonj. He completed his bachelor’s in commerce from Delhi University. In his free time he loves to read books and play with dogs and bakes the best brownies. A quote that truly resonates with him – “It’s not humanity that’s equal, it’s existence that’s equal”. 

Jitendra works in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Aligarh. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from JNTU Kakinda. He is an alumnus of the Gandhi Fellowship Program. Before joining CSF, he worked at Azim Premji Foundation and Mantra4Change. While working with Azim Premji Foundation he worked with teachers to improve perspectives, beliefs, teaching practices, pedagogical approaches, content development, and Supported in covid Vaccination project. In his free time, Jitendra loves listening to music and is passionate about exploring diverse cultures and languages.

Juhi works as a Consultant in the DPMU(UP) team and is based out of Delhi. She holds a degree in Civil Engineering from NIT, Kurukshetra. After spending a year in the corporate sector designing Android applications, she transitioned into the education sector where she has over 7 years of experience working across levels from classroom, school, district to state-level projects. She started as a Teach for India fellow and then worked with Peepul as a School Leader. Since last 4 years, she has been working in Governance Consulting roles with the Government of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh while being a part of organisations like Ashoka University and Samagra Governance in projects like CMGGA and Mission Prerna. She has a deep interest in spirituality, yoga, meditation and neuroscience and in her free time, can be seen reading or watching content for the same.

Junaid works as a Project Manager with the State Reform Team and is based out of Lucknow. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from BITS Pilani and Masters degree in Public Policy from Azim Premji University. Prior to CSF, he was working in the tech sector. It was during the pandemic, while working with the district administration and community schools, that he realized his true passion is in public policy. Junaid is particularly interested in education, especially when it comes to helping kids develop strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills before the Grade 3 inflection point. He loves everything about football, and in his free time can be seen playing, watching or debating game tactics.

Jyotsna works as a Senior Project Lead in the Policy & Communications Team and is based out of Delhi. She completed her graduation and post graduation in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, and Delhi School of Economics, respectively. Post her education, Jyotsna pursued projects that had the potential to create impact at scale. She worked as a political consultant for nearly 6 years at I-PAC, where she designed and led high-decibel political campaigns, while managing high-profile stakeholders. Her interest in the field of education and CSF was spurred by her desire to transform and impact people’s lives for the better. In her spare time, you can find her reading about the workings of the human brain, playing with her dogs, or admiring nature.

Kamal Nath Jha leads the State FLN Projects team as a State Lead in Bihar. He supports the government in the functioning of PMU for FLN in the state. He is also engaged in collection of evidence and deeper implementation of FLN activities in a few districts to showcase that FLN goals and targets are achievable within the time frame. He has a Masters degree in Political Science from JNU, New Delhi. Before joining CSF, he has worked with IPE Global, UNICEF, Save the Children and Bihar Education Project Council. During 24 years of his career span in the development sector, he has experienced early, elementary and secondary government schooling systems and learnt about the challenges they face. He was involved with the World Bank project on improving efficiency in Teachers’ Training College Institutions in Bihar. In his free time, he loves talking to children, cooking, reading and listening to music.

Kapil works as an Associate Project Director in the School Governance team and is based out of Delhi. He started his career as a teacher and content writer, and grew up to lead sales and business transformation. He founded an EdTech business on teaching improvement that has impacted 8000 school teachers and over 200,000 learners in the early childhood, primary and middle grades across India and the Middle East. Aside from this, he has headed Sales and Marketing in FMCG and Pharmaceuticals industries. Kapil is deeply passionate about impacting the learning outcomes in schools. He has invested most of his career in education in K12 schools working on programs improving the foundational learning. He has worked on adult literacy and career counseling pro bono, treating these as his civic responsibilities. Kapil did his bachelor’s in Computer Sciences and master’s in business management from IIM Lucknow. In his free time, Kapil is found planning meticulously for his large extended family gatherings, which keep happening unplanned anyways.

