Our
Team
We are a young and energetic team, relentless in achieving our mission.
Ashwin Mahalingam
Ashwin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at IIT-Madras. Ashwin has been involved with entrepreneurship and social enterprises for over a decade now, starting his journey with helping kick-off an internet-based company in Silicon Valley in the late 1990s. He is also on the board of the Center for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at IIT-Madras, and is a co-founder of Okapi Research and Advisory.
Bharti Gupta Ramola
Bharti Gupta Ramola was a partner at PwC during 1992-2017. She co-promoted the Basix group of Social Enterprises. She currently serves on the Boards of HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd, SRF Ltd and Feedback Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. She is also a part of the governing body of the Lady Shriram College and Advisory Council of Transform Rural India (a Tata Trust initiative).
Dimple Gujral
Dimple, a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years of professional experience, was a founder staff member of Teach For India and spent nearly a decade there as CFO. She is also a founder partner of Tatha Partners, a firm that is passionate about creating and implementing sustainable and enduring systems for startups and social enterprises. Dimple is an independent consultant to many NGOs including ISLI, Atma etc. Prior to TFI, Dimple worked in the Travel and Logistics industry in organisations like Cleartrip.com, Kuoni Travel (Indi)Pvt. Ltd, FedEx etc.
Paul Basil
Paul Basil is the Founder and former CEO of Villgro Innovations Foundation and an Ashoka Fellow. Over the last decade, Paul and Villgro have incubated hundreds of innovative enterprises. He is the co-founder & Partner of Menterra, an impact investment fund. An Ashoka fellow, Paul, is also the founder of Impact Innovators and Entrepreneurs Foundation (IIEF), a US-based organisation that promotes the Villgro model in other countries in Africa and South East Asia. Paul was awarded the Ashoka Fellowship in 2002 for his outstanding social entrepreneurship in setting up Villgro. He has also been conferred the Samaj Seva Bhushan Award and the Star Entrepreneur Award. A mechanical engineer by training and post-graduate in forestry management, Paul lives in Chennai, India with his family.
Dimple, a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years of professional experience, was a founder staff member of Teach For India and spent nearly a decade there as CFO. She is also a founder partner of Tatha Partners, a firm that is passionate about creating and implementing sustainable and enduring systems for startups and social enterprises. Dimple is an independent consultant to many NGOs including ISLI, Atma etc. Prior to TFI, Dimple worked in the Travel and Logistics industry in organisations like Cleartrip.com, Kuoni Travel (Indi)Pvt. Ltd, FedEx etc.
Dr. Indumathi Nambi is a distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, and a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers. She earned her doctorate from Clarkson University and conducted postdoctoral research, at the University of Illinois, to assess contaminants in water and soil. Dr. Indumathi’s impactful contributions also extend to areas such as Solid and Hazardous waste management, Saline Water Intrusion, Wastewater reuse for agriculture, and Lakes and Wetlands restoration. Passionate about environmental protection, she has nurtured 75 Clean Tech Startups and serves on expert committees for various government departments.
Kairas Vakharia currently heads Strategy at Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Business and has been with the Mahindra Group since 1992. He has held senior leadership roles across the Corporate Office, Farm Equipment and Automotive sectors, spanning strategy, innovation, new business development, manufacturing, and marketing, and has been the founding business head of several new ventures in agribusiness and construction equipment. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bombay and a Master’s degree in Engineering–Economic Systems from Stanford University. An Eisenhower Fellow (2003), Kairas currently serves on the boards of the IIM Udaipur Incubation Centre, and M.I.T.R.A. Agro Equipments Private Limited.
Ranjeev Lodha
Ranjeev Lodha, a Chartered Accountant, has over 3 decades of experience in the field of Corporate Finance. He started his corporate career with Tata Chemicals and has also worked at Mahindra and Mahindra Limited and Huhtamaki India Ltd prior to his retirement. Presently, Ranjeev serves on the Board of IVP Ltd, a Chemical company that caters to the foundry chemicals, coatings, composites & insulation resin industries. He is also associated with Tatachem Golden Jubilee Foundation, a public charitable trust, where he is responsible for the day-to-day administration, governance and execution of the activities towards the objectives of the Trust.
Sameer Mehta, Vice Chairman of Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals is a pioneer in India’s Home Health Care Industry (IHHC), and has founded multiple ventures like Health Sensei, Arya Play and Atlas Intelligence. With prior roles as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and leadership positions at Shell and Fortune 10 firms across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, he possesses a wealth of multi-national experience. Sameer serves on numerous boards and has earned many accolades, including multiple Lifetime Achievement Awards in health, entrepreneurship, investing, and societal contributions.
Aditi works with the Impact Finance team at Villgro. She has cleared 2 levels of CFA program and hold a bachelor degree in Commerce. She has previously worked with Pwc India in the management consulting line of service. Outside work, Aditi enjoys cooking, exploring cafes and new neighborhoods and reading crime fiction.
Ananya works as an Analyst for the Agriculture Team at Villgro. She completed her education from Ashoka University, with a BA in Political Science and PG Diploma & Thesis in Environmental Studies, focusing on themes of agroecology and sustainable food systems. She brings forth her understanding of regenerative, climate-resilient agriculture from her previous work experience at a sustainable agri-solutions company.
Anirudhh holds an Economics degree from Shiv Nadar University and has experience as an undergraduate researcher. He has worked on building an index for assessing businesses and has interned for IA Impact Labs. Anirudhh is a trained classical vocalist and in his free time, he explores new eateries, reads books, and enjoys watching cricket or basketball.
Anshu holds an M.Tech in Biotechnology from D Y Patil University, Mumbai. She has previously served at the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, IIT-Delhi, worked in the Immunology Division of Jain Diagnostics Pvt Ltd, and interned at DBT-BIRAC. She has experience in incubation, diagnostics, and research, including projects in neurobiology and developmental biology, and has published research in collaboration with NCCS, Pune and CSIR-NCL Pune.
Aparna’s journey in the social impact sector began during her Teach for India Fellowship Program. For 2 years, she worked at the grassroots level, in a government school, teaching 40 students. Post her fellowship, she completed her MBA, and briefly worked in the banking sector before reverting to the impact space, driven by her passion for making a difference.
Bhanu is passionate about policy research, data analysis, and evaluation. She has previously worked with various institutions including the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, India Infrastructure Publishing, and the Quality Council of India. She holds an MSc in Economics from the Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Hindu College, University of Delhi.
Deshna, a graduate of Public Administration, with a Diploma in Liberal Studies, brings strong academic research skills and a passion for social impact. With two years of development sector experience, including a fellowship with Goonj she has a diverse background. In her spare time, she volunteers for social causes, learns languages on Duolingo, and explores the city on her bicycle.
Divya brings extensive experience working at the intersection of waste, livelihoods, credit, and capacity building in both urban and rural settings. Previously, she worked with Saahas Zero Waste and led program design for waste worker-led enterprises, drove business development and fundraising, and launched a mental health initiative for the informal waste sector. Earlier at Rang De, she built key partnerships, designed financial literacy programs, and developed tailored loan products for underserved communities. Outside of work, Divya enjoys baking, reading, and exploring new music.
Divya brings over 17 years of diverse experience across HR, marketing, service, and sales. She has extensive experience in people engagement roles within industries like IT, manufacturing, and hospitality, where she has developed a strong ability to manage and collaborate with diverse teams. Outside of work, Divya enjoys watching movies and is passionate about fitness, especially running and working out.
Faheera holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and brings nearly five years of experience in the energy sector with expertise in data analysis and techno-economic energy modelling. Previously, she worked with IIT Madras Research Park, contributing to the campus Energy Management System and co-authoring the Zero to Green report. Beyond her technical work, Faheera is actively engaged in climate leadership—co-leading Nadhi’s Chennai Chapter.
George is an environment and development professional with over 18 years of experience working with organisations such as WaterAid, RTI International, World Vision, UNDP, and the Centre for Environment Education. He is an alumnus of IISc, Bengaluru and a recipient of the International Visitor’s programme from US Department of State. Previously, he led multi-donor and CSR projects across India, focusing on WASH, waste management, decentralised wastewater treatment systems, and nature-based solutions, with expertise spanning the circular economy of waste, water conservation, lake rejuvenation, constructed wetlands, biodiversity, and water security.
