India Leaders

Program Manager, Kalamandir, The Celluloid Chapter Art Foundation Debashree Mishra is a community mobilizer in the gender equity and child rights advocacy fields. She is a Program Manager at Kalamandir and works to develop comprehensive program strategies to protect children’s rights and gender equity by activating government and legal support systems. Debashree’s active commitments at Kalamandir focus on gender equality … Read More

Project Coordinator, Lokswar Gunjan K.A. Lal Bedia is a Project Coordinator at Lokswar (Voice of People) and is dedicated to combating child and forced marriage and domestic violence, and to encouraging safe migration practices. He is driven by a sincere commitment to advancing social justice, education, equity, and sexual and reproductive health and rights, particularly for girls, youth, and women … Read More

Facilitator, Mahila Mukti Sanstha Sushma Kumari is Facilitator and Sports Coach at Mahila Mukti Sanstha. In this role, Sushma develops adolescent girls to take leadership roles and raise their voices at the block and district level. She also trains girls on health-related issues through sports and debate. Sushma educates adolescent girls, women, service providers, religious leaders, and selected Panchayat representatives … Read More

Women’s Motivator, Bindrai Institute For Research Study & Action Reena Balmuchu is a Women’s Motivator at Bindrai Institute For Research Study & Action. Prior to this role, Reena completed 10 years in accounting but has always been interested in positively impacting the lives and behavior of women and youth through leadership. Rise Up Together Cohort: Jharkhand, India 2024

Program Manager, Bal Kalyan Sangh Shivani Priya is a lawyer and a Program Manager at Bal Kalyan Sangh, where she works to protect the rights of children in Jharkhand, focusing on issues like unsafe migration and trafficking. She is a passionate advocate for the rights of girls and women who have been victims of trafficking, believing in the importance of … Read More

Co-Founder and Secretary, Pratigya Ajay Kumar is the Co-Founder and Secretary of Pratigya and has demonstrated strong leadership and dedication to social causes. With over 16 years of experience in the social sector and 20 years in academia, he has spearheaded impactful campaigns against child trafficking and child marriage in Jharkhand, while also building capacity on gender-responsive approaches in government … Read More

Director, Lok Kalyan Seva Kendra Sanjeev Kumar Bhagat is a dedicated social activist for sustainable development. He currently serves as a Director at Lok Kalyan Seva Kendra where he advocates for the fundamental rights of marginalized communities. Sanjeev has a postgraduate degree in science and his work has been recognized by the local community for sustainable development in the social … Read More

Advocacy Coordinator, Society for Advancement in Tribes, Health, Education and Environment (SATHEE) Kaleshwar Mandal is the Advocacy Coordinator at the Society for Advancement in Tribes, Health, Education and Environment (SATHEE) where he works on tribal self-governance and improving the rights of children. Kaleshwar focuses on advocacy with local systems, CBOs and policy makers and is dedicated to grounding policy and … Read More

Project Coordinator, Society for Participatory Action Research and Knowledge (SPARK) Ghulam Murtaza Ansari is the Project Coordinator at Society for Participatory Action Research and Knowledge (SPARK), where he focuses on domestic workers’ issues, trafficking, and gender-based violence. Ghulam has completed his MBA. Rise Up Together Cohort: Jharkhand, India 2024

Senior Manager, Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre (JAC) Society | India Deepshikha is a social work professional with a focus on gender-based violence and child protection. In her current role as Senior Manager at Prayas Institute of Juvenile Justice, an apex body of Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre (JAC) Society, she leads the Prayas Child Protection Unit, including Prayas Children Home for … Read More