Karan works with the State Reform Team as a Project Manager and is based out of Panchkula. He holds a Bachelors degree in Information Technology from UPTU and Masters in Rural Management (PGDM) at XISS, Ranchi. Prior to working with CSF, Karan For the initial 1.5 years, he served as a Young Professional in the district and state teams of Livestock at Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society under the Rural Development Department in Bihar. Karan has also been part of Samagra Development Associates, contributing to the Family ID team under the Planning Department and the Mission Niramaya team under the Department of Medical Education in Uttar Pradesh. During his free time, Karan enjoys watching series and indulging in gardening activities.

Karishma works as Project Manager in the State Reform Team and is based out of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. She holds a Masters degree in Education from Azim Premji University with a honours degree in Education from Banaras Hindu University. Before CSF, Karishma spent around seven years working at various organisations such aş Mantra Social Services, Azim Premji University, Neev Trust. She also worked setting up an organisation promoting art education called Shuruart Foundation. She identifies as an anxious reader and calm painter, who likes to find philosophical explanations everywhere.

Karthik joins CSF as a Project Associate in the Strategic Support States Team, Telangana and is based out of Bhadradri-Kothagudem. He holds a Bachelors in Social Work from Osmania University, Hyderabad and Masters in Social work In Public health from TISS, Mumbai. Prior to CSF, Karthik worked as a former Telangana State Outreach Coordinator at Thanal, he played a pivotal role in establishing micro-learning centres aimed at reintegrating dropout children into the formal education system. In his free time, he loves to travel and holds a black belt in karate.

Kaushalya works as a Senior Project Lead in the Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives team and is based out of Delhi. Before joining CSF, she led stakeholder management for NITI Aayog and advised education non-profits at Sattva Consulting. At the World Wide Web Foundation, she led the global Tech Policy Design Lab. Her experience includes advising 85 UK charities at The Partnering Initiative Oxford, drafting the UK Government’s Digital Skills Partnership Strategy, and contributing to the Oxford Covid-19 Government Response Tracker. As a Researcher to an Indian Member of Parliament, she advised on governance reforms. Kaushalya also campaigned with Oxfam Ireland and led humanitarian communications at Oxfam India. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford and an MSc in International Development from University College Dublin. She enjoys painting and hiking.

Kavita Rawat works as a Project Manager with the EdTech team at CSF. She joined Central Square Foundation after completing her Teach for India fellowship (2020) where she led more than 150 girls across 2 government schools and 3 classrooms in the East Delhi community. Kavita holds a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Ambedkar University Delhi. It was in one of these classrooms that she realised how rather than being angry or debating about things which are not working behind closed walls, it was more important to find sustainable solutions on the ground. During her free time, you can find her reading books, buying books or/while listening to Taylor Swift.

Komal works as a Project Lead in the School Governance Team and is based out of Delhi. She holds an MBA degree from the Indian School of Business and has a Masters degree in Biotechnology. Prior to CSF, she has led multiple 0-1 product journeys in EdTech start-ups over the last few years. She started her journey in the education sector as a Teach for India fellow in Mumbai. Since then she has been keen on solving diverse problems in the education space and furthering her impact in the sector. In her free time, she likes to explore new dance classes, read fiction, and go out with friends.

Komal works with the State Reform Team as a Project Associate and is based out of Bhopal. With a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Miranda House, Delhi University, and a Masters in Development Studies from TISS, Mumbai, she has developed a deep understanding of development dynamics. Prior to CSF, she worked at Sattva Consulting and has garnered valuable skills in research and project management. When not immersed in work, she enjoys exploring new books, savouring new cuisines, embarking on mountain adventures and spending time with dogs. She loves her chai and is always open to conversations about thriller shows and movies.

Krishnakanth works as a Project Manager in the Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives team and is based out of Delhi. He holds a Master’s in Education from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai s well as a MSc in Physics from the University of Calicut, Kerala. Previously, he interned with the School of Education, Tamil Nadu and was a part of the Interactive Flat Panel project with the government of Telangana at TISS, Mumbai, which refined his abilities in curating learning resources and designing interactive learning activities. In his free time, he likes to listen to music, read books and explore food joints.