Lakshmi Venkatraman
Senior Executive
Accounts
Lakshmi holds an MBA in Finance from Anna University and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Bharathidasan University. She carries over 15 years of experience in various accounting and financial roles. In her personal time, Lakshmi enjoys reading books, cooking, and listening to music.
Manasha brings over three years of hands-on experience working with farmers across India. With a background in agriculture and a postgraduate degree in Rural Management, she is passionate about sustainable agriculture and has led farmer engagement programs in regenerative farming at Akshayakalpa Organic. Previously, she also contributed to the vegetable seeds sector through roles in sales and marketing. Outside of work, Manasha loves exploring diverse cuisines and discovering new places across the country.
Murugan. M
Senior Executive
Accounts & Administration
Murugan’s work involves managing the office’s requirements, logistics and implementing administrative tasks.
Navneet holds a Master’s degree in Development from Azim Premji University and serves on the India Chapter Steering Committee of the International Water Association (IWA). With 8+ years of experience in the development sector, he specialises in water, public policy, and strategic partnerships. He has led programs with governments, international agencies, and civil society to expand safe water access and promote sustainable development in India.
Pooja Ravindra is a former agri-tech entrepreneur, and has 9+ years of experience in capital markets and enterprise growth. She has also worked extensively in impact investing, leading fundraising, user growth, and market expansion for impact-driven ventures. Passionate about sustainable livelihoods, she builds strategic partnerships to enhance market access and economic empowerment at the last mile.
Poonacha works on enabling market access and distribution for early-stage social enterprises. With over a decade of hands-on experience in rural sales, channel partnerships, and operations, he has previously co-founded and led growth at Essmart, building last-mile distribution networks for agri-machinery and livelihood solutions across South India. With a background in agriculture and an MBA in Agribusiness Management, he brings a strong understanding of both farm-level realities and scalable go-to-market execution.
Pranay Salve has over seven years of experience in agri-business. He co-founded Carver Farms, an agri-downstream startup where he worked closely with farmers and FPOs on sourcing, distribution, and post-harvest management. This experience gave him firsthand insight into the challenges of rural sales, particularly issues of access, awareness, and economic losses due to spoilage and spillage at the farm level.
Prashanth is a senior manager at Villgro’s Finance team. He has 6 years of experience in the NGO sector, and previously worked with Sense International India as a Manager – Finance and TB Alert India as Finance and administration Officer. In his free time, he enjoys watching cricket and playing chess.
Pratim, a senior manager at Villgro’s Climate Action team holds a Master’s degree in Public Systems Management, specializing in Energy, from IISWBM, Kolkata. Previously, he worked at SELCO Foundation, and has nearly six years of experience in the development sector, focusing on energy access. He is passionate about the convergence of innovation, energy, and entrepreneurship.
Preethika holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from St. Xavier’s, Mumbai. Previously, she worked at The/Nudge Institute, supporting social entrepreneurs through their incubation journey and fostering the alumni community. She is particularly interested in climate and its intersections with gender. Outside of work, she enjoys swimming, unwinding with a book in Cubbon Park, and discovering new coffee spots around Bangalore.
Priyanka comes with experience in designing and implementing a wide array of programs and cutting-edge med-tech solutions for public health initiatives. With a proven track record in executing evidence-based strategies, she specializes in accelerating the reach and efficacy of health programs, particularly in maternal and newborn health.
Purushotham, works at the intersection of impact measurement and technology in Villgro. He is a graduate of B.Com Honours from Christ University and has dabbled in the field of economics and excels in constructing robust processes and frameworks. Previously, he interned at a neo-banking startup and is dedicated to leveraging innovation for scalable and lasting positive change.
Radhika Ramesh is a customer service professional with over 25 years of experience in leading and managing teams, as well as designing and implementing customer service processes and programs. She is a certified Six Sigma and TQM professional, and she is committed to quality and continuous improvement. She has worked in various countries such as Thailand, Qatar, Canada, and Monterrey, Mexico.
Rini is a graduate of IIM Kolkata with over two decades of experience in companies like Unilever, Titan, MetLife and Arvind Brands. She heads Program Partnerships, Impact Measurement and Ecosystem Development at Villgro.
Roshini Muthukumar works with the Ecosystem Development team at Villgro, and is a post-graduate of the National School of Journalism, Bengaluru. Previously, she worked as as journalist, writing impact stories for The Better India, CSRBOX, and worked part-time with newspapers like The Hindu, and Metroplus. Outside of work, she enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, badminton, watching stand-up comedy shows, and exploring new restaurants.
Sanam, an engineering graduate from Mumbai University, has a decade of experience in livelihood projects and entrepreneurship. He has keen interest in designing strategies and working with innovative startups, and previously, worked with Selco Foundation, SEWA, CoolCrop and has executed various consulting projects. On a personal note, he loves traveling, bike rides, photography and is a fitness enthusiast practicing calisthenics.
Sayan Mondal is a development professional with 4+ years of experience working on urban water, sanitation, solid waste, and circular economy innovations. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics (Development Studies) from the Symbiosis School of Economics and brings expertise in program management, policy research, and stakeholder engagement. Previously, he has led national-level programs with partners including MoHUA, IndusInd Bank CSR, USAID, and Water.org, driving startup-led pilots, ecosystem building, and capacity development for MSMEs and local governments.
Sharun works with the Program Partnerships team at Villgro, and holds a Masters’s Degree in Commerce. His expertise lies in sustainability, social impact, CSR/Donor management and circular economy. He has served as the chief design officer at the Environmentalist Foundation of India and as an Senior Auditor at Ernst and Young. Sharun is also associated with the clean-up & environmental drive culture in Chennai for 12+ years and even got the opportunity to represent India at a World Cup for a litter picking sport called Spogomi in Japan.
Shashikanth manages market partnerships at Villgro. Previously he worked at S3IDF and managed the Agri portfolio and incubated Farmer Producer Companies in Karnataka’s diverse agro-climatic zones. Shashikanth is an enthusiastic birder and is part of the “Hakki Pukka Bird Conservation Network,” organizing Bird Festivals in rural government schools in Bangalore.
Shikha holds a BA in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and an MIM from ESADE Business School, Barcelona. Shikha has led programs in education, micro-entrepreneurship, craft revival, rural development, and capacity building in India and Spain. Transitioning from consulting to the development sector, she has worked with various non-profits and foundations on strategy and operations. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, running, and a good board game battle.
Shriyam holds a Master’s in Development Studies from Azim Premji University and began her career with NSRCEL in 2021. She has since worked with social enterprises in agriculture, climate technology, and the circular economy, with a strong interest in climate- and gender-focused innovation. Outside work, she enjoys swimming, pop culture, and exploring new food experiences.
Sreejith oversees the Powering Livelihoods Program at Villgro and is an experienced professional in Climate Action. Previously he has provided functional support to start-ups in the energy sector, and energy management consultancy to small-scale livelihood enterprises. His interests lie in Energy Management, Social Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Solar PV and Energy Storage.
Srinivas Ramanujam is passionate about scaling up Small Growing Businesses (SGBs) that have the potential to create impact. He brings two decades of experience across multiple sectors and networks to solve ecosystem-level issues in the sectors of healthcare, climate action, agriculture and gender inclusion and serves as an Executive Steering Committee Member at Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. He engages closely with the Govt. of India to nurture social entrepreneurship and advocates for greater participation by commercial capital providers in this space.
Srividhya leads the Technology and Data Analytics division at Villgro. She is post-graduate in Information Technology from George Mason University, USA and has worked with different organizations, leading cross-functional teams to build, launch and manage SaaS innovations for budding startups. She is passionate about product management and is always eager to learn new things. She enjoys spending time with her family, travelling and exploring different types of cultures and cuisines.
