Trustee, Founder-Director

Neha Simlai

Neha has worked for over a decade at the intersection of communication and stakeholder management, public policy as well as programme strategy and management. Having lived and worked in the United States, India, Singapore and Bangladesh, Neha has an in-depth understanding of development sector opportunities and changes, especially in the South-East and South Asia region. Neha’s work focuses primarily on sustainable supply chains and environmental safeguards and how these interact with human development and public policy. Through her previous roles at PRS Legislative Research, the Centre for Policy Research, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Charities Aid Foundation, and the Worldwide Fund for Nature, Neha has worked at the intersection of communications, programme strategy, and management. She has been a part of pioneering teams working to mainstream the understanding of CSR and sustainability in the Indian context. Neha also writes regularly for publications including LiveMint, The Wire, Huffington Post (India), and others.

Trustee, Treasurer

Shiv Sehgal

Shiv’s interests in surveying and data collection and prior experience with C-Voter, a polling and data-creation firm in Aceh, Indonesia, and some of India’s poorest districts drive him to build expertise in political strategy and perception building. He worked with the Conservative Party (Cardiff North) in 2012 and assisted Steve Jarding, lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, during the run-up to Uttar Pradesh’s state elections in 2017. Shiv has been working on a political consultancy and management ever graduating from Cardiff University with a background in law and politics, specialising in international law. Shiv has also played cricket for Uttar Pradesh, India representing it in the Under-19 and Under-23 categories.

Senior Adviser

Ramesh Abhishek

Mr. Ramesh Abhishek is a 1982 batch member of the Indian Administrative Service, where in roles both within India and abroad, he has over 37 years of experience especially in the fields of governance, designing and implementing public policy as well as large-scale reforms at national/sub-national levels. Most recently, he led the team that spearheaded Prime Minister’s Flagship programmes such as Ease of Doing Business, Make in India and Start-Up India. He also developed and nurtured Invest India into the most awarded Investment Promotion agency of the world.

Additionally, he worked on Immunization, Literacy, Child Development and other development and welfare programs in the state of Bihar. Mr. Abhishek has Masters Degrees in Public Administration, Business Administration, and International Politics from the Harvard Kennedy School, Sikkim Manipal University and Jawaharlal Nehru University respectively.

Legal Consultant

Siddharth Kumar

Siddharth, a graduate of Cardiff University, is currently practising his trade as a litigator and dispute resolution specialist. He holds diplomas from the National Law University, Delhi as well as the Indian Law Institute. As a dispute resolution practitioner, he guides companies, organisations as well as individuals on establishing best practices and standard operating procedures with risk mitigation at their core. Siddharth, being an avid advocate for the use of alternative dispute resolution methods, encourages his clients to mediate at the first instance and to litigate only as the last resort.

Chief Corporate Relations & Administrative Officer

Lakshmanaswamy TV

Lakshamanaswamy’s experience with office management, corporate communications, and administrative support with SGT University, Gurgaon; Indo Gulf Hospital, Noida; RIL, New Delhi; Network 18 Media & Investments Ltd., Noida; India TV, Noida; and several others makes him an indispensable asset for internal operations and managerial support. He continues to remain associated with multiple networks and public forums, such as the All India Management Association, Public Relations Society of India, Alliance Française de Delhi, India Islamic Cultural Centre, and others.

Manager - Finance and Accounts

Manish Kumar

Manish has a B.Com (Hons) from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, Delhi University. He also completed a Diploma in Finance Banking from F-Tec Skill Development. Before joining SPRF, Manish worked at The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia as Finance Assistant Manager.

Design Consultant

Deepesh Sangtani

Deepesh Sangtani is a graduate architect from the Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia, and a designer by choice. He keeps himself busy with explorations and creative collaborations. His interests lie in urban design, planning, community initiatives, cartography, graphics, and music. He has co-founded a non-profit organisation, The Multilogue Collective, and also runs his own design studio by the name of Studio Ink Effect.

Associate and Coordinator, Research and Partnerships

Soumya Singhal

Soumya Singhal holds a B.A. (Honours) Political Science with a minor in Sociology and a Diploma in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi. Invested in the social sector, she has successfully collaborated with the likes of the UNHCR, FTF-I, and UNCTAD for projects on period poverty and refugee livelihoods. She has also previously worked with the International Growth Center at LSE and the office of an MLA. Soumya has published with reputed publications like The Diplomat and The Quint. Her research interests include Indian foreign policy, South Asian geopolitics, and climate politics.

When not working, she can be found reading a book or organising her planner.

Manager, Editorial

Riya Singh Rathore

Riya is a political science enthusiast passionate about gender, security, and decolonisation studies. She is an International Relations postgraduate from University College Dublin and a Delhi University alumni. Prior to SPRF, she worked as a research assistant in the Irish Parliament and assisted Dr Heidi Riley in editing her book on the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. Riya’s research has been published in The Diplomat, Hindu Business Line, Mint, and Business Insider.

When she is not researching, you can find her obsessing over citations and oxford commas.

Manager, Communications and Digital Media

Dakshta Ahlawat

Dakshta holds a Master’s in Public Policy from St. Xaviers College, Mumbai and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication. Her research interests lie in film and culture, gender, digital accessibility, communication trends, and privacy and the internet. Prior to this, she has been invested in research projects on issues of gender-based sexual violence and accessibility to education with Blank Noise.

