Ashok is the heart and soul of The Antara Foundation. He drives our thinking, values and relationships. He was earlier the Director of McKinsey and Co, and then set up the Gates Foundation’s India office. At BMGF, he led Avahan, the world’s largest private HIV prevention program. He then set up The Antara Foundation in 2013, and brought with him the idea of implementing public health at scale, which he had learned through his work with the Avahan program.

Ashok was also a Menschel Senior Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. He was educated at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi School of Economics and IIM Ahmedabad. A renaissance man, Ashok is passionate about chess, art and writing

He published his first book “A Stranger Truth: Lessons in Love, Leadership and Courage from India’s Sex Workers (Juggernaut)” in November 2018.

Ashutosh brings a decade of experience in the development and pharmaceutical sector. He has extensive experience in marketing and research in the pharmaceutical industry, and for the last five years, he has been working in core development. He has worked across 3 different states & provided techno-managerial support for healthcare system strengthening & quality improvement. Ashutosh has a PGDPM from IIHMR Jaipur. In his leisure time, Ashutosh loves spending time with his family & friends.

Avantika brings over a decade of experience in evaluation and program management across gender, livelihoods, health and nutrition, and climate. Her work lies at the intersection of evidence and decision-making, with a strong focus on translating research into practical insights for policy and programming. Most recently, she was at Development Solutions, where she led mixed-method research and evaluation studies in partnership with funders, government agencies, and implementing organisations to support evidence-based decision-making. Previously, at the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), she managed a large portfolio of donor-funded evaluation grants across multiple low- and middle-income countries, contributed to peer-reviewed publications and evidence syntheses, and supported governments and organisations in building monitoring and evaluation capacity. She holds an MSc in International Development from the University of Bristol.

Balaji leads the finance section at TAF. He brings vast experience in managing and implementing financial systems, and administrative processes, training in financial management, and ensuring the statutory compliances of the organisation are always met. Balaji has worked with several national-level civil society organisations and has effectively managed finance projects in the fields of education, health and livelihoods. He also has experience in handling projects supported by Global Fund, SDTT, Misereor and WHO. Balaji has an MBA in Finance & HR. He loves history and travelling. Balaji can speak Tamil, Hindi and English.

Bijayalaxmi is a development professional with more than a decade of experience in maternal, child, and adolescent health and nutrition. Her expertise spans government partnerships, research, advocacy (media and research-policy advocacy), partnership and strategic management, and community engagement.

She holds graduate degrees in Social Work and Population Studies, a PhD in social work focused on Community Engagement and Policy Influencing, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies, Urban Planning and Development, and Development Communication.

She has over 4o publications and has presented over 20 papers at national and international conferences, workshops, and consultations. She received an award for social media ambassadorship from India at a global public health conference in Bangkok and represented India as country coordinator with the International Institute of Knowledge Management (TIIKM) for social media content on International Women’s Day, 2024.

Chandrika has worked at the crossroads of international policy, organisational leadership, and research. Most recently, she was President of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Association and Founder-Director of the SDG Academy. Previously, she helped set up the Reliance Foundation and worked at the United Nations in various capacities from 2001-2008. She has master’s degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a bachelor’s degree from Delhi University.

An IT professional with over a decade of experience, Danish specialises in IT infrastructure management, including hardware, software, applications, storage, networking, security, policies, processes, and IT facilities. Danish previously worked for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Statistics with Physics and Mathematics from AMU and a Master’s degree in Computer Application from Inderprastha Engineering College. It is his passion to work on big, challenging tasks that involve technology, innovation, and creativity.

Deepali has extensive experience managing large-scale social impact initiatives in complex government and community settings. Her work has focused on strengthening public systems to deliver quality services at scale across multiple geographies in the country, primarily in the education sector. In her previous roles at Pratham Education Foundation, Teach For India, and Samarthya, she worked across program strategy, implementation, and grants, collaborating closely with government partners, frontline teams, and central functions to enable data-informed planning and effective delivery. She recently completed a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. Based in Bhopal, Deepali works closely with the program teams to support program design, strategy, and quality implementation.

Dinesh is passionate about making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. This passion drives him as a young professional leader in the development and public health space. He has spent nearly a decade implementing Public Health programs to improve health and nutrition.