Kritagya Kriti works as a Project Manager in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Sitapur. She holds a masters degree in Social Entrepreneurship from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Prior to joining CSF, she worked on multiple initiatives in the remote Himalayan regions in Nepal, in areas such as climate change, sanitation and education. She has also led a research initiative in the space of climate change impacts on marginalised communities in the mountains. In her free time, you will find her crocheting, reading or making travel plans.

Satyam works a Project Lead in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Aligarh. He studied journalism from University of Delhi. At work, he is mostly seen visualising ways to make system generated data more reliable. Currently he is on an exploratory journey to figure out if small is indeed beautiful or systemic intervention is the best possible approach to solve public issues. He was profoundly inspired by Jean Dreze’s idea of research for action and made the switch from journalism to the social sector. Previously, he has worked at Indus Action and Piramal Foundation. In his free time, you will always find him overthinking; he is a serial over-thinker!

Kumud works as an Associate Director with the Strategic Support States team and is based out of Delhi. Before joining CSF, he served as a Nudge Indian Administrative Fellow with the Government of Punjab in the Higher Education Department. With 16 years of extensive experience in capital markets, Kumud has held roles in investment banking, asset management, credit rating, and analytics. In his free time, he enjoys reading books, watching movies, exercising, and meditating.

Kunal works as a Project Lead in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Jhansi. He is a lawyer by education and has been working in the policy sector for the past few years. He worked as a research and policy associate for Late Mr Rajeev Satav, Member of Parliament and Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associate in Sirsa and Kaithal district, Haryana. Kunal is an avid reader and enjoy reading about Indian culture and history. He has also previously acted and directed plays.

Lata works as a Senior Project Manager in the Strategic Support States Team and is based out of Mohali. She holds a Master’s in Education from Azim Premji University. .Prior to joining CSF, Lata who has been a Teacher Professional Development (TPD) Professional, has been deeply engaged with children’s learning processes and the workings of government schools. She is committed to fostering effective teaching methods. Outside of work, She is an avid traveler and trekking enthusiast, always seeking new landscapes and experiences. Through her journey, she strives to make impactful contributions to education and inspire curiosity in both children and adults.

Lokeshwaran works with the Partnerships & New Initiatives (ECE) team as a Project Lead and is based out of Delhi. He is an Aerospace Engineer by education and his journey in the education sector began in 2017 with the Teach For India Fellowship. After the fellowship, he worked with Bhumi for four years, where he had the opportunity to design the Bhumi Fellowship in whole school transformation as part of the founding team. He hails from Chennai and outside of work, he enjoys watching football, reading non-fiction and an occasional episode of The Office or Brooklyn Nine-Nine. 

Lubhavani works as a Project Lead in the EdTech Team and is based out of Delhi. She is a firm believer in creating equal opportunities for all students, thus starting her journey as an educator. She completed her bachelor’s degree in education from Gargi College, the University of Delhi, followed by an M.A in education from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Most recently finished her M.Phil. in education leadership & school improvement from the University of Cambridge. She has worked in the education sector for the last four years. She started her journey as a Teach For India (TFI) Delhi fellow, continued working in TFI as a Course Designer with the Firki Team and was last working as an Education Researcher with the CMR University before joining CSF.

Mahesh works with the Strategic Support States Team and is based at Medak. He holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Amrita University and a B.Ed from Mahatma Gandhi University, a unique blend of technical and educational expertise. Prior to CSF, he has worked at Teach For India, BYJU’S, where he took on the role of Senior Content and Training Associate. He then transitioned to LEAD School, took on the role of Academic Excellence Manager. Over the past two years, he has influenced 45 schools, empowered 400 teachers, and touched the lives of 16,000 students. In his free time, Mahesh loves to travel to new places and explore food.