A mechanical engineer turned management professional, Sunder has worked across agriculture and healthcare sectors with the Government, NGOs and startups on program design and implementation. Previously, he was working to enable credit access for the bottom of the pyramid and is passionate about food security. In his free time, Sunder enjoys travelling, automobile technology, and experimenting with cooking.
Unnati brings a strong foundation in sustainability, public policy, and systems-level social impact, with experience working at the intersection of government and civil society. Previously, she worked with institutions including NITI Aayog, the Capacity Building Commission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Dasra’s Sustainable Cities vertical, supporting multi-donor programs across waste, water, mobility, energy, health, and state-led initiatives.
Vignesh has over 11 years of experience in Administration and holds an MBA from Madras University. He specialises in travel, accommodation, and event coordination and has built a strong reputation for being dependable, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused. Additionally, he brings 3 years of experience in Human Resources. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing cricket, and watching movies.
Aparna’s journey in the social impact sector began during her Teach for India Fellowship Program. For 2 years, she worked at the grassroots level, in a government school, teaching 40 students. Post her fellowship, she completed her MBA, and briefly worked in the banking sector before reverting to the impact space, driven by her passion for making a difference.
Priyanka comes with experience in designing and implementing a wide array of programs and cutting-edge med-tech solutions for public health initiatives. With a proven track record in executing evidence-based strategies, she specializes in accelerating the reach and efficacy of health programs, particularly in maternal and newborn health.
Anshu holds an M.Tech in Biotechnology from D Y Patil University, Mumbai. She has previously served at the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, IIT-Delhi, worked in the Immunology Division of Jain Diagnostics Pvt Ltd, and interned at DBT-BIRAC. She has experience in incubation, diagnostics, and research, including projects in neurobiology and developmental biology, and has published research in collaboration with NCCS, Pune and CSIR-NCL Pune.
Pratim, a senior manager at Villgro’s Climate Action team holds a Master’s degree in Public Systems Management, specializing in Energy, from IISWBM, Kolkata. Previously, he worked at SELCO Foundation, and has nearly six years of experience in the development sector, focusing on energy access. He is passionate about the convergence of innovation, energy, and entrepreneurship.
Sreejith oversees the Powering Livelihoods Program at Villgro and is an experienced professional in Climate Action. Previously he has provided functional support to start-ups in the energy sector, and energy management consultancy to small-scale livelihood enterprises. His interests lie in Energy Management, Social Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Solar PV and Energy Storage.
Sanam, an engineering graduate from Mumbai University, has a decade of experience in livelihood projects and entrepreneurship. He has keen interest in designing strategies and working with innovative startups, and previously, worked with Selco Foundation, SEWA, CoolCrop and has executed various consulting projects. On a personal note, he loves traveling, bike rides, photography and is a fitness enthusiast practicing calisthenics.
Anirudhh holds an Economics degree from Shiv Nadar University and has experience as an undergraduate researcher. He has worked on building an index for assessing businesses and has interned for IA Impact Labs. Anirudhh is a trained classical vocalist and in his free time, he explores new eateries, reads books, and enjoys watching cricket or basketball.
Preethika holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from St. Xavier’s, Mumbai. Previously, she worked at The/Nudge Institute, supporting social entrepreneurs through their incubation journey and fostering the alumni community. She is particularly interested in climate and its intersections with gender. Outside of work, she enjoys swimming, unwinding with a book in Cubbon Park, and discovering new coffee spots around Bangalore.
Shikha holds a BA in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and an MIM from ESADE Business School, Barcelona. Shikha has led programs in education, micro-entrepreneurship, craft revival, rural development, and capacity building in India and Spain. Transitioning from consulting to the development sector, she has worked with various non-profits and foundations on strategy and operations. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, running, and a good board game battle.
Divya brings extensive experience working at the intersection of waste, livelihoods, credit, and capacity building in both urban and rural settings. Previously, she worked with Saahas Zero Waste and led program design for waste worker-led enterprises, drove business development and fundraising, and launched a mental health initiative for the informal waste sector. Earlier at Rang De, she built key partnerships, designed financial literacy programs, and developed tailored loan products for underserved communities. Outside of work, Divya enjoys baking, reading, and exploring new music.
Pranay Salve has over seven years of experience in agri-business. He co-founded Carver Farms, an agri-downstream startup where he worked closely with farmers and FPOs on sourcing, distribution, and post-harvest management. This experience gave him firsthand insight into the challenges of rural sales, particularly issues of access, awareness, and economic losses due to spoilage and spillage at the farm level.
Navneet holds a Master’s degree in Development from Azim Premji University and serves on the India Chapter Steering Committee of the International Water Association (IWA). With 8+ years of experience in the development sector, he specialises in water, public policy, and strategic partnerships. He has led programs with governments, international agencies, and civil society to expand safe water access and promote sustainable development in India.
Sayan Mondal is a development professional with 4+ years of experience working on urban water, sanitation, solid waste, and circular economy innovations. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics (Development Studies) from the Symbiosis School of Economics and brings expertise in program management, policy research, and stakeholder engagement. Previously, he has led national-level programs with partners including MoHUA, IndusInd Bank CSR, USAID, and Water.org, driving startup-led pilots, ecosystem building, and capacity development for MSMEs and local governments.
George is an environment and development professional with over 18 years of experience working with organisations such as WaterAid, RTI International, World Vision, UNDP, and the Centre for Environment Education. He is an alumnus of IISc, Bengaluru and a recipient of the International Visitor’s programme from US Department of State. Previously, he led multi-donor and CSR projects across India, focusing on WASH, waste management, decentralised wastewater treatment systems, and nature-based solutions, with expertise spanning the circular economy of waste, water conservation, lake rejuvenation, constructed wetlands, biodiversity, and water security.
Poonacha works on enabling market access and distribution for early-stage social enterprises. With over a decade of hands-on experience in rural sales, channel partnerships, and operations, he has previously co-founded and led growth at Essmart, building last-mile distribution networks for agri-machinery and livelihood solutions across South India. With a background in agriculture and an MBA in Agribusiness Management, he brings a strong understanding of both farm-level realities and scalable go-to-market execution.
Roshini Muthukumar works with the Ecosystem Development team at Villgro, and is a post-graduate of the National School of Journalism, Bengaluru. Previously, she worked as as journalist, writing impact stories for The Better India, CSRBOX, and worked part-time with newspapers like The Hindu, and Metroplus. Outside of work, she enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, badminton, watching stand-up comedy shows, and exploring new restaurants.
Rini is a graduate of IIM Kolkata with over two decades of experience in companies like Unilever, Titan, MetLife and Arvind Brands. She heads Program Partnerships, Impact Measurement and Ecosystem Development at Villgro.
Sharun works with the Program Partnerships team at Villgro, and holds a Masters’s Degree in Commerce. His expertise lies in sustainability, social impact, CSR/Donor management and circular economy. He has served as the chief design officer at the Environmentalist Foundation of India and as an Senior Auditor at Ernst and Young. Sharun is also associated with the clean-up & environmental drive culture in Chennai for 12+ years and even got the opportunity to represent India at a World Cup for a litter picking sport called Spogomi in Japan.
Rini is a graduate of IIM Kolkata with over two decades of experience in companies like Unilever, Titan, MetLife and Arvind Brands. She heads Program Partnerships, Impact Measurement and Ecosystem Development at Villgro.
Faheera holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and brings nearly five years of experience in the energy sector with expertise in data analysis and techno-economic energy modelling. Previously, she worked with IIT Madras Research Park, contributing to the campus Energy Management System and co-authoring the Zero to Green report. Beyond her technical work, Faheera is actively engaged in climate leadership—co-leading Nadhi’s Chennai Chapter.
Unnati brings a strong foundation in sustainability, public policy, and systems-level social impact, with experience working at the intersection of government and civil society. Previously, she worked with institutions including NITI Aayog, the Capacity Building Commission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Dasra’s Sustainable Cities vertical, supporting multi-donor programs across waste, water, mobility, energy, health, and state-led initiatives.
Mukul is the Managing Director of Quest Diagnostics, India. He has over two decades of experience in the healthcare industry, with special expertise in launching new super specialty divisions like Oncology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Ophthalmology and Respiratory Medicine which serve as launch platforms for first in class or Biotechnology products.
