Harish Doraiswamy: Transitioning from Corporate Sector to Education and Social Sector

Harish Doraiswamy is a distinguished professional with a rich background in the corporate sector, accumulating over 30 years of valuable experience spread across diverse industries and functions. While establishing himself as a stalwart in the corporate world, Harish's foray into the education sector commenced more than a decade ago, igniting a passion to make a positive impact in this domain. During his last role as the Vice-President at Pearson India, Harish oversaw multiple verticals across South Asia, contributing significantly to the organization's growth and development.

Throughout his illustrious corporate career, Harish spearheaded numerous groundbreaking initiatives, showcasing his ability to lead and innovate. However, after achieving remarkable milestones in the business world, he has now set his sights on effecting change in the social sector.

An alumnus of two prestigious institutions, IIT Madras and IIM Calcutta, Harish possesses a solid academic foundation that complements his extensive practical knowledge. This unique combination equips him with a holistic understanding of complex challenges and enables him to devise innovative solutions.

With an unwavering commitment to making a difference, Harish is determined to channel his expertise, experience, and passion into transforming the education and social sectors. As he embarks on this new chapter, Harish Doraiswamy aims to pioneer impactful initiatives that address critical issues and bring about lasting change in society.

D Shivakumar: Pioneering Integrated Development Initiatives

Shivakumar, an accomplished leader in the development sector, holds a master's degree and boasts a remarkable 24 years of experience. Specializing in education, Shivakumar has played a pivotal role in spearheading the Kalike Samruddhi Upakram Initiative of the Trusts.

Initially focused on education, Shivakumar recognized the need to expand the impact of the Trusts' intervention beyond the realms of education. With a visionary approach, he championed the transformation of the Kalike Samruddhi Upakram Initiative into a holistic development program targeting rural communities.

By seamlessly integrating thematic areas such as nutrition, livelihood, water and sanitation, and skill development, Shivakumar revolutionized the Trusts' intervention. This strategic integration ensured a comprehensive and sustainable approach to uplifting and empowering rural communities.

Shivakumar's leadership and expertise were instrumental in conceptualizing and designing the expanded scope of the Kalike Samruddhi Upakram Initiative. His deep understanding of the rural context and his commitment to creating lasting change laid the foundation for this groundbreaking development model.

Beyond simply identifying the needs of communities, Shivakumar's vision encompassed the creation of a multi-dimensional approach that would address various interconnected challenges. By incorporating nutrition, livelihood, water and sanitation, and skill development into the initiative's framework, Shivakumar ensured a more holistic and impactful intervention.

Under his guidance, the Trusts' Kalike Samruddhi Upakram Initiative has flourished, transforming the lives of countless individuals in rural areas. Through strategic collaborations and innovative interventions, Shivakumar has paved the way for sustainable development and improved the quality of life for vulnerable populations.

Shivakumar's relentless dedication and boundless passion for development have made him a beacon of change and an inspiration within the sector. With his expertise and leadership, he continues to propel the Kalike Samruddhi Upakram Initiative forward, opening new avenues for progress and empowering communities to thrive.

Professor R Ramanujam: A Distinguished Mathematician and Educationist

Ramanujam R is a highly accomplished individual with a remarkable background in mathematics and education. He earned his PhD from the prestigious Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) located in Mumbai. For over thirty years, he served as a faculty member at The Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc) situated in Chennai.
Since 1990, Ramanujam has been actively involved with the Tamil Nadu Science Forum, a renowned organization dedicated to science popularization and improving school education. His significant contributions to these fields led to his appointment in the committee established by the Government of Tamil Nadu to formulate the state's education policy.
In recognition of his exceptional achievements, Ramanujam was awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for science popularization by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in 2020. Additionally, he was bestowed with the prestigious title of Lorentz Fellow by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (KNAW) while working at the National Institute of Advanced Studies in the Netherlands.
Ramanujam's expertise is not limited to research and education alone. He actively participates in shaping the mathematics curriculum of the nation. As a member of the Steering Committee of the National Curriculum Framework 2005 (NCF 2005), he played a pivotal role in chairing the National Focus Group for Teaching Mathematics.
Currently, Ramanujam holds the esteemed position of Vice President at the Mathematics Teachers Association of India, further exemplifying his dedication towards advancing mathematics education. His unwavering commitment to promoting science and education has made him an eminent figure in the field, inspiring countless individuals along the way.

Dr. Mukund Thattai  

Dr. Mukund Thattai obtained a B.A. in physics from Cornell University in 1999, and a Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2004. Since 2004 he has been on the faculty at the National Centre for Biological Sciences. Dr. Thattai is deeply involved in public engagement efforts and art/science collaborations, working with conceptual artists and theatre practitioners to explore the practice of biology and its impact on society.

Shashi Nair

Shashi has over 31 years of experience covering areas such as design, research and product development, operations audit, instructional design, people development and institution building. He has worked in the area of education leadership and management in government education systems, where he was responsible for setting up and leading a team, and networking with partners, to create and implement strategies for large scale development of leadership and management  capabilities of education functionaries in Karnataka.

Maya Chandrasekaran

Maya Chandrasekaran has 15 years of experience across  impact, technology, investment and financial services start ups.  She is the co-founder of the Women in Investing group and advisor to a number of young organisations in Education, Skills and Livelihoods. Maya is a published author of both children's and adults fiction. She is passionate about creating deep impact in a big way and has  always thought that teachers are superheros - her mother is one, after all.

Sujata Rao

Sujata started her career as a management professional working with corporate organizations in India and overseas. She then moved into the area of vocational education and training wherein she focused on structuring educational opportunities for disadvantaged communities such as migrant groups and indigenous populations. She is especially good at helping companies on a change management re-structuring.

Jay Warrior

Jay Warrior has over twenty years of experience at the intersection of academics, technology and business creating new high technology-based, business opportunities for Agilent Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, Emerson, Fisher-Rosemount, and Honeywell in the US & in Asia.

Dr. Prea Gulati

Dr. Prea Gulati is an internationally recognized expert in public health. She has keynoted in conferences, and taught on urban health, all over the world. She was until recently a Professor of Public Health at George Washington University and is a Visiting Professor at BRAC University. Dr. Gulati has led projects for various UN organizations and diverse Non-Governmental Agencies, for the last fifteen years, in countries such as Afghanistan, Mexico, Ghana, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, and Kenya.

Dr. Joan Huntley

Dr. Joan Huntley obtained her Ph.D. in Instructional Design from the University of Iowa. For over 20 years she served as an Associate Research Scientist leading a research and development team that focussed on digital learning. She has taught IB Design and Technology in India, the U.S. and online since 2008. 

Sandipan Chattopadhyay 

Sandipan, after a long stint and huge profit-making organisations like Just Dial, has started work with social entrepreneurship.

CG Venkatesh

Armed with a Masters from IIT Madras, Venkatesh moved to the University of Chicago to work for his Ph.D. Along the way, he also earned a Masters in Mathematics from Northeastern University in Boston. He was a Postdoc Fellow at Syracuse University before he moved to Recife in Brasil. Venkatesh's teaching experience is almost all along the East Coast of the Americas. This included a teaching Postdoctoral Fellow at Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, U.S.A. He currently teaches Mathematics at Bedford High School, Bedford, MA., and is also Adjunct faculty, Mathematics Department, University of Massachusetts. Lowell, MA. USA.