Baksheesh Sachar is a Consultant to the Department of Planning & Investment, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, where he works on state budgets and policy briefings for the Chief Minister’s Office. His prior experience includes work with UNICEF, UNDP, and the International Innovation Corps at the University of Chicago Trust. He holds an MA in Public Policy from IIT Bombay and a PGD in WASH from TISS, contributing expertise in governance, climate, and public systems data.
These are the backbone, minds, hands and hearts of the Policy Pioneers Program, a dynamic collective of individuals from diverse regions, academic disciplines and professional experiences. United by their varied expertise, they work together to craft holistic, practical solutions to pressing societal challenges.
Guided by a shared purpose, they are driven by the conviction to contribute to a cause greater than themselves, advancing equity, fostering inclusion and strengthening the fabric of our communities and our nation.
These are the Policy Pioneers Program delegates of 2026, working with passion and purpose for the future they believe in.
DELEGATES: COHORT OF 2026
Tarun Chauhan is a Fellow at the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), a Government of India apex body for health systems strengthening. He holds a PGDM from IIHMR Delhi and brings experience working across public, private, and academic health ecosystems with national and multinational stakeholders. Through the program, he seeks to strengthen his ability to translate field-level health systems understanding into effective policy design and implementation frameworks.
Urmila Joshi is Vice President at Learning Links Foundation and brings nearly three decades of leadership experience across India’s education, development, and public health sectors. She has held senior roles at Piramal Foundation, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, and Aga Khan Health Service India, and has also served as an empanelled Consultant Evaluator with GSACS and NACO. Through the program, she seeks to further strengthen her engagement with policy and governance systems at scale.
Abhishek is a former officer with the Central Government of India and an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Mandi. He brings a multidisciplinary background spanning public administration, management, and technology. Through the program, he aims to strengthen his understanding of policymaking while engaging with a diverse cohort of professionals and practitioners working across governance and public systems.
Shubham works at the intersection of policy, strategy, and industrial systems, currently contributing to development initiatives at DPIIT, Government of India. His experience spans I-PAC, Tata Steel’s logistics joint venture, and public sector initiatives focused on governance and manufacturing systems. An MBA graduate from Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, he brings interests in industrial policy, trade competitiveness, and public sector transformation to the cohort.
Jubina is a Senior Consultant at Ernst & Young with a background in Community Medicine. She holds an MD in Community Medicine from the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), Delhi. Bringing together expertise in public health and management consulting, she works at the intersection of healthcare systems and governance. She seeks to deepen her understanding of policy design and institutional frameworks shaping public health outcomes.
Annesha Sengupta is a Senior Analyst at Deloitte, bringing experience in financial risk analysis and regulatory frameworks. She holds a BSc in Economics from NMIMS, Mumbai, and works at the intersection of technology, markets, and regulation, with a focus on how digital systems such as UPI raise questions of data privacy, competition, and accountability. She is joining the program to build structured policy thinking and contribute an economics-and-consulting lens to technology governance.
Shrinath is a technology policy consultant advising the Government on technology for public healthcare institutions. He brings over 20 years of experience spanning networking, healthtech, and enterprise tech, including a senior management tenure at Cisco Systems. He works at the intersection of AI/ML policy, data security, and digital public infrastructure. He is joining the program to build structured policy frameworks that channel his technology expertise toward transforming GovTech in India.
Dadasaheb Gaikwad is the Executive Director of Gramurja Foundation, a grassroots organisation working on rural development, public systems, and Panchayati Raj Institutions in Maharashtra. He holds an MBA from the University of Pune and brings extensive experience leading community initiatives through government partnerships. Through the program, he aims to deepen his policy perspective and strengthen collaboration between civil society organisations and public institutions for scalable developmental impact.
Nikita Tank is a Chief Minister Fellow with the Government of Gujarat, working at the heart of state-level governance and public administration. She holds an MA in Economics from The Maharaja Sayajirao University. She brings extensive research experience in food systems and agriculture policy across think tanks and academic institutions. She is joining the program to move beyond analysis into designing system-level governance solutions for India’s most pressing food and agriculture policy challenges.