When not working, she can be found writing paragraphs on different types of bread on Twitter and consuming copious amounts of South Asian cinema.

Associate, Research

Yashoroop Dey

Yashoroop completed his MA in political economy from King’s College, London and has a deep interest in critical analysis, education and the politics of public life. An avid debater, Yashoroop’s background, as he likes to say, is “haphazard, yet I’m making it work”- with experience in sectors ranging within education, postgraduate teaching, theatre and music. In his spare time, Yashoroop likes to walk around aimlessly- with intent.

Associate, Research and Strategic Partnerships

Neha Chauhan

Neha holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University and a  Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi.  Previously, she has worked as a Research Assistant for Dr Jayati Ghosh on a study for United  Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. She has also interned with Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, Public Policy Research  Centre, and Nikore Associates. Neha’s work has been published in publications such as The Wire, India Ahead, and News18

Her research interests include international relations, gender economics, and food security.

Associate, Research, Outreach, and Photo Archive

Arushi Raj

Arushi holds a Masters in Sociology from Delhi School of Economics and a Bachelor in Sociology from Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi. Prior to joining SPRF, she has conducted extensive research on diverse topics such as gender and violence, migrant workers in Rajasthan, vulnerable children and foster care, among others. She has also interned at the Centre for Social Research and the National Human Rights Commission. Her areas of interest are urbanization, social ecology, gender, and education. Apart from this, she is deeply interested in photography and capturing the everyday lives of people. In her free time, you can find her quietly painting for hours or spending time with her dog, Luna.

Research Consultant

Fahad Nahvi

Fahad holds a bachelor’s and Master’s in History from the University of Delhi. He takes a keen interest in histories of Colonialism, Nationalism, Identity, Films, and Labour and Coercion. Previously, he has worked with Prof. Nirmal Kumar for his upcoming book on Mughal women and the social, political, and cultural aspects of their lives. He has also interned as Social Media and Outreach Researcher for the 1947 Partition Archive. In his free time, he tends to his garden and bees, design quizzes and burns through books in his free time.

Associate, Research and Communications

Fatima Juned

Fatima Juned holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Peacebuilding from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Bachelors in Applied Psychology Hons. from Gargi College, University of Delhi. She has worked with World Wide Fund for Nature- India, Mental Health Foundation and Teach for India. Fatima has also worked with the South Asian correspondent Vanessa Dougnac, contributing to some of the major European media publications. She holds a keen interest in international relations, gender, peacebuilding, refugee, and migrant crisis and has been published by First Post. In her free time, she recites Urdu poetry, writes, and takes pictures.

Illustrator, Graphic Designer

Tahani Khan

Tahani is a graduate architect from Gateway College of Architecture and Design. She has worked on several architectural and interior projects in Delhi NCR. Holding a keen interest in urban design and its socio-cultural impact, she has previously written narratives on urban living conditions in collaboration with organizations such as The Multilogue Collective. She is also an independent mural artist, working in collaboration with local design studios alongside pursuing her passion as a painter.

Research Consultant

Anirudh Krishnan

An avid sustainability enthusiast, Anirudh has been involved in sustainability ventures since his college days. During his studies at Delhi University, he has worked with different NGOs like Feeding India and WWF. His passion further landed him in the Netherlands where he pursued his masters in Environment and Society Studies. After his masters, he volunteered with a Dutch NGO called Banktrack as a climate campaigner. His research interests include resource management, circular economy and social practices.

When not working, you can find Anirudh clicking photographs, playing his guitar or working on his fitness goals.

Research Intern

Mihir Vikrant Kaulgud

Mihir is a Master’s student in International Relations at the Jindal School of International  Affairs (JSIA). Mihir graduated with a B.A in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic in Maine, USA, where he studied postcolonial studies informed by literature, philosophy, and feminist theory. His research interests are non-traditional security studies, Indian foreign policy and migration. Mihir has worked as assistant editor at Bateau Press, an independent poetry publisher. In his spare time, you can find him reading or listening to (and making) music.

Communications Intern

Mehuli Das

Mehuli is an undergraduate pursuing Political Science at the University of Hyderabad. Her interest areas are international relations, public policy, and communication strategies. She has worked with organisations like GiveIndia and Transform Rural India Foundation in the past.

When she’s not working, she can be found cooking or taking naps.

Office Assistant

Biplab Roy

Biplab Roy is SPRF’s office assistant. He’s grown up in Orissa’s Malkangiri district and moved to Delhi five years ago. He assists the team with administrative tasks, manages the timesheet, and ensures the office remains orderly. When he is not at work, he tends to his young daughter, who recently started school.

Research Intern

Bhamini Rathore

Bhamini holds a B.A. (Hons.) in Global Affairs from O.P. Jindal Global University, with a specialisation in Economics and Foreign Policy. Before joining SPRF, she has worked as a research intern at Invest India team at the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Centre for Land and Warfare Studies (CLAWS) and the Dais Foundation. She is passionate about development in the social sector, and her research interests include gender, livelihoods, education, and environment.

In her free time, she loves to listen to music, go on long nature walks and practice her hand in pottery and sculpting.