Ramkumar Parameswaran

Head, Finance and Grants

Ramkumar Parameswaran heads the finance function of LEAD and supports strategic oversight and monitoring compliance, analysis, and procedural aspects of grant-making at LEAD. He has over two decades of rich experience in handling controllership, finance operations, and business finance integrations in various industries including startups and private equity across India, Malaysia, Dubai, and the US.

Ramkumar holds an M.B.A in Finance from Indra Gandhi National University and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce (Hons.) from Delhi University.

A strategist with recognized proficiency in spearheading business to accomplish corporate plans and goals successfully, Ramkumar identifies himself as a people lover, most comfortable in cross-cultural environments. When he’s not at work, you can find Ramkumar switching off with a game of sports or catching up on the latest buzz surrounding his favourite teams and athletes.

Prasenjit Samanta

Regional Field Manager, Survey Operations & Data Digitization

Prasenjit Samanta is a Field Executive with LEAD. He has extensive experience in monitoring and supervising survey operations for large-scale assessments and impact evaluations across India.

Some of the projects he has been engaged with include: Targeting the Hard-Core Poor: An Impact Assessment, led by Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, Raghabendra Chattopadhyay and Jeremy Shapiro, and a nationally representative study by the Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS). He has previously worked with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai on the NFHS and AHS surveys, with UNICEF on a hospital assessment study, and with NCAER as Field Monitor where he worked with Prof. Sonalde Desai, Amaresh Dubey, B.L. Joshi, Mitali Sen, Abusaleh Shariff and Reeve Vanneman.

Prasenjit holds a Master’s in Social Work from Netaji Subhash Open University and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from University of Burdwan. In his free time, he likes to catch a good comedy movie, meet people and learn new things.

Aniruddha Brahmachari

Swayam Anchor and Senior M&E Specialist

Aniruddha heads the Research Operations and M&E function at LEAD. He is a social sector professional with more than 24 years of experience in program management, Monitoring & Evaluation. He is passionate about issues of land, livelihood, and entrepreneurship.

Aniruddha has previously worked with Oxfam (International, Horn, East and Central Africa and India, LANDESA, IDE, UNDP India, Care India & Nielsen).

He obtained an M.Phil in Planning and Development from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, and a Masters in Planning and Development from the University of Poona. He also has an MBA from Manipal University.

Aniruddha loves travelling and enjoys books on travel and food.

SUSANTA CHAKRABORTY

Program Manager, HR, Admin & IT

Susanta Chakraborty is a Senior Program Associate with the Field Operations vertical at LEAD. In his current role, he administers the Salesforce system and supports related administrative functions. He joined LEAD in 2008.

Susanta holds a Postgraduate Degree in Social Work from Mahatma Gandhi University In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, clicking photographs and playing around with new ideas on digital platforms.

CHOCKALINGAM N

Senior Systems, Networks & Admin Associate

Chockalingam is a System Network Associate at LEAD. He is an IT specialist with over four years of experience in the domain. He currently manages IT and network administration requirements for LEAD’s pan-India operations.

Chokalingam has an engineering degree in Electronic and Communications from Anna University. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and photography, and is popular in the team for his groovy dance moves.

Anindya Mani

Senior Manager, Grants & Finance

Anindya is a Grant Manager with LEAD. He is responsible for managing overall grant efforts, optimizing the grant administration process, preparing progress reports, and ensuring compliance with grant regulations.

Prior to joining LEAD, Anindya has worked with WWF-India and Bhumi where he managed their corporate fundraising vertical for South India.

Anindya has a keen interest in donor and relationship management. He holds a Master’s degree in Marine Studies and Coastal Resource Management from Madras University, Chennai.

In his spare time, Anindya enjoys following motor sport. He is also a wildlife enthusiast and enjoys bird watching.

Siva Shanker

Assistant Manager, Finance

Siva Shanker is a Senior Finance Associate with LEAD. In this role, he works on streamlining finance processes and ensuring that day-to-day finance activities are run smoothly.

Siva has over two decades of rich experience in handling finance and admin functions for international NGOs such as World Vision. He has worked to influence change in many poilcy and guidelines in the finance & Admin areas. He has also served at different parts of the country and specialiseds in handling relief and rehabilitation efforts during crise and national disasters and has participated in relief projects for the Super Cyclone, Gujarat earthquake, Malda floods and the tsunami that hit Tamil Nadu. He has completed his USAID Grant Management Training. Prior to LEAD, he worked with SAATHII in the capacity of a Manager-Finance for the interim period and handled EU, Astrae & UNICEF Grants.