Manish Srivastava is the Founder & CEO of Aspricus Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Building an AI and Deep Tech driven global edtech marketplace democratizing higher education and employment for Tier 2, Tier 3,cities and rural area students.He brings 18+ years of work experience across Fortune 500 companies in India, UK, Germany, and Australia. He has previously worked with TCS, Unisys, NIIT Technologies, and American Express India, contributing as a founder, digital systems, public system and governance, technology perspective to the cohort.
Laxmikant Jadhav is the Founder and Executive Director of BeliefsIndia Foundation, an organisation working with rural and tribal communities in Maharashtra on women’s empowerment, MGNREGA, health, and access to public services. He holds a Master of Social Work and brings years of frontline experience in public service delivery and accountability gaps. He is joining the program to bridge the gap between grassroots realities and policy design and build scalable, institutional-level solutions for marginalized communities.
Gaurav Bhandari is a policy and legal researcher based in Nepal, with experience as a Legal and Political Researcher in Nepal’s Parliament Affairs and as a Junior Legal Officer. He currently contributes to Public Policy Pathsala. He brings firsthand exposure to Nepal’s federalism transition, legislative processes, and regulatory reform challenges. He is joining the program to build robust governance architecture expertise and advance his work across South Asian public institutions.
Vidhyashankar is India Technology Policy Fellow at The Pacific Forum, researching India’s semiconductor supply chain & emerging technology governance across AI, Space, & Quantum. He brings 25+ years of leadership spanning Grant Thornton Bharat, NASSCOM 10000 Startups, TOI Group, and has built public policy programs for the governments of Telangana & MEITY. He holds degrees from BITS Pilani & Cranfield School of Management, with executive programs at Harvard Business School & Yale University.
Aishwarya is Assistant Editor at StratNewsGlobal. She brings 7+ years of newsroom experience across Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg Quint, and New Indian Express, and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Her work sits at the intersection of foreign policy, technology governance, and strategic communications. She joins the program transitioning from policy journalism to policy practice and contributes a foreign affairs and media perspective.
Khushi Agrawal is a Statistical Officer with the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Odisha, working at the intersection of data and public systems. She holds an M.Sc in Statistics from Utkal University. She brings direct experience in how data informs policy implementation at the state level, with a strong foundation in accountability and evidence-based governance. She is joining the program to deepen her policy understanding and contributes a government and data-driven perspective to the cohort.
Keshava is a Strategy and Impact Leader with over 18 years of global experience. He specializes in turning complex data and sustainability challenges into clear, actionable solutions. Alongside his corporate career, he has dedicated time as volunteering driving community engagement for movements like the Cauvery River Revitalization and Save Soil campaigns. Currently focusing on Climate Impact, AI, and ESG , he aims to use his blend of enterprise discipline & startup agility to shape technology-driven public policies.
Javaid Ahmad Najar
Javaid, a former Young Professional at NITI Aayog, works in Pi Jam Foundation on grassroots innovation, entrepruenership, startup and youth-led development initiatives across Jammu & Kashmir. He holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Kashmir and has engaged with governance frameworks through the Centre for Good Governance & Policy Analysis at IUST, Awantipora, Kashmir. He brings a unique combination of national policy exposure and ground-level community experience.
Preethi V P is a Legal and Policy Analyst at MediBlock Inc., specialising in international trade law and policy. She holds an LLM from Georgetown University Law Center, where she received the prestigious John H. Jackson Memorial Scholarship for excellence in international trade. She has conducted research on micro international economic law and trade policy reform for India and the Global South at the Stimson Center. She is joining the program to sharpen her applied trade policy skills and contribute a world-class legal and research perspective to the cohort.
Meetu R is a doctoral researcher exploring the intersection of law and emerging technology, with a focus on how regulatory frameworks must evolve to address new technological realities. She holds a B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, where she graduated among the top five in her class, and a rank holder in Master of Laws from the Cochin University of Science and Technology. She brings a jurisprudential and academic lens to technology policy, particularly around filling regulatory voids left by rapidly advancing technologies.