He has successfully created innovative business models to establish high value patented molecules & biotechnology products in the market, by partnering with healthcare stakeholders such as hospitals and insurance companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences with young professionals, and since 2004, has been a visiting faculty at several institutions in Mumbai and Pune for their Pharmaceutical Management and Biotechnology Management programs.
Jenaan is a development practitioner with over 14 years of experience working with for-profit and non-profit social enterprises. She helped develop CSR strategies for medium to large businesses and spent the formative years of her career working in public health. She is an Advisor to young Muslim women through the LedBy Foundation, and is also an Advisor on AVPN’s Youth Opportunities Platform where she mentors young entrepreneurs across Asia.
Shalu is the co-founder of ‘GrowthPal’. GrowthPal is streamlining engagement between startups and corporates through the use of a technology stack. Previously she worked with Monitor Deloitte as a Healthcare and Life Sciences Strategy & Operations Consultant followed by her stint with MindTickle as a Business Strategy and Sales Operations manager. She pursued her MBA from IIM Lucknow and bachelors from IIT Kharagpur.
Dharm is an agribusiness professional (core area, fish, meat & frozen foods) with about two decades of professional experience in setting up & scaling businesses. He is a Fisheries Graduate from GB Pant University of Agri & Tech, Pantnagar and PGDM from IMT, Ghaziabad. He has been associated with Spencer’s, Walmart, Carrefour, Reliance, etc and helped KPMG, BCG, Bain and a few state governments along with many startups.
Rajnish has more than 20 years of experience building global brands & companies in digital media, entertainment, pay TV and retail. Before turning into an entrepreneur, he was the Team Lead and an individual contributor in various sales and marketing roles with Microsoft, ESPN, Star Sports, Times of India, and Amul.
In 2015, with support from leading Indian philanthropists, he launched Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation, and in 2009, he co-founded Shufflr.tv, an Intel Capital funded video discovery service to leverage the increasing consumption of online videos on smart devices.
Sameer Mehta, Vice Chairman of Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals is a pioneer in India’s Home Health Care Industry (IHHC), and has founded multiple ventures like Health Sensei, Arya Play and Atlas Intelligence. With prior roles as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and leadership positions at Shell and Fortune 10 firms across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, he possesses a wealth of multi-national experience. Sameer serves on numerous boards and has earned many accolades, including multiple Lifetime Achievement Awards in health, entrepreneurship, investing, and societal contributions.
CV Murali is the Executive Director at Potential Genesis HR Services LLP. He is a post-graduate in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT-Bombay. He possesses three decades of experience in diverse industries, including automobiles, oil & gas, power, and EPC across various functions in leadership roles.
His key skill areas are leadership & team building, coaching & mentoring, business excellence, business risk management, supply chain management, manufacturing, audits, statistical process control, quality assurance, and safety management.
Aditya is the CEO of Chimco Bio-Medical Engineering Co. He has over 35 years of experience in the distribution and marketing of medical equipment and devices. He has worked with several global companies in India and overseas. Aditya enjoys exploring new business ideas, he is deeply passionate about motivating & guiding entrepreneurs. In his free time he enjoys practicing Zen meditation and traveling.
Chand Das is an executive coach and an angel investor. He previously served as the CEO of Education & Stationery Products at ITC. With over 35 years of professional experience in building and running scaled B2B and B2C businesses in India, he continues to be passionate about angel investing & mentoring executives, business professionals and entrepreneurs with the aim of helping them succeed.
Dr. Gita Arjun is the Director of Chennai’s EV Kalyani Medical Foundation and a trustee at the Jeevan Public Stem Cell Bank. She retired in 2013 after 32 years as the Director and Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at the EV Kalyani Medical Centre a 67-year-old institution dedicated to women’s health. She is the author of the best-selling Passport to a Healthy Pregnancy, first published in 2009.
Taslimarif is the Director and COO at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), Dept. of Biotechnology, Govt. of India initiative, in Bangalore, India. He received his PhD from Max-Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany, followed by postdoctoral training at University of California San Francisco (UCSF). He is actively involved in promoting innovation in life sciences.
Dr Alka works as an Advisor and a Consultant in the field of Medicinal and aromatic plants. She has 8 years of experience in planning, co-ordinating, conducting environmental surveys, ecological assessment and impact evaluation on flora and fauna, environmental audits, socio-economic health management studies. She has over 20 years of experience in maintaining data at commercial-scale to analyze its commercial feasibility.
Anujay has 9 years of multi-sectoral experience across India and Japan. As a design engineer in Toyota, he worked on developing innovative sustainable energy products. With a strong family background in in agriculture, Anujay set up a business of Agri equipment rental in rural Karnataka which led to him designing solutions for farm mechanisation.
Sanjiv Verma is an independent consultant and advisor, helping organisations make strategic choices, improve effectiveness and focus on talent retention and growth. He has been an independent director on the boards of a number of Multinationals including Whirlpool of India and Zoetis India Pvt. Ltd.
During 1993-2014 he held various India and Asia leadership positions in pharmaceuticals and medical devices associated with chronic disease and life threatening conditions. Over a 40+ years career spanning manufacturing, sales, marketing and general management, he has worked with leading UK and US multinationals in India as well as abroad.
Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran has more than 30 years of experience in the field of biochemistry and Molecular Biology with expertise in plant genomics, DNA fingerprinting, and genetic transformation.
Dr. Malathi serves as an Executive Director and heads the life science group at the IP division of the firm. She is a registered patent agent and has been actively engaged in preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications, both in India and abroad. She mainly works on pharmaceutical, chemical, and biotechnological patent applications. She advises clients on plant variety protection and registration. She is actively involved in the area of Biodiversity and Traditional knowledge.
Dr. Malathi has successfully supervised several Ph.D. students in the area of Plant Molecular Biology. She has more than 100 publications to her credit in various International and Indian journals.
Ranjeev Lodha
Ranjeev Lodha, a Chartered Accountant, has over 3 decades of experience in the field of Corporate Finance. He started his corporate career with Tata Chemicals and has also worked at Mahindra and Mahindra Limited and Huhtamaki India Ltd prior to his retirement. Presently, Ranjeev serves on the Board of IVP Ltd, a Chemical company that caters to the foundry chemicals, coatings, composites & insulation resin industries. He is also associated with Tatachem Golden Jubilee Foundation, a public charitable trust, where he is responsible for the day-to-day administration, governance and execution of the activities towards the objectives of the Trust.
Dimple, a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years of professional experience, was a founder staff member of Teach For India and spent nearly a decade there as CFO. She is also a founder partner of Tatha Partners, a firm that is passionate about creating and implementing sustainable and enduring systems for startups and social enterprises. Dimple is an independent consultant to many NGOs including ISLI, Atma etc. Prior to TFI, Dimple worked in the Travel and Logistics industry in organisations like Cleartrip.com, Kuoni Travel (Indi)Pvt. Ltd, FedEx etc.
Vignesh has over 11 years of experience in Administration and holds an MBA from Madras University. He specialises in travel, accommodation, and event coordination and has built a strong reputation for being dependable, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused. Additionally, he brings 3 years of experience in Human Resources. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing cricket, and watching movies.
Murugan. M
Senior Executive
Accounts & Administration
Murugan’s work involves managing the office’s requirements, logistics and implementing administrative tasks.
Anshu holds an M.Tech in Biotechnology from D Y Patil University, Mumbai. She has previously served at the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, IIT-Delhi, worked in the Immunology Division of Jain Diagnostics Pvt Ltd, and interned at DBT-BIRAC. She has experience in incubation, diagnostics, and research, including projects in neurobiology and developmental biology, and has published research in collaboration with NCCS, Pune and CSIR-NCL Pune.
Deshna, a graduate of Public Administration, with a Diploma in Liberal Studies, brings strong academic research skills and a passion for social impact. With two years of development sector experience, including a fellowship with Goonj she has a diverse background. In her spare time, she volunteers for social causes, learns languages on Duolingo, and explores the city on her bicycle.