Mahima is part of the Policy & Communications Team at Central Square Foundation. As a Project Manager, she works on building the CSF brand and creating resonance for the foundation’s work through various digital communication channels. After studying Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, Delhi University, where she developed a keen interest in branding, communications and PR, she went on to pursue the post-graduate diploma in Advertising and Public Relations from the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication in New Delhi. Prior to CSF, Mahima was with Edelman India, the world’s leading PR agency, where she worked with top brands in the FMCG and F&B spaces. Her core competencies include campaign planning, content strategy and media relations. When not working, Mahima enjoys exploring new cafés and trying out unique perfume notes.

Manideep Kumar Myakala joins Telangana’s State Strategic Support Team as Project Associate and is based out of Medchal-Malkajgiri. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Governance, specializing in Regulations and Institutions from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Prior to joining CSF, Manideep worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Public Policy Governance and Performance, Administrative Staff College of India(ASCI). He has also worked briefly on evaluating innovation nominations under the Prime Minister Awards 2022. Before working at ASCI, he worked with the Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS) on Mobile applications that are aimed at increasing the efficiency of the grassroots level functionaries of Panchayat Raj & Rural Development (PPRD), Department of Economics & Statistics (DES) and Women Development & Child Welfare (WDCW) departments. In his free time, Manideep enjoys playing chess and driving.

Manpriya works as a Project Manager in the Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives Team and is based out of Delhi. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Jesus & Mary College. Prior to joining CSF, Manpriya has worked for Teach for India, where she managed acquisitions and outreach strategy on the National Development team. There, she led projects across resource mobilisation, knowledge management, strategy, and operations, while actively working with the Senior Leadership on strategic communications and advocacy. She has also worked with a diverse range of private and development sector organisations, focusing on sustainable development, youth leadership and mobilisation, and entrepreneurship.

Mansi works as a Project Manager in the EdTech team and is based out of Delhi. She has completed her bachelors from Ashoka University, where she studied Economics, Environmental Studies and Entrepreneurship to understand how businesses can contribute to sustainable and inclusive living. She is interested in the social and environmental impact sector. She has also volunteered with IamGurgaon, to help make her city a better place to live in. She assisted with the founding of Leap Cities, an accelerator program that works with growth stage companies in the impact sector in India. She is also a mixed medium artist and designer. Mansi likes to spend her spare time cooking, reading and practicing yoga.

Megha works as a District Consultant in the Classroom Instruction and Practice team and is based out of Ghaziabad. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi and Masters in Organic Chemistry. She is a Young India Fellow and has also completed her diploma in Liberal Arts from Ashoka University, Sonipat. Prior to CSF, Megha worked with Azim Premji Foundation for three years. In her free time, she enjoys reading and doing craft work, which ranges from paper crafts to wire crafts.

Misha works as a Senior Project Lead with the Strategic Support States Team at CSF. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Punjab University. She pursued her Masters in Business Administration from Pune. She is passionate about bringing to life CSF’s vision of quality learning for all children. Prior to working with CSF, Misha has worked as Investment Analyst, TFI fellow, Entrepreneur, Academic Expert and L&D specialist in multiple organisations. In her free time, she enjoys solving Sudoku and crossword puzzles. She loves to travel with her family.

Faizan works as a District Consultant in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Aligarh. He holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Hindi from Aligarh Muslim University and his Master’s in Social Work from MANU University Hyderabad. In his previous role at Piramal Foundation, he managed 15 Gandhi Fellows and stakeholder engagement in two aspirational districts of Uttar Pradesh. In his free time, you will either find him in the gym or you will find him making delicious meals for his child.

Mohini Thakur works as a Project Lead in the State Reform Team and is based out of Lucknow. With over 8 years of experience in ESG strategy, project management, and CSR consulting, Mohini brings a wealth of knowledge in public service and sustainability. She has collaborated with both public and private sector stakeholders, advising on policy, designing high-impact programs, and driving sustainability initiatives. Previously, she held roles at organizations like Sattva Consulting and UNDP, where she led projects in governance and environmental conservation. An alumna of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Mohini loves trekking and creating a green sanctuary through her passion for gardening.