Shavini Somawardhana
Shavini Somawardhana is the Founder of VakyAI, a venture working at the intersection of AI, multilingual technology, and human dignity, with a focus on expanding digital sovereignty to underrepresented language communities. She holds a B.Sc (Hons) in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, and previously served as an Engineer at Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development. She brings a rare combination of government engineering experience, entrepreneurship, and AI policy expertise.
Varun Dubey is pursuing LL.B. (Hons.) at IIT Kharagpur, and experience across fintech, regulatory compliance, and technology-focused legal practice. His interests lie at the intersection of technology governance, AI and digital regulation, intellectual property, and competition law. He has worked on public law, IP, and regulatory matters through internships with law firms and the Chhattisgarh State Information Commission, and brings a technology-law and policy perspective to the cohort.
Gaurav Deshmukh is a Public Health Associate at Doto Health Private Limited, a women’s healthtech organisation, where he designs digital interventions for Community Health Workers and Skilled Birth Attendants. He holds an MSc in Digital Society from IIIT Bangalore. He brings expertise at the intersection of translational research, digital public health, and ICT for Development (ICT4D). He is joining the program to deepen his policy fluency and contribute a tech-meets-public-health perspective to the cohort.
Sourabh Nath Yogi
Sourabh Nath Yogi is a Young Professional at BRLPS (Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society), working on rural development and livelihoods programs in Bihar. He holds a PGDM from the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. He brings over three years of ground-level experience in public systems and governance in one of India’s most challenging development contexts. He is joining the program to bridge grassroots implementation knowledge with structured policy design thinking.
Tulasa is a PhD Research Scholar at South Asian University. Her research focuses on AI governance with particular emphasis on right-based regulatory framework. She previously served as Legal Consultant at Nepal Consulting Lawyers Inc., Kathmandu, and served as faculty & published across eight peer-reviewed journal at multiple law institutions of Nepal. She contributes to the cohort a cross-jurisdictional perspective grounded in approaches to constitutionalism, emerging technologies, and AI governance.
Samridhi Seth is a Senior Consultant at Nation First Policy Research & Change Foundation, working on legislative research and policy advisory in the areas of corporate law, artificial intelligence, and land administration. Her work is focused around promoting urban governance, and ease of doing business. Prior to this, she served as Assistant Manager – Risk Strategy & Compliance at HSBC, Bangalore, where she worked on developing compliance and risk strategies to adapt to regulations relating to employment, data protection, and CSR.
Ramakrishna Gudi
Ramakrishna Gudi is Program Coordinator at Krishik Sarvodaya Foundation and formerly a Policy Analyst & Political Consultant with the Government of Karnataka, where he evaluated five flagship guarantee schemes and developed policy briefs for cabinet officials. He holds an MBA from Ramaiah Institute of Management Studies and is a fellow of the IMPRI Data Analytics for Public Policy Research Fellowship, New Delhi, and being a participant in Start acting in policy challenge by India House contributing a government advisory and data analytics perspective.
Neha Asha Chandrakant has a multi-sector background spanning grassroots activism, government scheme implementation, and broadcasting. She has worked as a Duty Officer at All India Radio, a Field Worker under India’s ICDS scheme, and an Activist with Bharat Jan Andolan, conducting legal rights workshops for tribal communities. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Mumbai and contributes a grassroots and government-implementation perspective to the cohort.
Samveda Hatwalkar is an Associate at P&A Law Offices in New Delhi, one of India’s established law firms, where she works on legal matters at the interface of regulation and governance. She holds a BA LLB from Savitribai Phule Pune University. She brings a legal practice background and an orientation toward the regulatory and institutional dimensions of public policy. She is joining the program to develop a structured policy lens to complement her legal expertise.