Prashanth is a senior manager at Villgro’s Finance team. He has 6 years of experience in the NGO sector, and previously worked with Sense International India as a Manager – Finance and TB Alert India as Finance and administration Officer. In his free time, he enjoys watching cricket and playing chess.
Pratim, a senior manager at Villgro’s Climate Action team holds a Master’s degree in Public Systems Management, specializing in Energy, from IISWBM, Kolkata. Previously, he worked at SELCO Foundation, and has nearly six years of experience in the development sector, focusing on energy access. He is passionate about the convergence of innovation, energy, and entrepreneurship.
Purushotham, works at the intersection of impact measurement and technology in Villgro. He is a graduate of B.Com Honours from Christ University and has dabbled in the field of economics and excels in constructing robust processes and frameworks. Previously, he interned at a neo-banking startup and is dedicated to leveraging innovation for scalable and lasting positive change.
Roshini Muthukumar works with the Ecosystem Development team at Villgro, and is a post-graduate of the National School of Journalism, Bengaluru. Previously, she worked as as journalist, writing impact stories for The Better India, CSRBOX, and worked part-time with newspapers like The Hindu, and Metroplus. Outside of work, she enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, badminton, watching stand-up comedy shows, and exploring new restaurants.
Shashikanth manages market partnerships at Villgro. Previously he worked at S3IDF and managed the Agri portfolio and incubated Farmer Producer Companies in Karnataka’s diverse agro-climatic zones. Shashikanth is an enthusiastic birder and is part of the “Hakki Pukka Bird Conservation Network,” organizing Bird Festivals in rural government schools in Bangalore.
Sreejith oversees the Powering Livelihoods Program at Villgro and is an experienced professional in Climate Action. Previously he has provided functional support to start-ups in the energy sector, and energy management consultancy to small-scale livelihood enterprises. His interests lie in Energy Management, Social Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Solar PV and Energy Storage.
Srinivas Ramanujam is passionate about scaling up Small Growing Businesses (SGBs) that have the potential to create impact. He brings two decades of experience across multiple sectors and networks to solve ecosystem-level issues in the sectors of healthcare, climate action, agriculture and gender inclusion and serves as an Executive Steering Committee Member at Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. He engages closely with the Govt. of India to nurture social entrepreneurship and advocates for greater participation by commercial capital providers in this space.
Srividhya leads the Technology and Data Analytics division at Villgro. She is post-graduate in Information Technology from George Mason University, USA and has worked with different organizations, leading cross-functional teams to build, launch and manage SaaS innovations for budding startups. She is passionate about product management and is always eager to learn new things. She enjoys spending time with her family, travelling and exploring different types of cultures and cuisines.
Radhika Ramesh is a customer service professional with over 25 years of experience in leading and managing teams, as well as designing and implementing customer service processes and programs. She is a certified Six Sigma and TQM professional, and she is committed to quality and continuous improvement. She has worked in various countries such as Thailand, Qatar, Canada, and Monterrey, Mexico.
Sharun works with the Program Partnerships team at Villgro, and holds a Masters’s Degree in Commerce. His expertise lies in sustainability, social impact, CSR/Donor management and circular economy. He has served as the chief design officer at the Environmentalist Foundation of India and as an Senior Auditor at Ernst and Young. Sharun is also associated with the clean-up & environmental drive culture in Chennai for 12+ years and even got the opportunity to represent India at a World Cup for a litter picking sport called Spogomi in Japan.
Sanam, an engineering graduate from Mumbai University, has a decade of experience in livelihood projects and entrepreneurship. He has keen interest in designing strategies and working with innovative startups, and previously, worked with Selco Foundation, SEWA, CoolCrop and has executed various consulting projects. On a personal note, he loves traveling, bike rides, photography and is a fitness enthusiast practicing calisthenics.
Dr. Indumathi Nambi is a distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, and a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers. She earned her doctorate from Clarkson University and conducted postdoctoral research, at the University of Illinois, to assess contaminants in water and soil. Dr. Indumathi’s impactful contributions also extend to areas such as Solid and Hazardous waste management, Saline Water Intrusion, Wastewater reuse for agriculture, and Lakes and Wetlands restoration. Passionate about environmental protection, she has nurtured 75 Clean Tech Startups and serves on expert committees for various government departments.
Priyanka comes with experience in designing and implementing a wide array of programs and cutting-edge med-tech solutions for public health initiatives. With a proven track record in executing evidence-based strategies, she specializes in accelerating the reach and efficacy of health programs, particularly in maternal and newborn health.
A mechanical engineer turned management professional, Sunder has worked across agriculture and healthcare sectors with the Government, NGOs and startups on program design and implementation. Previously, he was working to enable credit access for the bottom of the pyramid and is passionate about food security. In his free time, Sunder enjoys travelling, automobile technology, and experimenting with cooking.
Aparna’s journey in the social impact sector began during her Teach for India Fellowship Program. For 2 years, she worked at the grassroots level, in a government school, teaching 40 students. Post her fellowship, she completed her MBA, and briefly worked in the banking sector before reverting to the impact space, driven by her passion for making a difference.
Anirudhh holds an Economics degree from Shiv Nadar University and has experience as an undergraduate researcher. He has worked on building an index for assessing businesses and has interned for IA Impact Labs. Anirudhh is a trained classical vocalist and in his free time, he explores new eateries, reads books, and enjoys watching cricket or basketball.
Rini is a graduate of IIM Kolkata with over two decades of experience in companies like Unilever, Titan, MetLife and Arvind Brands. She heads Program Partnerships, Impact Measurement and Ecosystem Development at Villgro.
Ananya works as an Analyst for the Agriculture Team at Villgro. She completed her education from Ashoka University, with a BA in Political Science and PG Diploma & Thesis in Environmental Studies, focusing on themes of agroecology and sustainable food systems. She brings forth her understanding of regenerative, climate-resilient agriculture from her previous work experience at a sustainable agri-solutions company.
Aditi works with the Impact Finance team at Villgro. She has cleared 2 levels of CFA program and hold a bachelor degree in Commerce. She has previously worked with Pwc India in the management consulting line of service. Outside work, Aditi enjoys cooking, exploring cafes and new neighborhoods and reading crime fiction.
Divya brings over 17 years of diverse experience across HR, marketing, service, and sales. She has extensive experience in people engagement roles within industries like IT, manufacturing, and hospitality, where she has developed a strong ability to manage and collaborate with diverse teams. Outside of work, Divya enjoys watching movies and is passionate about fitness, especially running and working out.
Preethika holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from St. Xavier’s, Mumbai. Previously, she worked at The/Nudge Institute, supporting social entrepreneurs through their incubation journey and fostering the alumni community. She is particularly interested in climate and its intersections with gender. Outside of work, she enjoys swimming, unwinding with a book in Cubbon Park, and discovering new coffee spots around Bangalore.
Shikha holds a BA in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and an MIM from ESADE Business School, Barcelona. Shikha has led programs in education, micro-entrepreneurship, craft revival, rural development, and capacity building in India and Spain. Transitioning from consulting to the development sector, she has worked with various non-profits and foundations on strategy and operations. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, running, and a good board game battle.
Lakshmi Venkatraman
Senior Executive
Accounts
Lakshmi holds an MBA in Finance from Anna University and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Bharathidasan University. She carries over 15 years of experience in various accounting and financial roles. In her personal time, Lakshmi enjoys reading books, cooking, and listening to music.
Pooja Ravindra is a former agri-tech entrepreneur, and has 9+ years of experience in capital markets and enterprise growth. She has also worked extensively in impact investing, leading fundraising, user growth, and market expansion for impact-driven ventures. Passionate about sustainable livelihoods, she builds strategic partnerships to enhance market access and economic empowerment at the last mile.
Manasha brings over three years of hands-on experience working with farmers across India. With a background in agriculture and a postgraduate degree in Rural Management, she is passionate about sustainable agriculture and has led farmer engagement programs in regenerative farming at Akshayakalpa Organic. Previously, she also contributed to the vegetable seeds sector through roles in sales and marketing. Outside of work, Manasha loves exploring diverse cuisines and discovering new places across the country.
