Our Team

Aashyan approaches development work through a lens shaped by behavioral research, interdisciplinary thinking, and a long-standing curiosity about how systems shape people’s lives. Through her academic and professional experiences, she became particularly interested in participatory approaches that involve communities directly in shaping research and program design, ensuring that solutions reflect lived realities and local knowledge. Through her work at Dasra, she hopes to contribute to initiatives that strengthen organizations and support development efforts that are grounded in community perspectives and built for long-term resilience.

Prior to joining Dasra, Aashyan worked in research and impact consulting, supporting qualitative and quantitative analysis across development-focused projects. Her work has spanned areas including education, public policy, and agricultural resilience, including co-authoring applied research that translated farmer behavioral insights into recommendations for program design and resource allocation.

Anaggha graduated with a degree in media studies and journalism. She transitioned to nonprofits during the pandemic to channel her creativity into social impact. Her journey since has been a blend of social impact and art, having worked with UNESCO, Echoes of Earth, G5A, The/Nudge Institute, and Saturday Art Class, where she has led programs and art production for music festivals, and cultural initiatives, developed AI-driven skill-building products, and directly impacted over 1 lakh children and youth. Anaggha’s work underpins a commitment to equity, collective leadership, and a deep belief in art and it’s ability to inspire and unlock impact at scale. She enjoys travelling, immersing in visual arts, music, and facilitating safe spaces for creativity and collaboration. At Dasra, she aspires to drive systemic change that strengthens grassroots NGOs and builds a resilient social sector in India. 

Anantvijay has spent over a decade in the social development space, with work spanning clean energy and farmers collectives, advising NGOs and funders, and more recently, supporting small, community-led grassroots organizations. He started his career with grassroots work with tribal communities in South Rajasthan, and then moved to providing hands-on strategic advisory support to scaling non-profits and impact oriented grantmakers. Presently at the Rebuild India Fund, he focuses on channeling resources (financial and otherwise) towards community led non-profits, and the myriad activities that enable the same. He loves pop-culture, science fiction, and cats.

Ankita is a Mumbai-based writer, researcher, and journalist-turned-communications professional. She worked in the mainstream media for nearly a decade and has reported for publications such as Mumbai Mirror, DNA and Hindustan Times. She pivoted to social impact communications a few years ago and has extensively worked on building bottom-up narratives across various social and ecological issues. She has a Master’s degree in Media and Cultural Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences and is currently pursuing a PhD in Political Sociology at the University of Mumbai. She has been recognised as a Leader of Tomorrow at the St Gallen Symposium in Switzerland twice and is also one of the listees under Women of the Future: 50 Rising Stars in ESG 2024. She loves telling stories, curating travel and food experiences and watching whodunits.

Ashwini Malgi is a communications and strategy professional with over five years of experience in marketing, storytelling and stakeholder engagement. Before joining Dasra, she worked with digital media platforms where she led campaigns centered on women’s empowerment, community building, and social awareness. Her educational background in marketing and her passion for purposeful storytelling have shaped the belief of using communication as a tool to inspire change.

At Dasra, Ashwini is part of the Rebuild India Fund team, where she supports grassroots NGOs through strategic communication and capacity building. She joined the social sector to channel her creative skills into work that strengthens rooted organisations and fosters equity. Deeply passionate about gender inclusion and inclusive leadership, she sees Dasra as the perfect space to bridge creativity with social impact and contribute to building an India where every community thrives with dignity and opportunity.

Brishti is a development sector professional with seven years of experience in building strategic partnerships, stakeholder management, and fundraising. Originally from Kolkata, she is passionate about stories that connect people, whether through books, conversations, or podcasts. In her free time, Brishti enjoys cooking, balcony gardening, and exploring the rich history of Indian textiles and human migration. She draws inspiration from authors like Neel Mukherjee, Jhumpa Lahiri, Moni Mohsin, and Nadeem Aslam.