Sive holds a double Masters in Arts and Finance. He is an avid sports enthusiast and has represented his university, district and state in volleyball competitions.

SABINA YASMIN

Senior Research Fellow, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Sabina Yasmin is a Research Fellow at LEAD and currently also serves as a Bharat Inclusion Fellow. Her research interests include agricultural economics, rural finance, development economics and applied microeconomics. Sabina is immensely passionate about using her work for the upliftment of marginalised people.

Prior to joining LEAD, she was a faculty in the Department of Economics at SRM University-Amravati where she taught economics to engineering and social science students.

Sabina received her PhD in agricultural insurance from Gauhati University where her doctorate research focused on addressing the issue related to implementation and adaptability of the crop insurance program in India. She has also been a MANF research fellow during her doctorate research. Pursuit of her growing interest in behavioral economics led her to attend a summer school in Tinbergen Institute-University of Amsterdam in Netherlands, where she conducted experiments in the CREED Lab on the effect of appearance on a person’s memory.

When she’s not working, she enjoys cooking and travelling and loves to paint, knit and write poems.

Bhavya Shrivastava

Senior Research Associate, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Bhavya is a Research Associate with the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD and is currently working on a project assessing the Banking Correspondents’ business model.

Prior to joining LEAD, Bhavya worked for the Tamil Nadu Household Panel Survey (TNHPS), a research collaboration between Madras Institute of Development Studies (Chennai), University of Michigan and Government of Tamil Nadu. Through collecting data on socio-economic indicators, this survey aimed to assess intertemporal changes in income and occupation of the residents of the state of Tamil Nadu. As a Research Investigator, Bhavya provided technical and research assistance on the same.

Bhavya holds a Master’s in International Development from the University of Warwick and a Bachelor’s in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi University.

In her free time she likes to catch-up on sitcoms and read a bunch of fiction books.

VYSAKH D. SATHEESH

Senior Research Associate, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Vysakh D. Satheesh is a Research Associate with the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD.

He has previously worked on projects investigating group dynamics and social preferences among School Management Committee members in Delhi and later unpacked the policy landscape for Menstrual Hygiene Management in India.

Vysakh holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Ashoka University, during which time he completed a capstone thesis on the disparities in entry and exit and mobility among MSME entrepreneurs across caste groups. Vysakh enjoys blending a range of contemporary perspectives tied to micro-developmental economics in his work, such as discrimination, intersectionality, education and labour.

Vysakh employs books, movies and music as his tools of escapism. He’s a passionate fantasy and sci-fi reader but is usually just looking for a good story beautifully told. A certified cat-dad, Vysakh spends his free time planning his next travel adventure while indulging in local delicacies.

Komal Jain

Senior Research Associate, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Komal is a Research Associate at the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD. She is currently engaged in an agricultural evaluation, and a meta-analysis of an evidence-gap map. She is in interested in evidence-based research and policy making for agriculture, gender, and health.

Prior to joining LEAD, she has worked extensively on agriculture and energy related impact evaluations with NEERMAN. During her post-graduation degree in Economics from Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics, she interned at National Institute of Public Finance & Policy, where she published a few papers on gender budgeting, and nutrition.

In her spare time, she loves to read and travel.

M P Karthick

Senior Data Scientist, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Karthick is a Data Scientist with LEAD, where he is currently engaged with the Solutions for Transformative Rural Enterprises and Empowerment (STREE) initiative that provides technical assistance to the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. Karthick is an evaluation and data analytics expert with more than eight years of research and consulting experience in Asia and Africa. He has conducted multi-country research and evaluation programs to assess various government schemes. His core competencies are data analytics solutions, impact evaluations, M&E and strategic consulting.

Prior to joining LEAD, Karthick has worked in research teams of MicroSave Consulting and CARE India. He has worked across multiple sectors including MSME & Entrepreneurship, Digital Financial Services, Inclusive Finance and Public Health.

He is a street footballer, and enjoys penning blogs on data and its applications.