Divya brings extensive experience working at the intersection of waste, livelihoods, credit, and capacity building in both urban and rural settings. Previously, she worked with Saahas Zero Waste and led program design for waste worker-led enterprises, drove business development and fundraising, and launched a mental health initiative for the informal waste sector. Earlier at Rang De, she built key partnerships, designed financial literacy programs, and developed tailored loan products for underserved communities. Outside of work, Divya enjoys baking, reading, and exploring new music.
Pranay Salve has over seven years of experience in agri-business. He co-founded Carver Farms, an agri-downstream startup where he worked closely with farmers and FPOs on sourcing, distribution, and post-harvest management. This experience gave him firsthand insight into the challenges of rural sales, particularly issues of access, awareness, and economic losses due to spoilage and spillage at the farm level.
Navneet holds a Master’s degree in Development from Azim Premji University and serves on the India Chapter Steering Committee of the International Water Association (IWA). With 8+ years of experience in the development sector, he specialises in water, public policy, and strategic partnerships. He has led programs with governments, international agencies, and civil society to expand safe water access and promote sustainable development in India.
Shriyam holds a Master’s in Development Studies from Azim Premji University and began her career with NSRCEL in 2021. She has since worked with social enterprises in agriculture, climate technology, and the circular economy, with a strong interest in climate- and gender-focused innovation. Outside work, she enjoys swimming, pop culture, and exploring new food experiences.
Faheera holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and brings nearly five years of experience in the energy sector with expertise in data analysis and techno-economic energy modelling. Previously, she worked with IIT Madras Research Park, contributing to the campus Energy Management System and co-authoring the Zero to Green report. Beyond her technical work, Faheera is actively engaged in climate leadership—co-leading Nadhi’s Chennai Chapter.
Unnati brings a strong foundation in sustainability, public policy, and systems-level social impact, with experience working at the intersection of government and civil society. Previously, she worked with institutions including NITI Aayog, the Capacity Building Commission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Dasra’s Sustainable Cities vertical, supporting multi-donor programs across waste, water, mobility, energy, health, and state-led initiatives.
Kairas Vakharia currently heads Strategy at Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Business and has been with the Mahindra Group since 1992. He has held senior leadership roles across the Corporate Office, Farm Equipment and Automotive sectors, spanning strategy, innovation, new business development, manufacturing, and marketing, and has been the founding business head of several new ventures in agribusiness and construction equipment. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bombay and a Master’s degree in Engineering–Economic Systems from Stanford University. An Eisenhower Fellow (2003), Kairas currently serves on the boards of the IIM Udaipur Incubation Centre, and M.I.T.R.A. Agro Equipments Private Limited.
Bhanu is passionate about policy research, data analysis, and evaluation. She has previously worked with various institutions including the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, India Infrastructure Publishing, and the Quality Council of India. She holds an MSc in Economics from the Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Hindu College, University of Delhi.
Sayan Mondal is a development professional with 4+ years of experience working on urban water, sanitation, solid waste, and circular economy innovations. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics (Development Studies) from the Symbiosis School of Economics and brings expertise in program management, policy research, and stakeholder engagement. Previously, he has led national-level programs with partners including MoHUA, IndusInd Bank CSR, USAID, and Water.org, driving startup-led pilots, ecosystem building, and capacity development for MSMEs and local governments.
George is an environment and development professional with over 18 years of experience working with organisations such as WaterAid, RTI International, World Vision, UNDP, and the Centre for Environment Education. He is an alumnus of IISc, Bengaluru and a recipient of the International Visitor’s programme from US Department of State. Previously, he led multi-donor and CSR projects across India, focusing on WASH, waste management, decentralised wastewater treatment systems, and nature-based solutions, with expertise spanning the circular economy of waste, water conservation, lake rejuvenation, constructed wetlands, biodiversity, and water security.
Poonacha works on enabling market access and distribution for early-stage social enterprises. With over a decade of hands-on experience in rural sales, channel partnerships, and operations, he has previously co-founded and led growth at Essmart, building last-mile distribution networks for agri-machinery and livelihood solutions across South India. With a background in agriculture and an MBA in Agribusiness Management, he brings a strong understanding of both farm-level realities and scalable go-to-market execution.
Deshna, a graduate of Public Administration, with a Diploma in Liberal Studies, brings strong academic research skills and a passion for social impact. With two years of development sector experience, including a fellowship with Goonj she has a diverse background. In her spare time, she volunteers for social causes, learns languages on Duolingo, and explores the city on her bicycle.
Shashikanth manages market partnerships at Villgro. Previously he worked at S3IDF and managed the Agri portfolio and incubated Farmer Producer Companies in Karnataka’s diverse agro-climatic zones. Shashikanth is an enthusiastic birder and is part of the “Hakki Pukka Bird Conservation Network,” organizing Bird Festivals in rural government schools in Bangalore.
A mechanical engineer turned management professional, Sunder has worked across agriculture and healthcare sectors with the Government, NGOs and startups on program design and implementation. Previously, he was working to enable credit access for the bottom of the pyramid and is passionate about food security. In his free time, Sunder enjoys travelling, automobile technology, and experimenting with cooking.
Ananya works as an Analyst for the Agriculture Team at Villgro. She completed her education from Ashoka University, with a BA in Political Science and PG Diploma & Thesis in Environmental Studies, focusing on themes of agroecology and sustainable food systems. She brings forth her understanding of regenerative, climate-resilient agriculture from her previous work experience at a sustainable agri-solutions company.
Pooja Ravindra is a former agri-tech entrepreneur, and has 9+ years of experience in capital markets and enterprise growth. She has also worked extensively in impact investing, leading fundraising, user growth, and market expansion for impact-driven ventures. Passionate about sustainable livelihoods, she builds strategic partnerships to enhance market access and economic empowerment at the last mile.
Manasha brings over three years of hands-on experience working with farmers across India. With a background in agriculture and a postgraduate degree in Rural Management, she is passionate about sustainable agriculture and has led farmer engagement programs in regenerative farming at Akshayakalpa Organic. Previously, she also contributed to the vegetable seeds sector through roles in sales and marketing. Outside of work, Manasha loves exploring diverse cuisines and discovering new places across the country.
Purushotham, works at the intersection of impact measurement and technology in Villgro. He is a graduate of B.Com Honours from Christ University and has dabbled in the field of economics and excels in constructing robust processes and frameworks. Previously, he interned at a neo-banking startup and is dedicated to leveraging innovation for scalable and lasting positive change.
Srividhya leads the Technology and Data Analytics division at Villgro. She is post-graduate in Information Technology from George Mason University, USA and has worked with different organizations, leading cross-functional teams to build, launch and manage SaaS innovations for budding startups. She is passionate about product management and is always eager to learn new things. She enjoys spending time with her family, travelling and exploring different types of cultures and cuisines.
Rini is a graduate of IIM Kolkata with over two decades of experience in companies like Unilever, Titan, MetLife and Arvind Brands. She heads Program Partnerships, Impact Measurement and Ecosystem Development at Villgro.
Bhanu is passionate about policy research, data analysis, and evaluation. She has previously worked with various institutions including the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, India Infrastructure Publishing, and the Quality Council of India. She holds an MSc in Economics from the Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Hindu College, University of Delhi.
Prashanth is a senior manager at Villgro’s Finance team. He has 6 years of experience in the NGO sector, and previously worked with Sense International India as a Manager – Finance and TB Alert India as Finance and administration Officer. In his free time, he enjoys watching cricket and playing chess.
Lakshmi Venkatraman
Senior Executive
Accounts
Lakshmi holds an MBA in Finance from Anna University and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Bharathidasan University. She carries over 15 years of experience in various accounting and financial roles. In her personal time, Lakshmi enjoys reading books, cooking, and listening to music.
Murugan. M
Senior Executive
Accounts & Administration
Murugan’s work involves managing the office’s requirements, logistics and implementing administrative tasks.