Keshav has over a decade of experience driving large-scale programs in public health, governance, and social impact. He has held key leadership roles in social impact organizations and global foundations, where he designed and implemented high-impact initiatives focused on maternal and child health, AI for development, and government transformation. His work emphasizes innovation and collaboration, leveraging technology for social good. Keshav holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Shillong and a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science from IIIT Jabalpur.

Liya began her career in 2015, to promote child survival and safe motherhood in remote villages of India where maternal and child health care is severely lacking. She has been actively involved in research and national training projects with various organizations like KCHR, HLFPPT, JHPIEGO and worked with esteemed organizations such as CARE India, CMAI, PRONTO International and while collaborating closely with Government of India in various states across India such as Bihar, UP, Rajasthan and Telangana. She has completed Bachelor’s in Nursing and Master of Public Health.

Manashree started working at the Antara Foundation as a program fellow in Madhya Pradesh and now holds the position of Chief of Staff to the Founder-Director. Manashree holds a major in Economics and History and a minor in Biology from Ashoka University.

Neeraj is a seasoned public health professional with over two decades of experience in program management, capacity building, organisation development and government relations. He holds a master’s degree in social work and an MBA in healthcare management. He enjoys working in the field and interacting with diverse communities across different regions. He loves travelling and spends most of his time in the field. He likes playing games and sports more than watching them.

Paras is a public health professional with over a decade of experience in planning, coordinating, and monitoring large-scale health programs. At The Antara Foundation, he works closely with government teams to strengthen facility- and community-based interventions, as well as digital health initiatives such as ANMOL 2.0. In his previous roles, Paras has worked with UNICEF, IHAT, IL&FS, the National Health Mission, and state governments across multiple states, supporting health system strengthening in various capacities. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Management from IIHMR, Jaipur, and a certificate in Leadership in Management from the University of Washington.

A seasoned development-sector leader with nearly two decades of experience across public health, nutrition, humanitarian response, disaster risk reduction, and CSR, Paras brings deep expertise in designing, managing, and scaling large, system-focused programs at the intersection of government systems, communities, and development partners.

At TAF, he has led maternal and child health initiatives at scale in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, directed emergency response efforts supporting 40,000+ frontline health workers. Prior to TAF, he held leadership roles at Pathfinder International, HLFPPT, Sphere India, and Urmul Rural Health Research and Development Trust.

He holds a Master’s in Social Work and an MBA in Public Health & Human Resource Management, as well as advanced leadership and executive coaching credentials. He also serves as Chair and Advisor of Sahaj Sansthan.

Piyush Bhatt is a public health strategist and innovator with nearly two decades of experience shaping scalable, community-driven solutions across rural and tribal India. His expertise spans maternal and child health, nutrition, adolescent development, and rural livelihood promotion, anchored in a deep understanding of frontline systems and community institutions. At The Antara Foundation, he leads program design and innovation, creating high-impact models that strengthen government delivery and transform last-mile outcomes. A skilled capacity builder and partnership leader, Piyush has trained many government and NGO personnel and steered complex multi-stakeholder collaborations. His work has earned multiple recognitions, including Best Trainer and Best Social Entrepreneur at Reach India, and the Best Presenter Award (2025) at the 8th Global Health Conference in Thailand. Piyush holds an MBA in Human Resource Management.

Pooja is a strategic HR leader with over two decades of progressive experience in diverse non-profit organizations. She has worked in various dimensions of HR and has contributed to organizations such as Child Rights & You (CRY), Population Services International (PSI), International Planned Parenthood Federation South Asia Region (IPPF SARO), Piramal Foundation, John Snow International (India), and Aga Khan Foundation. Pooja holds an MBA in HR and a degree in Law. Additionally, she is an experienced soft skills trainer and certified in MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), Assessment Development Centres (ADCs), and the Thomas Kilmann Index (TKI) tool for Conflict Management. She is also trained as a Leadership Coach.

Col Puneet Naithani has had an extensive work background spanning over three decades. Besides the long duration, it also has been very diverse. Puneet served the Army for 26 years, had a short stint with the Corporate and moved to the Non Profit, having worked with Piramal amd Mutha Foundation for five plus years.

While in Army, he was part of the Tank Corps and served majorly in the deserts of Rajasthan. He also has worked in intense Counter Insurgency operations in Kashmir Valley for about five years. Puneet served in wide ranging geographies viz. Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Goa while working with the Non Profit.

