Aaradhaya is an emerging learner with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Spanish and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Economics. Just beginning their journey in the social development space, Aaradhaya carries with them a sense of curiosity, openness, and commitment to learning from every experience.
Rooted in Patna, Bihar, Aaradhaya aspires to explore how youth, society, and inclusive progress can come together to shape meaningful change. Outside of academics and work, they find joy in reading and music, which nurture reflection, imagination, and a creative spirit.
Passionate about systems thinking, ecosystem building, visual storytelling, and Climate Action, Akshit brings 8 years of quality experience in the social development space. In his current role as Associate Director at ComMutiny, Akshit is co-anchoring the Climate Action vertical where he is building the ‘Nourishing Now’ approach to make climate action a priority for youth engagers and young people. He is leading the process of nurturing 200 youth leaders to build climate positive communities through Changelooms: Youth Leaders in Climate Action.
Ambika is a dedicated person who loves to travel and explore the world. She enjoys listening to music and discovering new experiences. Finance is something she truly enjoys working with, as it keeps her motivated and curious to learn more.
Associate Director (Lead Fundraising and Narratives)
ComMutiny - The Youth Collective
Amlan is a development sector professional previously having worked in the Impact space, with government systems and in the field of political consulting. Currently leading the Visibility, Fundraising and Partnerships vertical, Amlan has pursued his Bachelors in Economics from Jadavpur University and Masters in Public policy & Governance from Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
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.
Arjun Shekhar, a prominent figure in the vartaLeap Coalition, stands as a co-founder of Pravah and ComMutiny – The Youth Collective, alongside being the visionary founder of Vyaktitva, a distinguished performance support consulting firm. Renowned for his expertise in designing structured experiences, Arjun possesses a diverse range of interests and engagements in the realm of human development. His impactful contributions span both social and corporate sectors, where he has crafted innovative learning and leadership interventions tailored to nurture individual potential
At the heart of Ashraf’s journey is her deep belief in the power of people, and that unlocking their potential, and thereby society’s, is possible through collective action. A key contributor to the evolution of the inside-out youth leadership field, Ashraf is the Co-Founder of Pravah, ComMutiny The Youth Collective, Adaptatva and an incubating member of the vartaLeap Coalition. vartaLeap is a cross-sectoral community of 150 key stakeholders working toward the mission: Every Youth a Jagrik, Every Space Nurturing Jagriks.
Barkha has been in the development sector for over 13 years. She has previously worked with TERI for implementing renewable energy technologies in rural areas of Jharkhand, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh; with PRADAN on collectives and livelihoods of Gond and Baiga tribal women and youth in villages of Madhya Pradesh for 7 years; and with SOS Children’s Villages International as a Programme Advisor – Youth for Asia focussing on India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Laos, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. She is from Delhi with a graduation in Physics and post-graduation in Environment Science.
Deeksha, an artist at heart, loves to explore and experiment with art. Her friends, music, and food are her greatest comforts. She's always up for a cup of tea, spontaneous trips, and her own shoulders to lean on.
Before joining ComMutiny - The Youth Collective, Dipanshu worked as a Program Officer at Accountability Initiative, Centre for Policy Reseacrh where he led PULSE for Development, an online community bringing together over 110 organizations and 230 practitioners to share knowledge and collaborate across sectors.
Hiba is a distinguished professional with a master's degree in Social Work, specialising in Women-Centred Practice from Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai. Her career choices have been centred around the dynamic intersection of gender, sexuality, and gender-based violence.
Jahnabi Mitra is a PhD research scholar at Ambedkar University, Delhi. Her work largely focuses on the intersections and psychosocial impacts of identity, immigration, gender, and digital rights. She has previously worked as a researcher on projects for UNICEF and the the National Health Mission. Her writings have been published in the Indian Express, The Quint, LiveWire, The Citizen, India Development Review.
She is also a photographer and has worked on projects for Zubaan, Angkor Photo Festival and so forth.
Convener, ComMutiny - The Youth Collective Anchor, The vartaLeap Coalition
ComMutiny - The Youth Collective
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.
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.