Mokshit works as a Project Associate in the State Reform team and is based out of Panchkula. He is an advocate and has a keen interest in constitutional matters. He holds a degree in Masters in Public Policy and Governance from Azim Premji University. He is a public policy professional working towards creating positive social impact at scale through systemic reforms. He has experience working with senior bureaucrats in drafting the rules for the labor codes and making policy proposals at the NITI Aayog. He likes to discover poetry, converse about wide ranging topics and appreciate art.

Mounika works with the Strategic Support States Team, Telangana and is based out of Hyderabad. She holds a B.Tech Degree from SSN College of Engineering, Chennai. Prior to joining CSF, she started her professional journey as a Software Engineer, but her passion for education brought her to the Teach For India Fellowship. Since then, she has worked with various organisations within the education sector. She found that her true joy lies in working on classroom instruction, curriculum development and collaborating with teachers. She joined Central Square Foundation with the goal of applying her skills at scale and contribute to improving learning outcomes across the state. In her free time, she likes to read and occasionally try her hand at writing.

Mridul works as a Project Manager in the Strategic Support States Team at CSF and is based out of Punjab. He holds a Masters Degree in Design with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and is currently pursuing a degree in Development Studies.He is an engineer turned educator. Prior to CSF, Mridul has worked in different industries from manufacturing to e-commerce and has found solace in the education sector thanks to the Azim Premji Foundation’s fellowship.This year-long fellowship journey in the hills of Almora(Uttarakhand) exposed him to the rudiments of primary education, community life, teacher engagement and the very many challenges of the life of the hills. To further build on his knowledge of teacher education, he joined the Shiv Nadar Foundation and contributed to the teacher professional development program being developed by the foundation before joining CSF. In his idle time, he can be seen exploring the different literary genres, oftentimes travelling to the hills and otherwise engaged in outdoor activities.

Mridula works in the Strategic Support States team as a Project Manager and is based out of Bihar. She did her masters in Home Science from Patna University and M.Ed. from Barkatullah University, Bhopal, M.P. She has 6-8 years’ experience in Health, Nutrition and Education with UNICEF, ICDS, JEEViKA (BRLPS), Going to School and Aga Khan Foundation. She had closely worked with SCERT Bihar in the Teacher Education and DIET strengthening. Mridula loves to write poem/Story/Case Study/Slogan and interact different communities to know their cultures and tradition. She wants to drive change in society through right education of each child.

Murali works with the Strategic Support States Team as a Project Manager in Telangana and is based out of . He holds a Master’s from Azim Premji University. With over 8 years of experience in the education sector, Murali previously worked on improving education quality in private schools and coached school leaders to enhance student learning outcomes. His interests encompass teacher education, school leadership, running, doodling, and photography.

Mustafa works as a Project Manager with the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Sitapur. He holds a degree in psychology and firmly believes in the transformational power of education. Prior to CSF, he ran his own community center, worked with Teach for India, and led a project in government schools to improve the monitoring of the midday meal program at the ground level. In his free time, he enjoys reading about Delhi and its rich past in his free time.

Nalini works as a Project Manager in the District Project Management Unit (UP) team and is based out of Delhi. Prior to CSF, Nalini worked with Invest India at their Ministry of Women and Child Desk. She has also worked with the Foundation for Rural Entrepreneurship Development (a Google and Tata Trusts initiative). There she led operations for rural women entrepreneurship programs in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Nalini holds a Master’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship from TISS Mumbai. In her spare time, you can find her dancing or listening to her favourite artists.

