SPRF Team

Editorial Associate and Coordinator

Adrita Choudhury

Adrita graduated from the English and Foreign Languages University with a master’s degree in English. Since then, she has worked as an academic editor and an ELT editor in the publishing industry. She enjoys reading books and comics, writing, painting and baking.

Consultant, Research

Anusha Arif

Anusha is an environmental law enthusiast with an LL.M. from the TERI School of Advanced Studies, specializing in Environment Law, and a B.A.LL.B(H) from Aligarh Muslim University. Passionate about the intersection of climate change, environment, and human rights, she has previously been part of the special cohort on Intersectional Feminism and Digital Rights with Ideosync and UNESCO. Anusha also gained valuable experience in the energy policy sector while working at the World Energy Council (WEC-India).Currently, she’s on a journey of reinvention in a new country, exploring fresh opportunities and perspectives. When she’s not delving into research, you can find her binge-watching true crime documentaries on Netflix or immersing herself in paranormal podcasts.

Programmes and Communications Associate

Ariba Khan

Ariba Khan is a programme and communications professional with experience in media, storytelling, and development communication. She holds a Master’s degree in Development Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia, and is a recipient of the prestigious media fellowship from the National Foundation for India.

At SPRF, Ariba works across programme development and communications. She leads the planning and execution of programmatic initiatives, manages partnerships, and oversees programme operations. Alongside this, she supports SPRF’s digital communications through social media strategy, content production, and multimedia outputs, helping amplify the organisation’s research and public engagement efforts.

Research Lead

Faraz Rupani

Faraz Rupani is the Research Lead at SPRF India, working on climate, sustainability, and development. He previously served as an Economist at the WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies, focusing on community resilience, and began his career at Cognizant. His work combines research and field insights to address climate and development challenges, and he has contributed to global initiatives such as the UNCCD’s Economics of Drought report.

He holds a Master’s degree in Economics and actively volunteers in the education sector, currently leading the Pune chapter of UPAY.

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 Singh Bhati

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.

Trustee, Founder-Director

Neha Simlai

Neha is a member of the Board of Trustees at SPRF India. Neha founded SPRF and has continued to lead the team since its inception in 2018. In her full-time role as the Head of Market Development (Asia-Pacific) at the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), Neha works on climate change risk management and circular economy-related portfolios across South and Southeast Asia. In her current roles, Neha leads strategic engagements with government and market stakeholders, focusing on sustainable value chains and food systems. In previous roles, Neha has drafted the framework for India Sustainable Palm Oil Coalition and is a Founding Member of the Food and Land Use Coalition India Action Coalition for Responsible Sourcing & Trade of Commodities (FOLU-CREST).

With two Masters degrees (from Jamia Millia Islamia and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS) as well as an Executive MBA (IIM Lucknow), Neha is also among the only Indian women to have lived on a fishing boat (for 45 days) in the Bangladesh Sundarbans and the Bay of Bengal for a marine megafauna survey. Originally from Lucknow, Neha is passionate about tea and travel.

Consultant

Saniya Kulkarni

Saniya is a policy research professional with a focus on Indian foreign policy, security in the Indian Ocean Region, as well as India-China relations. She currently works at LSE IDEAS, the foreign policy think tank of the London School of Economics. Originally from Mumbai, Saniya has a BA in Political Science from Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, and an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. When not poring over the news, Saniya spends the remainder of her time playing squash, hiking, or at the theatre.

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.

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.

Research Associate

Tanvi Saxena

Tanvi is a criminologist with a BA in Psychology (Hons) from Delhi University and an MA in Criminology, specialising in Forensic Psychology from National Forensic Sciences University, MHA. She has worked on research and policy-focused projects during her internships with the National Commission for Women and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, exploring issues at the intersection of gender, crime, and justice. Beyond her academic and professional work, Tanvi is a trained musician, holding a Prabhakar degree in Music, and a passionate cinephile with a love for storytelling in all its forms. She finds inspiration in films, music, and art, using each as a way to explore and better understand people and the world around her.

Communications Lead

Tanya Jain

Tanya holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Delhi University and a diploma in International Relations. She has worked in research, communications, and program management roles with organisations such as MASH Impact Advisory, Netri Foundation, and the United Service Institution of India. Her experience spans strategic communications, policy analysis, civic engagement, and youth leadership, with a focus on building partnerships and making research accessible to diverse audiences. At SPRF, she leads the organisation’s communications strategy across digital, media, and public platforms, ensuring that its evidence-based work is inclusive, actionable, and widely disseminated.

Beyond work, Tanya is passionate about cultural exploration, often immersing herself in local traditions, festivals, and conversations that inspire her storytelling approach.

Deputy Director

Vasundhara Puri

Starting out in New Delhi, Vasundhara pursued a degree in literature from Lady Shri Ram College, followed by a masters in publishing from Oxford Brookes University. Her journey led her into working in communications for the international development sector, first at the International Labour Organization in Geneva, and then at the International Committee of the Red Cross in Delhi. Her experiences have provided her with a structure for her goal of contributing to the Indian development sector and policy space, and have guided her to deepen her expertise, both practically and academically. Vasundhara is currently reading Refugee Protection and Forced Migration from the University of London. Her focus lies on the critical issues of climate change-induced migration and its profound impact on human adaptation strategies.

A competitive sportsperson, avid reader, and coffee enthusiast, Vasundhara is driven towards making an impact as a leader and mentor for young thinkers and founders.

Research and Editorial Associate

Vinayak Sharma

Vinayak Sharma holds a Master’s Degree in Defence Studies, specialising in the Indo-Pacific region, soft power and cognitive warfare. He worked as a Research Assistant at the United Service Institution of India where he conducted research on national defence, strategic and geopolitical affairs. He also writes extensively on these topics. An alumnus of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and Hansraj College, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Booksthread, a start-up he co-founded. Outside of professional and academic work, Vinayak is an avid reader, a football fan and a cinephile who is a practitioner of Kalaripayattu, the oldest martial art in the world.