Mahamaya Navlakha is a social impact professional with over 15 years of experience building platforms, programmes, and narratives that drive dialogue and action. Their journey began with Christian Children’s Fund – India, where they supported child development programmes across six states, and grew through diverse roles that combined creativity, strategy, and facilitation.
Having been passionate about literature from the start, I graduated with an English Honours degree from Christ University. I have previously worked as a communications associate and a prompt engineer. In addition, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Girl Up Ludhiana.
I am an ambivert who loves to write and travel. I am excited to contribute to the incredible work being done at ComMutiny - The Youth Collective.
Meenu Venkateswaran, an esteemed alumnus of Delhi School of Economics and IIM Bangalore, boasts over 30 years of rich experience spanning both corporate and social sectors. As a founder member and board member of Pravah and Community—The Youth Collective, Meenu has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of youth development in India. Additionally, she serves as a Trustee of Spanda, a performing arts Trust established by Ms. Leela Samson.
When she is not reading or exploring new places, she loves to spend time building co-learning spaces for young people. Before joining her masters at Azim Premji University, she has worked as a Gandhi fellow for the Tribal Health Collaboration(THC) in Jharkhand. Previously she has volunteered and interned with different organisations including Haiyya, Pravah, India Prison Portal(IPP), and Young Leaders for Active Citizenship(YLAC).
Neha Buch, currently serving as an Advisory Board Member of Pravah, brings over 20 years of invaluable experience in youth development. Formerly the CEO of Pravah, she made significant strides, leading flagship interventions and fostering innovation within the organisation. Starting her journey as a volunteer in 2000, Neha's dedication and leadership skills propelled her to become the first and youngest non-founder CEO of Pravah.
Working as an Associate Co-ordinator in the Media & Visibility team with ComMutiny-vartaLeap, Pooja tries to be an avid reader. True to her 5 years journey with Literature, she now depends on the written word to understand the spaces she inhabits – public, private, and the in-between. She believes that kindness is the key and that it is as important to be kind to oneself as it is to others.
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!
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.
Rumjhum is a passionate, and budding development professional with an interest in creating an intersection between her expertise in human resources management, industrial relations and her passion for youth centric development, and curating spaces that foster agency and collective development.
A dreamer, a reader, and a Delhite, Saloni is a Young India Fellow, Class of 2020 and an Economics graduate from Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi. She is someone who is always looking out for new things to try out, ideas to work on and finding people crazy enough to try them out with. From very early on, she has always been very firm on creating and walking on her path.
Sanjay Hari T is a dynamic young development professional from Kerala, currently engaged with ComMutiny Youth Collective since 2022. He co-anchors the VartaLeap coalition, bringing his expertise in youth engagement and community development to the forefront. Sanjay holds a degree in Chemistry from Calicut University and a Masters in Social Work from Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development. Beyond his dedication to youth work, Sanjay is deeply passionate about theatre, a pursuit he has cherished since his school days.
Shobhit is basically from Raipur and has been in Delhi since 2007. His professional journey spans over 15 years working with International NGOs, National level and grass root level NGOs, NBFC and private companies; also as an independent consultant working with individuals, corporates and industry stakeholders undertaking various profiles within the social development sector. With core expertise in resource mobilisation and fundraising, Business Development & Relationship Management, Facilitation, Training, Field operations & program implementation, Microfinance and livelihood Conc
Passionate about encouraging positive change, I'm dedicated to empowering youth and fostering environmental sustainability. With a commitment to youth engagement, I've facilitated programs encouraging leadership and skill development. Working with youth on their capacity building and understanding SELF is something that fascinates me the most. My focus on environmental initiatives involves advocacy and practical solutions for a greener world. Beyond my professional endeavours, I find joy in capturing moments through my lens, allowing me to express creativity.
Vishal Bhadri is the Associate Coordinator for the Active Citizenship vertical at ComMutiny the Youth Collective. He possesses a master's degree in International Studies with a thematic specialisation in violence, conflict and justice from SOAS, Univeristy of London. His previous professional experiences have consisted of humanitarian aid work on migration routes and refugee shelters in South America, and human rights research and protection work in Thailand among others.