Eshan Borikar
Eshan Borikar is Founder and Lead Counsel at the Chambers of Eshan Borikar, practising before the Supreme Court of India and the High Court of Bombay. He serves as Visiting Faculty at the University of Mumbai and Professor-in-Charge at Government Law College, Mumbai — Asia’s oldest law college. He founded The International Law and Society Review, with an editorial board including Oxford and Harvard scholars, and holds an LLM in Criminal and Security Law from Symbiosis Law School with Distinction.
Krushang Kansara is an Associate at Adani Group with experience in ports and logistics, and is currently pursuing studies in Supply Chain and Logistics at IIT Madras & ICS London & IIM Culcutta. Krushang is member of world economic forum ( Ahmedabad Hub ) & done projects on social impacts & he is also working with C4IR ( Center for industrial revolution ) in the domain of supply chain & logistics.He holds an MBA from Gujarat University and brings hands-on exposure to international trade operations, domestic market protection, and export systems. He is joining the program to build a rigorous understanding of trade policy frameworks and contribute to India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Yachna is a senior development and gender expert with 20+ years of experience across PATH India, GIZ, CARE India, Digital Green, BASIX, PRADAN, and JEEViKA, working at the intersection of public policy, evidence systems, gender, and inclusive development. She has led rigorous MEL and research initiatives that informed policy dialogue, including evidence contributing to the scale-up of the Bank Sakhi model and immunization-focused interventions. She is the Co-founder and Director of EcoKargha Consulting, driving evidence-led, gender-responsive strategies across livelihoods, climate resilience, and community systems. She is Chevening Gurukul Fellow for Leadership & Excellence at the University of Oxford (2025).
Priya Maria
Priya Maria is a lawyer with a multi-sector background spanning editorial leadership, law, and education consulting. She holds an LLB from Karnataka State Law University and a BA (Hons) in History from Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi, and is pursuing her Company Secretary qualification with ICSI. She previously served as Editorial Head at 7tint Media for five years and is a published author and Flashlight Fellowship awardee, contributing a law and communications perspective to the cohort. She also holds a Professional cybersecurity certificate course degree from IIT-K. Recipient of People’s Choice Award for Poetry by Youth for Peace International. Law is her passion and profession, she aspires to represent her country internationally.
Puja Rani is a Gold Medalist from the National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi, and is pursuing an LLM in AI, Data Protection & Technology Law at Dhirubhai Ambani University. She has worked as an Independent Legal Consultant specialising in GDPR and DPDP Act compliance, and interned on a Law Ministry of India funded research project at the Judicial Academy, Ranchi. Her academic record includes Best Memorial awards at national moots, contributing a data protection and AI governance perspective to the cohort.
Rakshita Sharma is Chief Manager (Legal) at ICICI Bank Limited, leading in-house litigation management for over six years across consumer forums in Madhya Pradesh, the State Consumer Commission, and the NCDRC, New Delhi. She holds a BA LLB (Hons) from the National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal, and she brings a deep expertise in banking law, SARFAESI Act enforcement, DRT processes, and regulatory compliance, contributing a strong banking regulation and corporate law perspective to the policy pioneers cohort.
Surbhi Chakraborty
Surbhi Chakraborty is Research Associate at Pahlé India Foundation and a PhD Scholar in Defence and Strategic Studies at Punjabi University, Patiala — a double UGC NET qualifier and Gold Medalist at postgraduate level. She previously served as Research Assistant at the United Service Institution of India, India’s oldest defence think tank, contributing to the Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative and co-developing AAVAHAN, a defence startup mentorship program. She contributes a defence economics, strategic affairs, and geopolitics perspective to the cohort.
Nishitta Rai spent over five years at BSR & Associates LLP and BSR & Co. LLP — affiliates of KPMG India — as Assistant Manager (Transfer Pricing), handling disputes exceeding INR 100 crore and representing clients before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, and a B.Com (Hons) from Gargi College, University of Delhi. She contributes a KPMG-trained legal and fiscal governance perspective to the cohort. She is joining the program to comprehend the intersection of legal and policy lens.