Nanda works as a Project Lead in Strategic Support States Team, Telanagna at CSF. Nanda was born in the village of Ghanpuram, in Telangana. Having grown up in a teacher family in rural Telangana, his understanding of school education and its importance in society grew over time. After UG, he chose to go back home, and manage a family-owned low-cost private school for 3 years. During this time, he engaged with students of early grades, 1 to 5, experimenting alternative education. Pursuing PG Diploma in Rural Development from NIRD&PR equipped him with relevant skills and theoretical knowledge needed to work on large scale rural development programmes. In his previous roles with HCL Foundation & School Education Department of Andhra Pradesh, he worked on stakeholder management, curriculum development, community mobilization, training of teachers, research, inter-governmental liasoning, program Design and management. Fun Fact: He can break into a song any minute of the day.

Natasha works as a Senior Lead in the Human Resources Team and is based out of Delhi. Her key responsibilities include efficient management of the entire employee lifecycle and providing avenues for Organisational development driven through people engagement. Her foray into the social development sector began with a corporate partnerships role with The Nudge Foundation. She spent 5 years in the corporate sector in a sales and business development role with Diageo followed by Michael Page. Natasha had a short and exciting entrepreneurial stint in 2019 when she set up a microbrewery restaurant. She holds a MBA degree from NMIMS, Mumbai and an undergraduate degree in Engineering from Jaypee University. It was through her volunteering work during the Covid outbreak that she realized her true calling lies in working directly with the less privileged, a cause she is truly committed towards. Always saving up for her next trip, Natasha is also a certified scuba diver.

Navneet works as a Project Manager in the School Governance Team and is based out of Udaipur. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Miranda House, University of Delhi. Prior to CSF, she was a part of the 2020 Young India Fellowship cohort, where she worked on a project working towards retention of out-of-school females in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Her diverse experience encompasses research and teaching assistance in gender studies at Ashoka University, as well as roles in leadership consulting at Egon Zehnder and technology consulting at Code Brew Labs. Navneet aspires to forge a career in assessment, governance and education reform within South Asian societies.

Nidhi works a Project Manager in the Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives team and is based out of Delhi. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economic Honours from Christ University, Bangalore. She has previously worked with policy experts in the field of education, gender, and skill development, which ignited her interest in the development sector. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, dancing and doing yoga.

Niharika Suresh works as a Consultant in the School Governance team and is based out of Guwahati. Niharika completed her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Dayalbagh Education Institute, Agra and went on to pursue the Young India Fellowship from Ashoka University. Prior to CSF, Niharika was working as a Program Officer at The Antara Foundation in Madhya Pradesh. Her role revolved around managing quality service delivery of maternal and child health services across two developmental blocks in the district of Betul. In her free time, Niharika enjoys binging TV shows and going on hikes.

Nihith works with the Telangana SSS team (Medak district) to drive FLN outcomes for the primary school-going children. Prior to this, he was managing bids and proposals in one of the
large global professional services firms helping them submit proposals to various RfXs. Nihith attended Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University which grounded him in the Humanities
and Social Sciences education. As a young development professional, he’s all ears to learn, unlearn, and relearn. In his free time, he can be found casually flipping pages through a non-
fiction book or deeply engrossing into watching any of F1, cricket, and Tennis.

Nikhita works with the State Reform Team as a Project Manager, and is based out of Lucknow. She holds a Masters in Development from Azim Premji University, and a bachelor’s degree in Engineering. Prior to joining CSF, Nikhita has worked at Sattva Consulting, and has previously founded a social enterprise as well. In her personal time, Nikhita likes to read, binge watch and loves eating or thinking about food and making travel plans.

Nisha works as a Project Manager in the State Reform team and is based out of Panchkula. She holds an integrated bachelor’s degree in Science and Education. Her professional journey began as a teacher at G.D Goenka Public School, working on children’s foundational literacy and numeracy. Recently, Nisha completed her Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Before joining CSF, she worked as an Analyst in the Monitoring and Evaluation team at IPE Global Limited, gaining valuable experience collaborating with government, bilateral, and multilateral organizations.