Dia brings an interdisciplinary lens to her work at the Rebuild India Fund, where she supports 241 grassroots NGOs across India to build resiliency and long-term capacity. She leads partnerships under the capacity-building vertical and manages a portfolio of 20 NGOs across Karnataka, enabling contextual and meaningful learning opportunities that strengthen organisational sustainability. With a background in Sociology and Anthropology from Ashoka University — and academic stints at Columbia University and Sciences Po Paris — she believes deeply in lived experiences, contextual learning, and locally rooted solutions. A former freelance graphic designer, Dia continues to nurture her love for storytelling, branding, and all things creative, while bridging strategy and empathy to strengthen India’s development ecosystem.

Dorothy comes from an academic background in research and political ideologies, with a strong commitment to advancing the work of development professionals and agents of change.Her skills in strategizing, ideating, fine tuning proposals and donor reports, strengthening partnership efforts, cross team coordination, budget modification as well as monitoring field work and project implementation are borne out of her drive to add value to the socio economic sector. She is passionate about understanding the role of local communities in dynamic contexts and fostering innovation, sustainability, and pragmatic solutions to address systemic gaps and drive lasting social impact.

Gaurav Jogal brings 6+ years of experience in education and livelihoods. Along with his work at Ikvanshu, he was a Senior lead Enabler at Sols ARC which involves strategic thinking for implementing and scaling inclusive and livelihood systemic solutions. Gaurav is a Teach for India 2020 and Praja Fellow. He holds a Masters in Physics with research in astrophysics from Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Mumbai University.

Hardik holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the Great Lakes Institute of Management and has cleared the CA-Intermediate level. He brings extensive experience in the finance domain, having worked for six years as a Tax Accountant and Audit Manager, followed by a role as a Research Associate at NaBFID. Currently, he is part of the Rebuild India team at Dasra, where he blends financial expertise with a strong sense of social purpose. He is passionate about driving social change through impactful financial strategies and sustainable development. His move to the social sector was inspired by a desire for continuous learning and meaningful collaboration. What motivates him most is the opportunity to work alongside individuals and organizations committed to creating lasting impact. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sports and listening to music.

Mahasweta is a social sector professional, researcher, and storyteller who translates grassroots realities into narratives that highlight community-led solutions. Presently at Rebuild India Fund, she contributes to building the Fund’s brand narrative and movement, shaping content and communications across platforms. With a background in Water Policy and Governance from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, she blends field immersion across rural and urban India with an evidence-informed lens. Her career began with grassroots organizations expanding access to clean energy for small-scale farmers, and she has since authored field-based narratives that connect local realities with broader sector conversations. Beyond work, she enjoys lifting weights, traveling, telling stories, and being an avid reader of fiction.

Mishri has a background in law, and has been working in the social impact sector since law school. She is especially passionate about systems change, climate action and scaling local solutions. 

Nabaneeta Goswami is a development professional with over five years of experience in research, impact assessment, and social impact projects. With a background in social sciences, she is deeply committed to advancing inclusive and sustainable development. An alumna of Miranda House and TISS Hyderabad, she brings a strong passion for social impact solutions rooted in evidence-based research and collaborative approaches.  Nabaneeta has worked with leading organizations including Give, the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Goodera, iVolunteer, IDEA Foundation, and Deep Griha Society. In her previous roles, she played a key part in establishing the Impact Assessment vertical—designing evaluation frameworks, advising corporate clients, and enhancing service adoption. She continues to explore the intersection of research, policy, and grassroots action to drive meaningful and measurable social change.

Nitesh Bauri, who holds a graduate degree in Sociology, has a deep and established commitment to the socio-economic sector. His passion began in his early years, expressed through writing scripts, essays, and poems for social causes, and has been sustained by working with various NGOs as a volunteer. This journey has honed his ability to understand community needs and the practical realities of change work. His expertise in analyzing projects, coordinating efforts, and understanding dynamic contexts was significantly strengthened during the Dasra Social-Impact Fellowship Program. Nitesh is now advancing this knowledge as an Analyst with the Rebuild India Fund Team, focusing on fostering innovation and pragmatic solutions to address systemic gaps and drive lasting social impact across India.

Rashmi comes from a background in the development sector and a deep-seated passion for creating lasting social change in the lives of the most underserved communities in the country. While she started her academic journey with a Bachelors in English Literature from the Lady Shri Ram College, her passion for contributing to the social sector, especially in the sphere of gender, drove her to pursuing a Masters in Social Work in Women centred Practice from Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai; and ultimately winding up at Dasra, where she has positioned herself as a development sector professional, working alongside community-based organizations while also driving sectoral shifts through evidence and insights generation. Beyond work, Rashmi enjoys the simple pleasures of spending time with neighbourhood cats, reading into political history, watching thoughtful cinema, and baking.