Krishna D’Cruz is Managing Partner at Corelinkk Consultants, a UK-India strategy and advisory firm, leading initiatives in public systems strengthening, AI-enabled healthcare, and sanitation technology reform. She holds a Postgraduate degree in Strategic Management from Harvard University and an Executive MBA from Hult International Business School, London, and has trained with UNICEF and WHO. She contributes an international, systems-level perspective spanning health, climate, and emerging technology to the cohort.
Surabhi Singh
Surabhi is Research Associate at Pahlé India Foundation where she has been centrally involved in formulating and implementing Uttar Pradesh’s Export Promotion Policy 2025–30 that received State Cabinet approval in September 2025, and has presented to the UP Chief Secretary, Cabinet Minister and other senior leadership. She previously served as Research Fellow at the Population Research Centre, MoHFW, Government of India. She holds an MA in Economics from the University of Lucknow and has published op-eds in The Quint, the Outlook, Deccan Herald etc.
Bhargav is a Business Analyst at the Centre for Smart Governance, driving large-scale digital governance and citizen service delivery initiatives that strengthen public digital infrastructure. He has worked with the United Nations, an Estonian Government Agency, the Karnataka Planning Department, and the IIIT Bangalore Innovation Centre on interdisciplinary initiatives spanning technology, SDGs, governance, and public policy. An MSc in Digital Society graduate from IIIT Bangalore, he brings over four years of experience at the intersection of technology, data, society, and governance. Through this program, he seeks to deepen his leadership and policy expertise to advance impactful, technology-enabled public transformation.
Atul Deep is a Senior Manager-Operations at Indus Action Initiatives, leading government-facing policy reform, scheme redesign, and implementation initiatives across Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh. He works closely with Principal Secretaries, District Collectors, and state departments to strengthen welfare delivery systems and improve citizen access to social protection schemes. His work contributed in government savings through pension reform in Punjab. With 7 years of experience across public health, education, livelihoods, and social protection, Atul has worked with The Antara Foundation and CARE India, bringing deep expertise in policy implementation, operational strategy, and government-embedded program execution.
Sanya Roy
Sanya Roy is a Development Professional and Programme Officer at the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC), where she manages strategic implementation across a 450+ branch national network. A specialist in bridging grassroots evidence with policy, she secured a 43% budget increase for national awareness programmes the organization’s first funding revision in 12 years. She independently founded an Education & Recreational Centre in Delhi slums, now serving 100+ street-connected children. With thematic expertise in women’s empowerment, child rights and urban livelihoods, she has a proven track record in M&E and creating national implementation guides that scale impact across urban, rural and tribal contexts.
Anmol Johar is Manager — CSR at Your-Space (Ashimara Foundation), bringing 7+ years across development consulting, government programme design, and CSR management. She previously prepared DPRs for the Ministry of MSME’s SFURTI scheme at NH Consulting and served as Associate Project Consultant at NABARD Consultancy Services conducting multi-state impact assessments. She holds a PG Diploma in Development Studies and certifications from IIT Madras (ESG) and the ADB Institute (Financial Inclusion), contributing a development consulting and government programme delivery perspective to the cohort.
Thrivendranath is a Civil Engineering undergraduate at NIT, Karnataka actively engaged in sustainability, youth leadership, and nation-building initiatives. He serves as the President of Student Energy’s Sustainability Club, where he works on initiatives related to climate awareness, renewable energy, and sustainable development, and as the State Co-Convenor of Think India in Karnataka, contributing to youth engagement and discussions on national development. He has actively taken part in MUNs &Youth Parliaments. He has built leadership and organizational experience through NCC as a Cadet Under Officer, participating in training, coordination, and leadership responsibilities.