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V Vigneshwaran
Senior Executive
Administration
Vignesh’s work involves managing the office’s requirements, logistics and implementing administrative tasks. He has more than 6 years of experience in HR & Admin. He holds an MBA from the University of Madras.
Murugan. M
Senior Executive
Accounts & Administration
Murugan’s work involves managing the office’s requirements, logistics and implementing administrative tasks.
Vignesh has over 11 years of experience in Administration and holds an MBA from Madras University. He specialises in travel, accommodation, and event coordination and has built a strong reputation for being dependable, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused. Additionally, he brings 3 years of experience in Human Resources. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing cricket, and watching movies.
Vibha Sharma Tilwalli
Lead
Impact Financing
Vibha leads Impact Financing at Villgro. She is a Chartered Accountant and a CFA from CFA Institute USA. Previously, she worked with MNCs like British Gas, and Schlumberger and social organizations such as - FWWB, Unltd India and KFI Valley School. In her free time, Vibha binge-watches television romcoms, indulges in cooking, walks and spends time with her daughters. She is an animal lover and loves gardening!
Yukta Bhatia
Analyst
Innovative Finance
Yukta works as an Analyst with the Impact Financing team. She is a Chartered Accountant and has previously worked at JP Morgan. She is passionate about social impact and has voluntarily helped two startups with financial management and fundraising projects.
Shriyam holds a Master’s in Development Studies from Azim Premji University and began her career with NSRCEL in 2021. She has since worked with social enterprises in agriculture, climate technology, and the circular economy, with a strong interest in climate- and gender-focused innovation. Outside work, she enjoys swimming, pop culture, and exploring new food experiences.
Aditi works with the Impact Finance team at Villgro. She has cleared 2 levels of CFA program and hold a bachelor degree in Commerce. She has previously worked with Pwc India in the management consulting line of service. Outside work, Aditi enjoys cooking, exploring cafes and new neighborhoods and reading crime fiction.
Radhika Ramesh is a customer service professional with over 25 years of experience in leading and managing teams, as well as designing and implementing customer service processes and programs. She is a certified Six Sigma and TQM professional, and she is committed to quality and continuous improvement. She has worked in various countries such as Thailand, Qatar, Canada, and Monterrey, Mexico.
Divya brings over 17 years of diverse experience across HR, marketing, service, and sales. She has extensive experience in people engagement roles within industries like IT, manufacturing, and hospitality, where she has developed a strong ability to manage and collaborate with diverse teams. Outside of work, Divya enjoys watching movies and is passionate about fitness, especially running and working out.
Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran
Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran has more than 30 years of experience in the field of biochemistry and Molecular Biology with expertise in plant genomics, DNA fingerprinting, and genetic transformation.
Dr. Malathi serves as an Executive Director and heads the life science group at the IP division of the firm. She is a registered patent agent and has been actively engaged in preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications, both in India and abroad. She mainly works on pharmaceutical, chemical, and biotechnological patent applications. She advises clients on plant variety protection and registration. She is actively involved in the area of Biodiversity and Traditional knowledge.
Dr. Malathi has successfully supervised several Ph.D. students in the area of Plant Molecular Biology. She has more than 100 publications to her credit in various International and Indian journals.
Kannan Neelakanta
Kannan has experience servicing Medical products such as Critical Care, Electro-surgical, Diagnostic Imaging and ophthalmology devices. His expertise in identifying market developments and opportunities is one of his many strong suits.
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YS Prabhakara
Prabhakara was the General Manager/CEO in diverse Industries such as Healthcare, Life sciences and B2B. He has mentored high-performing teams, businesses, entities and scaled them up rapidly. He has worked across India, Asia, Africa and other Continents.
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Dr. Karthikeyan Sivashanmugam
He is the Deputy Director at Vellore Institute of Technology. He established the Kairos Society & Gandhi fellowship programs and the Center for Social Entrepreneurship and Development at VIT, Vellore. He mentored students at VIT for developing an IOT based farm irrigation system and application for reducing the carbon offset in villages at free of cost for farmers.
He is currently developing an online course on Social Entrepreneurship. He is the technical advisor and mentor for various startups in sectors such as food, biopolymers, biofertilizers, nutraceuticals, 3D BioPrinting.
Divyaroop Bhatnagar
Divyaroop has 30 years of experience in Management, Sales and Marketing in the FMCG, Telecom and Entertainment sector in India, Sri Lanka and the UK. As an entrepreneur himself he runs his own consulting business.
Sanjiv Verma
Sanjiv Verma is an independent consultant and advisor, helping organisations make strategic choices, improve effectiveness and focus on talent retention and growth. He has been an independent director on the boards of a number of Multinationals including Whirlpool of India and Zoetis India Pvt. Ltd.
During 1993-2014 he held various India and Asia leadership positions in pharmaceuticals and medical devices associated with chronic disease and life threatening conditions. Over a 40+ years career spanning manufacturing, sales, marketing and general management, he has worked with leading UK and US multinationals in India as well as abroad.
Anujay Rao
Anujay has 9 years of multi-sectoral experience across India and Japan. As a design engineer in Toyota, he worked on developing innovative sustainable energy products. With a strong family background in in agriculture, Anujay set up a business of Agri equipment rental in rural Karnataka which led to him designing solutions for farm mechanisation.
He is currently the Founder/ Director of Plough to Grain Agri-design Solutions and is in the process of innovating a product for better crop sowing. With a passion to see products come to life from ideas on paper he mentors young entrepreneurs to think through and strengthen their product development process.
Dr Alka Dangash
Dr Alka works as an Advisor and a Consultant in the field of Medicinal and aromatic plants. She has 8 years of experience in planning, co-ordinating, conducting environmental surveys, ecological assessment and impact evaluation on flora and fauna, environmental audits, socio-economic health management studies. She has over 20 years of experience in maintaining data at commercial-scale to analyze its commercial feasibility.
Dr. Taslimarif Sayed
Taslimarif is the Director and COO at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), Dept. of Biotechnology, Govt. of India initiative, in Bangalore, India. He received his PhD from Max-Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany, followed by postdoctoral training at University of California San Francisco (UCSF). He is actively involved in promoting innovation in life sciences.
Dr. Gita Arjun
Dr. Gita Arjun is the Director of Chennai’s EV Kalyani Medical Foundation and a trustee at the Jeevan Public Stem Cell Bank. She retired in 2013 after 32 years as the Director and Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at the EV Kalyani Medical Centre a 67-year-old institution dedicated to women’s health. She is the author of the best-selling Passport to a Healthy Pregnancy, first published in 2009.
Chand Das
Chand Das is an executive coach and an angel investor. He previously served as the CEO of Education & Stationery Products at ITC. With over 35 years of professional experience in building and running scaled B2B and B2C businesses in India, he continues to be passionate about angel investing & mentoring executives, business professionals and entrepreneurs with the aim of helping them succeed.
Aditya Ajmera
Aditya is the CEO of Chimco Bio-Medical Engineering Co. He has over 35 years of experience in the distribution and marketing of medical equipment and devices. He has worked with several global companies in India and overseas. Aditya enjoys exploring new business ideas, he is deeply passionate about motivating & guiding entrepreneurs. In his free time he enjoys practicing Zen meditation and traveling.
C V Murali
CV Murali is the Executive Director at Potential Genesis HR Services LLP. He is a post-graduate in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT-Bombay. He possesses three decades of experience in diverse industries, including automobiles, oil & gas, power, and EPC across various functions in leadership roles.
His key skill areas are leadership & team building, coaching & mentoring, business excellence, business risk management, supply chain management, manufacturing, audits, statistical process control, quality assurance, and safety management.
Rajnish R
Rajnish has more than 20 years of experience building global brands & companies in digital media, entertainment, pay TV and retail. Before turning into an entrepreneur, he was the Team Lead and an individual contributor in various sales and marketing roles with Microsoft, ESPN, Star Sports, Times of India, and Amul.
In 2015, with support from leading Indian philanthropists, he launched Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation, and in 2009, he co-founded Shufflr.tv, an Intel Capital funded video discovery service to leverage the increasing consumption of online videos on smart devices.