Riddhi is a social impact professional who loves to find stories within data to inform action and highlight community-led change. At the Rebuild India Fund, she works closely with portfolio organizations, providing customized hand-holding support to strengthen their institutional capacities. She also contributes to shaping the Fund’s overall narrative — building evidence to amplify the voice of India’s grassroots nonprofits. Previously, she has led impact evaluation studies across a range of thematic areas, working closely with NGOs, international foundations, and CSRs during her time at Sattva Consulting. Riddhi holds an MSc in Development Economics from the University of Sussex, bringing together analytical rigor, field experience, and a deep respect for lived realities. When she isn’t working, you’ll find her planning her next hike, stirring something new on the stove, or discovering corners of the world one trip at a time.

“My personal mission in life is to impact others in a positive way that it moves them to take meaningful action.
With 20 years of professional experience within corporate, academic and non-profit sectors, Robin Shah has built longstanding partnerships that have made transformational impacts within organizations. From her roles in HR and Communications, to over 10 years in philanthropic leadership, she is known for building relationships, developing strategies and creating holistic opportunities for engagement. In her previous role as National Director of Individual Philanthropy for Pratham USA, she lead the fundraising team to connect donors at all levels with the mission, created initiatives that composed avenues for contributions such as planned giving, and activated board member engagement across six chapters nationwide. Today, she explores opportunities of enrichment as she and her family take part in their first expat assignment in Pune, India.”

With a background in Political Science and Psychology, Saakshi found her path in the social sector through a simple but powerful belief: real change happens when communities lead the way. Her experience spans education, healthcare, and philanthropy, where she has built partnerships to strengthen organizations making a difference on the ground. At Dasra, she works with grassroots leaders, funders, and organizations through the Rebuild India Fund to ensure that resources reach those driving change within their communities. She sees this as both an opportunity to learn how social change takes root and a way to amplify voices that too often go unheard.

Shiboni is a development sector professional whose work blends research, learning and narrative building. With a background in Economics and a specialization in International Trade, her interest in people, cultures, and communities led her away from global markets and into the social sector. Her career began with research on public finance, gender, and health, followed by a stint in consulting, before she found her way to Dasra and the Rebuild India Fund. At Rebuild, she focusses on strengthening evidence and learning, while also working closely with partner organizations to support their journeys and contribute to the fund’s overall growth. She finds joy in rhythms, and unwinds through cooking or reading.

Shikha Tubid is a social sector professional with extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership management. Originally from Jharkhand, she brings deep contextual insight and grassroots understanding to her work. A post-graduate from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, specializing in Disaster Management, Shikha has previously worked in rural Odisha, where she honed her ability to design and implement community-driven initiatives in Forest Rights and Indigenous Food of tribal communities.
At Dasra’s Rebuild India Fund, she steers relationships with non-profit partners, ensuring they receive strategic support and resources to strengthen their institutional capacity and scale their impact. Her nuanced understanding of local contexts allows her to bridge ground realities with strategic priorities, fostering resilient and effective partnerships. Outside of work, Shikha is a passionate coffee connoisseur who loves cooking and exploring regional cuisines from across India.

Shivani holds a dual undergraduate degree (B.L.S LL.B) from Government Law College, University of Mumbai. With 4+ years of experience, she has worked across legal research, executive search, business development, and partnerships. While in law school, Shivani conducted in-depth research on the intersection of business and human rights, which piqued her interest in pursuing a career in impact. At Dasra, she focuses on mobilizing philanthropic capital to support grassroots nonprofits through the Rebuild India Fund.

Swastika holds a degree in Development Studies and previously worked at Deloitte, where she developed experience in government consulting, project management and program analytics. With a background in social sciences, Swastika brings strengths in synthesis, collaboration, and structured problem-solving to Dasra’s work. She is passionate about leveraging comprehensive insights and empathy to design interventions that are both thoughtful and actionable. Outside of work, Swastika enjoys travelling and is always exploring new ways to combine creativity with impact.