Nishant works as a Project Lead in the School Governance team and is based out of Bikaner. Nishant has worked extensively in the world of academic content and teaching, and has created teaching and learning content for multiple subjects upto grade 10. He is passionate about education reform and has worked in the sector in multiple roles. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani.

Nitin works as a Senior Project Lead in the Strategic Support States team and is based out of Delhi.  He is a post-graduate in Social Work and has studied Rural and Urban development. He brings close to two decades of professional experience to the team in multiple thematic areas such as education, system strengthening, government consulting, and partnerships. His experience across multiple organizations, roles, and industries has helped him develop skills specifically in managing large-scale projects and impact delivery and a keen understanding of the sector. He strongly believes that change in society and systems are only possible through a change in the self (individual). He is passionate about creating a synergistic effect amongst people through adoption of inclusion, convergence and empathy as core values.

Nitish works as a District Consultant in the Strategic Support States team, Bihar. Nitish holds a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in History from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi. He started his career as a Gandhi Fellow, introducing innovative ideas for education in a district. He is responsible for ensuring effective implementation of projects in Bihar State. Prior to this, he worked with GuruJal, an initiative of the Gurugram district, as an Associate, leading communication, community mobilization, and strategic program implementation. Passionate about driving change in society, Nitish enjoys traveling to historical places and monuments, reading fiction books, and indulging in mobile photography, Hindi movies, and documentaries.

Noopur works with the EdTech team as a Senior Project Lead and is based out of Delhi. She has over 10 years of experience across strategy, product and management consulting. Thematically, she has focused on K-12 education in the past few years. Prior to her return to CSF, Noopur was working with LEAD, a B2B EdTech unicorn. She worked on incubation and scaling of early stage enterprises during her previous stint at CSF and has also been a management consultant on social impact projects at BCG. She holds a Masters in Economics from Oxford University and a Bachelors in Economics (Hons.) from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her beagle, experimenting with healthy recipes and planning her next vacation.

Kavya works as Project Manager in the Partnerships & Strategic team and is based out of Delhi. With a rich background as a rural management intern at the International Water Management Institute, Kavya brings a wealth of experience and a passion for the development sector. She has dedication to create positive change. In her free time, you’ll find her deep in the digital world, seeking out new knowledge, or sketching cherished memories into works of art.

Pankaj works as a Project Lead in the the State Reform Team and is based out of Delhi. He holds a Masters in Science and Master in education from Azim premji University. He has more than 10 years working in the field of education across different states in India. Prior to CSF, he worked closely with government educational departments ensuring effective implementation of educational reforms. He has also worked with different organisations such as Star Education, Manipur, Lead School, Avanti Fellows Haryana, STiR education Uttar Pradesh, Bodh Shiksha Samiti, Rajasthan across the professional years. In his free time, he likes to travel and read.

Pratik works with the Strategic Support States Team as a Project Manager and is based out of Dhenkanal, Odisha. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from KIIT University, Bhubaneswar. Prior to CSF, Pratik has worked as a Teach for India fellow in 2019 and as an Academic Excellence Manager at Lead School where he impacted 17 schools, touching the lives of 300 teachers and 3000 students, ensuring a quality educational experience. In his free time, Pratik loves teaching and nurturing young minds.

Pratiksha works a Project Consultant with the State FLN Projects team and is based out of Bhubaneswar. A teacher at heart, Pratiksha is a triple-major in Journalism-Psychology-English Literature. Her passion for teaching and learning brought her to Teach For India where she started as a Fellow in 2016 focusing on foundational learning for her early graders. Committed to providing children with quality education, she then continued this journey as a Program Manager coaching Fellows in their leadership journeys, and also took up the role of an Instructional Trainer at TFI’s Training Institute, facilitating learning on classroom culture-pedagogy-SEL-foundational literacy. Her desire to see impact of holistic learning at scale brought her to CSF. Fun Fact: She can hold long conversations on Partition Literature and Iced-Black-Coffee is her Elixir.