Dharm Chaturvedi
Dharm is an agribusiness professional (core area, fish, meat & frozen foods) with about two decades of professional experience in setting up & scaling businesses. He is a Fisheries Graduate from GB Pant University of Agri & Tech, Pantnagar and PGDM from IMT, Ghaziabad. He has been associated with Spencer’s, Walmart, Carrefour, Reliance, etc and helped KPMG, BCG, Bain and a few state governments along with many startups.
Shalu Mitruka
Shalu is the co-founder of ‘GrowthPal’. GrowthPal is streamlining engagement between startups and corporates through the use of a technology stack. Previously she worked with Monitor Deloitte as a Healthcare and Life Sciences Strategy & Operations Consultant followed by her stint with MindTickle as a Business Strategy and Sales Operations manager. She pursued her MBA from IIM Lucknow and bachelors from IIT Kharagpur.
She enjoys working as an independent consultant for innovative life sciences and medical devices start-ups in India. Her skills include GTM design, pricing strategy, market research, competitive landscape assessment, primary and secondary research, pricing guidelines, story-telling, financial model assessment, benchmarking, ‘market sizing’ & segmentation, stakeholder mapping and customer buying journey assessments.
Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran has more than 30 years of experience in the field of biochemistry and Molecular Biology with expertise in plant genomics, DNA fingerprinting, and genetic transformation.
Dr. Malathi serves as an Executive Director and heads the life science group at the IP division of the firm. She is a registered patent agent and has been actively engaged in preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications, both in India and abroad. She mainly works on pharmaceutical, chemical, and biotechnological patent applications. She advises clients on plant variety protection and registration. She is actively involved in the area of Biodiversity and Traditional knowledge.
Dr. Malathi has successfully supervised several Ph.D. students in the area of Plant Molecular Biology. She has more than 100 publications to her credit in various International and Indian journals.
Sanjiv Verma is an independent consultant and advisor, helping organisations make strategic choices, improve effectiveness and focus on talent retention and growth. He has been an independent director on the boards of a number of Multinationals including Whirlpool of India and Zoetis India Pvt. Ltd.
During 1993-2014 he held various India and Asia leadership positions in pharmaceuticals and medical devices associated with chronic disease and life threatening conditions. Over a 40+ years career spanning manufacturing, sales, marketing and general management, he has worked with leading UK and US multinationals in India as well as abroad.
Anujay has 9 years of multi-sectoral experience across India and Japan. As a design engineer in Toyota, he worked on developing innovative sustainable energy products. With a strong family background in in agriculture, Anujay set up a business of Agri equipment rental in rural Karnataka which led to him designing solutions for farm mechanisation.
Dr Alka works as an Advisor and a Consultant in the field of Medicinal and aromatic plants. She has 8 years of experience in planning, co-ordinating, conducting environmental surveys, ecological assessment and impact evaluation on flora and fauna, environmental audits, socio-economic health management studies. She has over 20 years of experience in maintaining data at commercial-scale to analyze its commercial feasibility.
Taslimarif is the Director and COO at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), Dept. of Biotechnology, Govt. of India initiative, in Bangalore, India. He received his PhD from Max-Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany, followed by postdoctoral training at University of California San Francisco (UCSF). He is actively involved in promoting innovation in life sciences.
Dr. Gita Arjun is the Director of Chennai’s EV Kalyani Medical Foundation and a trustee at the Jeevan Public Stem Cell Bank. She retired in 2013 after 32 years as the Director and Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at the EV Kalyani Medical Centre a 67-year-old institution dedicated to women’s health. She is the author of the best-selling Passport to a Healthy Pregnancy, first published in 2009.
Chand Das is an executive coach and an angel investor. He previously served as the CEO of Education & Stationery Products at ITC. With over 35 years of professional experience in building and running scaled B2B and B2C businesses in India, he continues to be passionate about angel investing & mentoring executives, business professionals and entrepreneurs with the aim of helping them succeed.
Aditya is the CEO of Chimco Bio-Medical Engineering Co. He has over 35 years of experience in the distribution and marketing of medical equipment and devices. He has worked with several global companies in India and overseas. Aditya enjoys exploring new business ideas, he is deeply passionate about motivating & guiding entrepreneurs. In his free time he enjoys practicing Zen meditation and traveling.
CV Murali is the Executive Director at Potential Genesis HR Services LLP. He is a post-graduate in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT-Bombay. He possesses three decades of experience in diverse industries, including automobiles, oil & gas, power, and EPC across various functions in leadership roles.
His key skill areas are leadership & team building, coaching & mentoring, business excellence, business risk management, supply chain management, manufacturing, audits, statistical process control, quality assurance, and safety management.
Rajnish has more than 20 years of experience building global brands & companies in digital media, entertainment, pay TV and retail. Before turning into an entrepreneur, he was the Team Lead and an individual contributor in various sales and marketing roles with Microsoft, ESPN, Star Sports, Times of India, and Amul.
In 2015, with support from leading Indian philanthropists, he launched Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation, and in 2009, he co-founded Shufflr.tv, an Intel Capital funded video discovery service to leverage the increasing consumption of online videos on smart devices.
Dharm is an agribusiness professional (core area, fish, meat & frozen foods) with about two decades of professional experience in setting up & scaling businesses. He is a Fisheries Graduate from GB Pant University of Agri & Tech, Pantnagar and PGDM from IMT, Ghaziabad. He has been associated with Spencer’s, Walmart, Carrefour, Reliance, etc and helped KPMG, BCG, Bain and a few state governments along with many startups.
Shalu is the co-founder of ‘GrowthPal’. GrowthPal is streamlining engagement between startups and corporates through the use of a technology stack. Previously she worked with Monitor Deloitte as a Healthcare and Life Sciences Strategy & Operations Consultant followed by her stint with MindTickle as a Business Strategy and Sales Operations manager. She pursued her MBA from IIM Lucknow and bachelors from IIT Kharagpur.
Jenaan Lilani
Jenaan is a development practitioner with over 14 years of experience working with for-profit and non-profit social enterprises. At Villgro, she oversees Strategic Partnerships, Diversity & Inclusion, Impact Measurement & Learning, and Organization Development. Prior to Villgro, she helped develop CSR strategies for medium to large businesses. She spent the formative years of her career working in public health towards HIV/AIDS prevention amongst high-risk groups, and improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes for commercial sex workers and women in urban-slum settlements. Jenaan is passionate about supporting the economic resilience of minority communities and is an Advisor to young Muslim women through the LedBy Foundation. She is also an Advisor on AVPN’s Youth Opportunities Platform where she mentors young entrepreneurs across Asia.
Mukul Bagga
Mukul is the Managing Director of Quest Diagnostics, India. He has over two decades of experience in the healthcare industry, with special expertise in launching new super specialty divisions like Oncology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Ophthalmology and Respiratory Medicine which serve as launch platforms for first in class or Biotechnology products.
He has successfully created innovative business models to establish high value patented molecules & biotechnology products in the market, by partnering with healthcare stakeholders such as hospitals and insurance companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences with young professionals, and since 2004, has been a visiting faculty at several institutions in Mumbai and Pune for their Pharmaceutical Management and Biotechnology Management programs.
Jenaan is a development practitioner with over 14 years of experience working with for-profit and non-profit social enterprises. She helped develop CSR strategies for medium to large businesses and spent the formative years of her career working in public health. She is an Advisor to young Muslim women through the LedBy Foundation, and is also an Advisor on AVPN’s Youth Opportunities Platform where she mentors young entrepreneurs across Asia.
Mukul is the Managing Director of Quest Diagnostics, India. He has over two decades of experience in the healthcare industry, with special expertise in launching new super specialty divisions like Oncology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Ophthalmology and Respiratory Medicine which serve as launch platforms for first in class or Biotechnology products.
He has successfully created innovative business models to establish high value patented molecules & biotechnology products in the market, by partnering with healthcare stakeholders such as hospitals and insurance companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences with young professionals, and since 2004, has been a visiting faculty at several institutions in Mumbai and Pune for their Pharmaceutical Management and Biotechnology Management programs.
