vartaLeap

Ariba Naim has a Postgraduate degree in Social Work from Jamia Millia University, and brings over five years of extensive professional experience to the table. During her tenure with the Sanjivini Society for Mental Health, she served as a counsellor for four years, offering invaluable support to individuals navigating a spectrum of emotional and mental health challenges.

Priyanka serves as the Director of Media and Communication at ComMutiny, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing the collective's media and communication strategies. With over 16 years of diverse experience, she has demonstrated expertise in developing communication strategies, corporate communication, donor and partnership management, program management, and youth leadership and women's rights training.

Rajesh is co-building and co-nurturing collectives and coalitions of youth focussed and youth engaging institutions in India by bringing youth centric development practices as the driving norm in the sector. His work contributes to creating a pipeline of wholesome youth leaders (aka Jagriks- self awakened, proactive citizens) who are championing and addressing the most pressing needs of our times. He is Chief Operating Officer at ComMutiny- The Youth Collective, Delhi. He has led, designed and executed many successful campaigns at ComMutiny, such as Bas!

Lokashish aka Loka, is the Sr. Consultant Programmes and is overseeing programmes and facilitating youth development initiatives along with strongly holding advocacy & fundraising portfolios. A development professional with experience of over 18 years across thematic such as gender, livelihood, child rights, youth development, and citizenship action across leading agencies in India like Vikram Sarabhai center, ASK, Pravah, and CRY- Child Rights, He has also worked with Pravah, heading the SMILE Programme and eventually the Youth Intervention initiative.

Kanika has over 19 years of experience in the youth development sector. At ComMutiny, Kanika supports the facilitation of the community of collective of over 85+ org. spread across 18 states. She is a part of the core team that facilitates the vartaLeap Coalition. She is entrusted to build partnerships and alliances towards amplifying the 5th Space approach to youth-centric development. Under her leadership, the #Saathnirbhar campaign has also been recognized by the World Economic Forum’’s COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs.

Ajay Pandit, an experienced Chief Executive Officer has a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organisation management industry. As one of the founding members and Executive Secretary of Synergy Sansthan, he has played a pivotal role in driving the organisation's mission forward.
Demonstrating exceptional proficiency in business development, Pandit's expertise is underscored by his extensive experience in the field. His skill set encompasses a diverse range of competencies including research, Microsoft Excel, management, customer service, and Microsoft Word.

Bappaditya Mukherjee serves as the Founding Secretary of Prantakatha, an esteemed organisation dedicated to fostering deep self-awareness for social transformation among youth. With a rich history spanning 18 years, Prantakatha operates as an intersectional youth space in Kolkata, West Bengal, impacting over 5000 youth from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on marginalised communities.

Fr Jerry Thomas is the director of Bosco in Jorhat (Assam) Institute affiliated with Dibrugarh University. The institute offers a Masters program in Social Work to prepare professionally sound and socially committed social workers in and around India’s North East.

Dr. Ramnarayan Syag, affectionately known as Syag Bhai, holds a prominent role as a member and co-founder of the Samavesh Society for Development and Governance. With over two decades of experience, he has been a pivotal figure in the organisation's efforts to promote inclusive development and effective governance practices. Additionally, Dr. Syag plays an active role in the coordination team of the MP Swashasan Abhiyan, a civil society organisation dedicated to strengthening local self-governance bodies such as Gram Sabhas and Panchayati Raj institutions.

Rustam Vania, an esteemed Art and Design professional, serves as the academic Dean at Srishti Institute of Art Design and Technology in Bangalore since 2005. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Applied Arts) degree, he boasts a multifaceted skill set spanning various disciplines such as Editorial Design, Information Design, Typography, Illustration, and more. As a seasoned practitioner, Rustam has made significant contributions to both print and digital media, particularly in Editorial and Publication Design.