Board Members
Our Board
Sumita Ghose
ChairpersonHolding master's degrees in Economics and Conflict Resolution, Ms. Sumita is a recipient of the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar (2016). She is the founder and managing director of Rangsutra, a social enterprise connecting rural communities with markets, and previously spent over a decade with the URMUL Trust in rural Rajasthan. She serves on the boards of several organisations, including URMUL Trust and PLD.
Smita Mohanty
MemberWith 30 years of expertise in Human Resource Development and sustainable development, Ms. Smita is Promoter and Whole-Time Director of Cognisphere Solutions Limited and a founder member of the Institute for Group Facilitation (IGF). She contributed 25 years to PRADAN across organisational development, gender equality, and leadership initiatives.
Dr. Lalitha Iyer
MemberA consultant and facilitator specialising in organisational change and women's empowerment, Dr. Lalitha is the founder of Plustrust and has collaborated across banking, education, and social development. She is co-editor of T-Group Facilitation: Theory and Practice of Applied Behavioural Science (2022), author of several books on strategy and institutional transformation, and a professional member of ISABS.
Reshma Ghoshal
MemberA multi-disciplinary marketing and communications professional with nearly two decades across global corporates, startups, and agencies, Ms. Reshma is co-founder of The Good Edge, where she oversees strategy and creative. She volunteers with NGOs focused on primary education, sustainability, gender diversity, and grassroots entrepreneurship.
Dr. M. S. Nain
MemberWith decades of hands-on experience designing and strengthening community-led livelihood models, Dr. Nain has worked closely with producer collectives, farmer institutions, and grassroots enterprises, improving aggregation systems, quality processes, and market access. His work focuses on building scalable, inclusive value chains that help producers move beyond primary collection towards stronger market participation and better price realisation.
Dr. Rashmi Saxena
CEO & SecretaryWith over two decades of experience, Dr. Rashmi is an expert in training, development communication, and organisational capacity building, rooted in gender-sensitive approaches that centre marginalised communities. Holding a PhD in Development Communication, she drives behavioural change and skill development across health, education, and enterprise. A member of ISABS and Dean of Social Development (voluntary), she has partnered with organisations including the American Red Cross.