Rajesh is a development practitioner with over a decade of experience managing and leading community development programs. His core expertise is in designing and implementing community-driven sustainable agriculture, health, and allied livelihoods for the rural poor. He holds an MBA in Rural Management from the Xavier Institute of Development and Action Studies. His work to improve the livelihoods of marginalised farming communities has helped more than 30,000 rural families.

Rigzom Wangchuk brings over a decade of experience in research and impact evaluation across South and Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. She has previously worked with organizations including Causal Design, IFMR LEAD, Mercy Corps, and the World Bank, and holds a Master’s in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in Economics from Brown University. Rigzom is particularly interested in the intersection of gender and social protection. She currently serves as Chief of Staff to the CEO at the Antara Foundation, working closely with senior leadership to translate strategy into execution and strengthen organizational effectiveness.

Safdar Afaque is an astute professional with almost two decades of experience across multiple domains like education reform, livelihood enhancement, and marketing & sales. He is an alumnus of NIRD & IMT with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications. He is a passionate traveller and has visited most states and UTs in the country. He is a lifelong learner dedicated to contributing towards social reforms, community upliftment, and process strengthening. He enjoys football, follows cricket and other sports as well. He is a compassionate team player who believes in human value and respect for all.

Sanjat comes with over three decades of experience in the non-profit sector in India, out of which he has been with Plan International and Plan India for over 25 years. His experience and skills include non-profit financial management, compliance, grant management, internal controls and audit. He is also a trained resource in quality management systems, risk management and emergency response systems.

Shelly is an expert in nutrition and health, with more than a decade of experience in MIYCN, Facility-based management of SAM, and CSAM. She has developed a clear understanding of the demand and supply side barriers affecting the success of any program and has extensive experience working with the public sector and NGOs. She is passionate about improving the quality of life of rural communities and feels that nutrition and health are imperative to achieve true development. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in sociology and obtained PG diplomas in public health nutrition and district health management. She enjoys spending time with her family and playing with her dog.

Sonu Rai is a Physiotherapist and Public Health professional with eight years of experience in public health monitoring and evaluation, program management, and research. Driven by a commitment to improve health outcomes in tribal regions of India, Sonu has worked on impactful projects across Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, collaborating with organizations like SHRC-Raipur, Ekam Foundation, and The Foundation for Medical Research.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from Pt. RSU, Raipur, and a Master’s in Public Health from KLE University, Belgaum. Sonu’s expertise uniquely blends clinical and public health knowledge, empowering him to create sustainable health solutions.

Sremon works at the intersection of fundraising and program strategy, translating on-ground impact into meaningful, long-term donor partnerships. She leads TAF’s CSR partnerships and institutional fundraising, managing end-to-end donor engagement; from proposal development and grant management to reporting and renewals.

Outside of work, Sremon is a history enthusiast with a fondness for crime stories and action films. Much of her spare time is spent chasing after her dog or planning her next holiday.

Sumay brings over a decade of experience across corporate consulting and the development sector. He began his career with five years of consulting in the financial services domain, before moving into different strategy and operations roles in the social sector over the past six years. A returning team member, Sumay previously managed communications and donor development at TAF; before that, he worked closely with the Founder-Director, supporting various organisational priorities. His other professional experiences include social impact consulting with BCG’s public health practice and managing city operations at Teach For India. Sumay grew up in Mussoorie and Dehradun and has since studied and worked across multiple cities in India. He holds an undergraduate degree in Physics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and an MBA from IIM Bangalore.
 

Tarini is a development professional with experience across agriculture, nutrition, and education, having worked with BRAC Uganda, BRAC USA, the World Bank India, Central Square Foundation, and Jetri. She holds a BA in Economics from Wellesley College, Boston.

In 2010, while working in Uganda with BRAC, she was severely injured in a motor vehicle accident. Even through a long recovery, she remained committed to her path and later earned her MBA from the Yale School of Management in 2020.

She has captured her journey in a memoir, Lifequake: A Story of Hope and Humanity, published by Juggernaut Books in June 2025. Tarini now works with us at The Antara Foundation in the Founder and CEO’s office, helping strengthen how we communicate our work by bringing the stories of frontline workers, volunteers, and community members to the forefront. She contributes to reports, papers, and other knowledge products that share TAF’s impact with a wider audience.