Technical Experts
Minakshi Chhikara
Research and Public Policy Consultant
Minakshi Chhikara is a seasoned Research and Policy Consultant based in Edinburgh, UK, with a strong background in leading community welfare projects and policy analysis. With experience at Blackmont Consultancy and NGOs like Human Rights Sparkle, she has successfully managed sustainable product initiatives and impactful social welfare campaigns. She holds an MSc in Public Policy from University College London, specialising in policy advice and economic analysis. Her expertise lies in stakeholder engagement, project management, and developing strategies for sustainable community development. She is passionate about leveraging research and partnerships to drive positive social change.
Dr. Pritha Roychowdhury
Gender Specialist
Dr. Pritha Roychowdhury is a Senior Research Fellow, Human Geographer, and Gender Specialist. She earned her doctorate from Jamia Millia Islamia University and her Master's from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She was a Gold Medalist and holds certifications in NET, JRF, and SRF. With expertise in urban geography and gender studies, her research experience includes data collection, analysis, and report writing. Dr. Roychowdhury has presented at international conferences and held academic administrative roles for 12 years, honing leadership and communication skills. She aims to contribute to building a better world through her knowledge and expertise.
Shukanto Das
Global Health Researcher
Shukanto Das is currently a PhD candidate in Global Health at the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on developing a framework for task shifting in resource-limited healthcare settings. With over seven years of experience in health education and capacity-building, he has worked with organizations like the American Heart Association and Lifeline Foundation. Shukanto has presented his work on pre-hospital trauma care and under-five mortality at various conferences and a TEDx talk. He holds two MSc degrees and has contributed to stakeholder committees for India’s Ministries of Finance and Health. His interests include health system design and public health education.
Mano Mandal
Researcher in Energy Policy
Mano is a PhD candidate of Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh. Their research documents the state of electricity access programs for climate vulnerable people. Prior to this, Mano worked for five years with Prayas (Energy Group), a leading energy policy research and advocacy group in India. Through their extensive research on electricity distribution utilities, they have drafted policy documents with the Ministry of Power, attended public hearings at regulatory commissions, and worked with utility workers and civil society organisations. They have also written in journals such as the Economic & Political Weekly, in newspapers such as The Hindu.
Samridha S. J. B. Rana
Climate Change & Mental Health Expert
Samridha is currently a PhD candidate in clinical and health psychology at the University of Edinburgh’s school of health in social science. His research focuses on the impact of the climate and ecological crises on mental health of young adults in Nepal and India. Due to the novelty of his PhD topic, Samridha aims to shed light on views and experiences related to the climate and ecological crises that will help push for equity and justice in relation to climate justice and recompense. Samridha completed his M.Sc. in psychology counselling in 2011 from Christ University, Bangalore. Since then, he has been teaching at high school and undergraduate levels in India and Nepal; conducted individual and group counselling for adolescents and adults both in Nepal and India; and worked for various NGOs and hospitals in Nepal. With over ten years of experience in the field of mental health, Samridha strives to bring mental health into the forefront of South Asian narratives. His goal is to help ensure that the taboos surrounding mental health in South Asia are eradicated, and policy development is informed from a mental health lens to ensure equitable mental health access to all members of society.
Dr Priya Sharma
Researcher in Gandhian Strategies for Social Justice & Land Rights
Dr. Priya Sharma is an independent researcher working in the area of Gandhian social movements and women land rights. She has completed her doctoral research from Jawaharlal Nehru University, with dissertation titled, ‘Understanding the idea of ‘Political' in Gandhian Social Movements: A Study of Ekta Parishad in Madhya Pradesh.’ She is closely associated with the issue of women land rights and has worked with different organisations in India as a resource person and report writer on the same issue. She has is an active researcher working in the direction of understanding Gandhian struggle employing nonviolent techniques to attain land rights, especially for women belonging to minority communities of India.
Mridutpal Sinharay
Researcher in multispecies, animal studies
Mridutpal's areas of interest in research are multispecies ethnography, indigenous and local knowledge, human-environment interactions, and exploring and rethinking politics in the Anthropocene. He completed his MA in Development Studies at IIT Guwahati, India, in 2021. He focused on the financial inclusion of tribal people for his MA thesis. He began working as a researcher at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2021 after earning his master's degree, and he stayed there until March 2022. He is currently affiliated to the University of Cologne, Germany, as a doctoral researcher and DAAD PhD scholar in the department of Social and Cultural Anthropology and a visiting PhD student at the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Mariam Asghar
Researcher in Environmental sustainability and global development (Pakistan focused)
Mariam is a PhD candidate at The University of Edinburgh, researching the intersections of environmental sustainability, politics, and global development. Funded by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, her doctoral work examines the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor's sustainability challenges, focusing on democracy, gender equality, geopolitics, and sustainability. With a background in MPhil and MA research on military conflict impacts, Mariam interned with the Scottish Government on international development and sustainability. She teaches sustainability courses and founded a Global South research group within the SusPlus Network. Her training in Carbon Literacy and Sustainability Leadership aids her community engagement. Dedicated to practical sustainability, she has participated in flood relief and food drives. Mariam is committed to fostering critical thinking, diverse perspectives, and a sustainable future.
Dr Priyanka Yadav
Researcher in Public Health and Education
Priyanka Yadav is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Policy Research in Higher Education, National Institute of Education Planning and Administration. She is a Political Science (Honours) graduate from Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi. She later pursued her post-graduation, MPhil and PhD from the Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. She is UGC-NET in Political science. Her research has been published in National and International journals. Her area of research interest lies in the Indian Knowledge System, Health and Education.