Shruthi Swamy
Shruthi is a legal professional, a graduate with Honors in Business Law (B.A.LLB (Hons.) from NLUJ, and Masters in Law from NLSIU, Bangalore. She also holds Masters in Environmental Studies and in Economics. She brings over a decade of experience spanning top-tier law firms, the Isha Foundation (Conscious Planet), the Centre for Environmental Law Education.. Her work spans legal practice, non-profit governance, and law and policy research interface with climate finance, with a focus on translating ground realities into evidence-backed policy. She is joining the program to bridge her law and economics background with applied governance frameworks and citizen-centric policymaking.
Tirumalika Pavani Priya is a Senior Executive in Skilling & Mentoring at Foundation for Excellence, where she works with thousands of engineering students from low-income backgrounds across India. She holds a B.Tech from NIT Tiruchirappalli (NIT Trichy), a premier engineering institution. She brings experience at the intersection of education, access, and public program delivery, with a focus on how governance and institutional design shape socioeconomic mobility. She is joining the program to understand how public systems can be made more responsive and effective in serving young citizens navigating education and employment pathways.
A R Sangeetha is a recent graduate in Economics Honours from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru. She is currently the serving Secretary of a student led research community EconLABS at the college which was founded with the motive of making undergrad research accessible and reachable connecting young minds to solve ground realities. She is now an intern at Visva Bharti, Shantiniketan. She has previously interned at International institute of SDGs and Public policy, Aligarh as a research intern in the domain of international relations, and is now all set to pursue her Masters in Applied Economics at Christ University, Bengaluru.
Vishnu Das M
Vishnu Das M is an operations and supply chain professional with over eight years of experience across industrial engineering and trade, including a Senior Engineer role at L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering. He holds an MBA in Sustainable Development from Nalanda University and a Master’s in Supply Chain Management from IIT Bombay. Vishnu brings a practitioner’s perspective to trade governance. Vishnu Das joins the program to examine the policy architecture shaping India’s trade frameworks and he particularly wants to focus where regulatory design intersects with SDG commitments and export competitiveness.
Manish Kumar is a Project Manager and Strategic Consultant working across election campaigns in Haryana, Delhi, and Bihar, with prior experience as Campaign & Outreach Manager at AICC. He has also worked on public policy at the CM Camp Office, Delhi, including urban slum tap-water access and grievance monitoring. He contributes campaign strategy, field execution, and public-administration experience to the cohort.
Krishti Borah is a third-year BA LLB (Hons.) student at the National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA), Assam. She has interned with the District & Sessions Court in Nagaon and organisations working on women’s welfare and child rights. Her interests in India’s East Policy and technology governance reflect a growing engagement with public policy. She contributes a young legal and Northeast India perspective to the cohort.
Pranjal Kumar
Pranjal Kumar holds a BA LLB from Jindal Global Law School, one of India’s leading law institutions. He brings a strong legal foundation and an orientation toward policy, governance, and public law. He is joining the program at an early stage of his career to build structured policy knowledge and define his contribution to India’s governance ecosystem, contributing a legal and public interest perspective to the cohort.
Sandhya R. Krishnan is the Maharashtra State Head at IPE Global for the Female Labour Force Participation Project. A Master’s graduate in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), she brings over two decades of experience in the social sector and government liaison work. Having worked extensively with public institutions at implementation scale, she joins the program to deepen her policy understanding and strengthen her engagement with governance systems.
Arpit Awasthi is a doctoral researcher at the School of Design Innovation, Mahindra University, and serves as National Coordinator for Academic Research at South Asia Students For Liberty. His research explores civilisational design thinking, Indian Knowledge Systems, and institutional design. With prior experience at MathWorks and AMD, alongside policy fellowships and published commentary in ThePrint, he contributes a systems thinking and interdisciplinary governance perspective to the cohort.
Swati Khandelwal
Swati Khandelwal is the Operations Lead at The Grapheme, bringing over 13 years of experience in compliance, governance, and regulatory systems. A qualified Company Secretary (CS) from ICSI, her work focuses on translating regulatory intent into practical industry frameworks. She brings expertise at the intersection of policy, compliance, and business operations. Through the program, she seeks to deepen her strategic policy understanding and strengthen industry-government engagement.
