Mohan has a Master’s Degree in Social Work. He has more than 30 Years of experience in the Social Development Sector. He is one of the Founder members and currently the Chief Executive Officer of Vikas Sahyog Pratishthan, an organization working on Sustainable Development.

Governance Role with Registered Organizations:
­ Unnati Institute for Social and Educational Change
­ YUVA, Mumbai
­ Yuva Rural Association, Nagpur

Leadership Role with Registered Cooperatives
– President of Credit Co-op. Ltd. For 7 years
– Chief Promoter and then President of Housing Co.-Op.-Soc. For 11 years

Expertise sharing with Grassroots NGOs through Trainings and Consultancies Organizational
– Development: Understanding of psychodynamic processes within organizations, Systems, and structures for transparency and accountability, legal and financial compliances.
– Leadership: Communication and presentation skills, team management.
– Strategic Planning: Planning on developmental issues, Considering SWOT of organizations.

Mr. Naresh Jena is an ex-secretary of the Maharashtra State Social Welfare Board. He holds a Masters in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences and has a total work experience of more than 37 years in various capacities from being a Probation Officer with the Children Aid Society and Observation Home, a Jailer at Kalyan District Prison, and a government official with the Central Social Welfare Board and Women and Child Development Department of Government of India. Post-retirement, he continues to contribute to society through various field organizations.

Mr. Dinesh Ahir is a practicing Chartered Accountant having experience of more than 38 years. He has rich experience in taxation, auditing, financial and management consultancy for corporate entities, cooperative banks, and state public sector undertakings. Mr. Ahir has been a Visiting Lecturer in Finance and Taxation for B.Com. Course in various colleges like Elphinstone College, Ismail Yusuf College, and Khalsa College. Mr. Ahir has a keen interest in the development sector especially in the issues of urban space. He is a Founder Trustee of Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI) and NGO Alliance for Governance and Renewal (NAGAR), both NGOs actively involved in civic and governance issues in Mumbai. He is also the Honorary Treasurer and Trustee at Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA).

Puru is an Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai. He is also an associate faculty member at the Center for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas (CTARA), IIT Bombay and principal investigator of the Technology and Development Solutions Cell (TDSC), IIT Bombay. His primary work interests are in the areas of drinking water provisioning and watershed interventions, and enabling formal mechanisms for working on development-related problems in academic programs.

Mr. Johny Joseph, is currently the Executive Director of Creative Handicrafts, a Fair Trade organization working for the welfare of women and children. He is a professional social worker working in the field of social work and social research for the last 25 years. He is currently the Asia Representative to the Board of Directors of World Fair Trade Organization. Aside from having a few of articles published in various periodicals he is also the co-author of LORD, I BELIEVE, INCREASE MY FAITH (An all India study of Youth and Religion) and Food to the Poor (a research project which examines the implementation of food related schemes of Government of India, in Maharashtra). Mr. Joseph has presented a number of papers on Social Enterprises and Social work at various international seminars and workshops in several countries in Europe and Asia.

Anjali Kanitkar, Associate Professor (retired), College of Social Work Nirmala Niketan.

At present, she is Director, Social Audit, Government of Maharashtra and is involved in conducting social audit of MGNREGA, Old Age and Widow Pensions and Housing schemes of the Government.

A social work graduate from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, she taught at the College of Social Work for almost three decades and has been closely associated in various capacities, with several organisations working for tribal and rural development in Maharashtra.

Ms Kanitkar was elected from the Teachers’ Constituency to the Senate of the University of Mumbai for three consecutive terms and actively contributed to the functioning of the University during her tenure. She has also worked on the Committee against Sexual Harassment at the University and has addressed issues of gender equality in the various colleges and institutions of higher education of the University.

As an extension of her academic duties, Ms Kanitkar officiated as a member on the Boards of Studies in her parent University as well as in other Universities. She has been an active member of the social work profession, contributing to social work theory and practice through her participation in varied seminars and academic workshops. She has also strived to further the cause of teachers in higher education, being elected to the Executive Committee of the Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union (BUCTU) and has participated in various struggles of the teachers.

Prof. Helen Joseph started her career as Programme Coordinator of the National Service Scheme unit of the University of Mumbai. She joined the College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan, as a faculty member in 1983, from where she retired as a Professor in 2013.

Prof. Joseph is also Chairperson of YUVA Urban Initiatives, an NGO working to enable vulnerable urban groups to access their rights, and is Senior Consultant to Creative Handicrafts for its programme on ‘Zero tolerance for Domestic Violence against women. She was the founder Director of SALOKHA, a project working on Social Integration and communal harmony and is a regular guest lecturer for Tokyo University of Foreign Studies for its online program on Peace and Conflict Studies. She has been a member of the University Grants Commission’s National Consultative Committee and Core Group Resource Person and Key Trainer for their Programme on ‘Capacity Building of Women Managers in Higher Education. She has been a member of the Academic Council and Board of Studies in Social Work for Mumbai University and on the Board of Studies of TISS and SNDT Universities. She is currently a member of the Board of Studies in Social Work for Amity University.

She has conducted a number of Research / Evaluation Studies and has published a number of articles in peer-reviewed national and international journals.

In addition, she is the Social Science Expert on the Internal Ethics committees of KEM and the Hinduja Hospitals, Mumbai, and a member of the Internal Complaints Committee against Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace for several banks and educational institutions.