Gopal Mukhopadhyay is a Fellow at Sewa International and the Founder and Director of a social organisation in West Bengal. He brings grassroots experience in community engagement, social development, and public service initiatives. Through the program, he aims to build structured policy and implementation frameworks that can strengthen and scale his future social development initiatives and community-driven interventions.
Riya Bhojwani is a Trainer at CSRBOX, a leading CSR and development platform. She is concurrently pursuing BA LLB and is a CA Final aspirant with ICAI, having completed a three-year CA internship focused on audit, taxation, and compliance. Her interdisciplinary experience across law, finance, and development practice gives her a distinctive perspective on governance, institutional systems, and policy implementation within the development sector.
Vennilla P
Vennila is a social work professional with over six years of experience in public systems & community-focused development work. She currently serves as a Consultant to the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, working on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Her experience includes proposal writing, stakeholder capacity building, monitoring and program implementation. She aims to build her foundation in public policy through the program.
Tanmayi K S S is an in-house counsel at a HealthTech company, working on legal and compliance matters at the intersection of technology and regulation. She brings experience in legal operations within the technology sector. She brings exposure to legal operations within the health and technology sector and adds a unique perspective of tech-law to the cohort .She is passionate about joining the program to build a grounded understanding ofpublic policy and governance and design frameworks.
Smita Patil holds an MA in Political Science and brings academic grounding in governance, state capacity, and democratic institutions. She is drawn to the intersection of digital public infrastructure, accountability, and inclusive growth. She is joining the program to build applied policy skills and translate her political science knowledge into practical governance problem-solving, contributing a political theory and institutional analysis perspective to the cohort.
Shruti Chaurasia
Shruti Chaurasia is a law graduate with experience across the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Law & Justice. Her work has included legal drafting, legislative review, and engagement with frameworks such as POSHAN 2.0 and Anganwadi systems. Holding a BA LLB from Asian Law College, Noida, she brings a combination of grassroots public service exposure and constitutional compliance experience, contributing a governance and legal systems perspective to the cohort.
Rugved Babhulkar is a postgraduate in Political Science from Savitribai Phule Pune University and an Independent Political Consultant and Strategist with experience in electoral campaigns during the 2024 election cycle and local government. Alongside, he is currently working on a Parliamentary Accountability Initiative focused on analysing parliamentary questions and improving the quality of government responses. His work also includes coordinating large-scale crisis responses during COVID-19 and drought conditions, where he designed and executed last-mile delivery systems in collaboration with public institutions and community networks.
Diksha is a Legal Associate at Moolchand Hospital, working at the intersection of institutional compliance, corporate law, and governance. She holds an LL.M. brings expertise in corporate laws, regulatory frameworks, and organisational decision-making. Her interests include evidence-based policy design, strengthening public service delivery, and improving the implementation of government schemes. She joins the program to deepen her understanding of governance and public systems, engage with intellectually driven peers, and contribute a practical and institution-focused perspective to discussions on policy and administration.
Rishiikowsike G
Rishiikowsike G is an educator at Cuckoo Forest School, Tamil Nadu, and a Researcher at the Tribal Research and Knowledge Center, New Delhi, working at the intersection of academia, tribal communities, policymakers, and grassroots engagement. He holds a B.Sc in Physics from Jamal Mohamed College, Tiruchirappalli, and brings a STEM background with a growing interest in governance, public systems, and community-centred development initiatives across diverse social contexts. Through the Policy Pioneers Program, he aims to strengthen his policy understanding and contribute a science-informed and community-oriented civic perspective to the cohort.
Mudit Jain is a professional UPSC mentor and civil services educator from Rajasthan who has himself cleared the UPSC Civil Services Mains three times (2022, 2023, 2024) and appeared for the Personality Test twice. He holds a B.Com (Hons) in Economics from the University of Rajasthan and won 1st Prize in an inter-college essay competition on Universal Basic Income. His dual role as educator and candidate contributes a civil services pedagogy and governance analysis perspective to the cohort.