Geetanjali GK

Senior Research Associate, Institutions & Society

Geetanjali is a Research Associate with LEAD and is currently engaged in projects in the thematic areas of Gender, Sanitation and Health. Her research interests include women’s economic empowerment and applications of behavioural economics.

Prior to working in LEAD, Geetanjali interned with an NGO working on Child Trafficking.

Geetanjali holds an MSc. in Development Economics from University of Sussex and a Bachelor’s in History, Economics and Politics from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.

Geetanjali is a passionate martial arts and holds a black belt in Karate.

Aishwarya Joshi

Research Manager, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Aishwarya Joshi is a Qualitative Research Specialist with LEAD, and is currently engaged with the Solutions for Transformative Rural Enterprises and Empowerment (STREE) initiative that provides technical assistance to the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. She has previously worked as a consultant with academic institutions and non-governmental organisations, providing research support for action-research studies for the University of Göttingen, NITI Aayog, Population Council India, among others. Her skills lie in qualitative data analysis and conversational interviewing, and her research interests include gender, development, public health, and media.

Aishwarya holds an M.A. in Society and Culture from IIT Gandhinagar and a Bachelor’s in Sociology from Fergusson College, Pune. Through her work, she strives to aid a more fruitful exchange between academic research, policy and decision making.

In her free time, Aishwarya enjoys listening to her collection of old Hindi film music and chases her overambitious reading challenge goal for the year.

Kartikeya Bhatotia

Senior Research Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Kartikeya Bhatotia is a Research Associate with LEAD, and is currently engaged with the Solutions for Transformative Rural Enterprises and Empowerment (STREE) initiative that provides technical assistance to the National Rural Livelihoods Mission.

Prior to working with LEAD, he worked in public healthcare strategy and education policy at the Tata Trusts and the Central Square Foundation, respectively. Kartikeya is interested in livelihoods, human ecology and the political economy of developing countries.

Kartikeya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies from the College of Business Studies at the University of Delhi. He is also a former Young India Fellow (2017-18) from Ashoka University.

Kartikeya is passionate about cracking New Yorker crosswords. He also enjoys birdwatching.

Ridhi Aggarwal

Senior Research Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Ridhi Aggarwal is a Research Associate with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. Her areas of interest include labor markets, women’s studies and public policy.

Ridhi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Delhi University and is also a Young India Fellowship (batch 2017-2018) from Ashoka University.

When she is not working on a deadline, Ridhi likes to indulge herself in a dance-off with the mirror or a recall of the feminist periodic table by Marisa Bate.

Nelson Mathews Mathuram G

Senior Research Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Nelson Mathews is a Research Associate with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. His primary research interests are social protection, public service delivery, and program evaluation.

Prior to joining LEAD, Nelson worked as a Research Assistant with J-PAL South Asia on a project led by Prof. Namrata Kala (MIT) & Prof. Julieta Caunedo (Cornell). He is interested in leveraging administrative data to inform policy decisions.

Nelson holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Governance from Azim Premji University, Bangalore. He is an avid reader and a footballer.

Sanjana Vijay

Research Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Sanjna is a Research Assistant with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment Vertical at LEAD, working on projects with the GAME team and Finance Task Force. She graduated with a degree in B.A.Economics from Stella Maris College, Chennai at University of Madras in 2019. Prior to joining LEAD, She has worked as a Junior Research Analyst at McKinsey & Company, for the firm’s clients in Asia, Middle East and Australia on several engagements across sectors like Healthcare and Retail. Additionally, she was aligned to the global public sector practice and explored topics such as digital transformation for public services, service design and organizational architecture.

Sanjana likes to read, and travel and is very passionate about data driven policy making and hopes to influence and create long-lasting social impact.

Sijo John

Senior Program Manager, Enterprise Development

Sijo John is a Senior Program Manager with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. Previously, she has worked in people-centric projects on governance, nutrition, skill development and livelihoods across implementation, program and knowledge management capacities.

Sijo holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Delhi University.

Her research interests are focussed on system strengthening, community-centred policy design and gender. Sijo loves nerding out over the latest fiction reads, plotting to expand her houseplant collection around payday, befriending dogs and cats, and reporting trolls on social media.

Vatsima Tripathi

Senior Research Associate

Vatsima Tripathi is a Senior Research Associate with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. In the past, Vatsima worked toward researching and evaluating evidence-based solutions geared towards social impact.

Vatsima holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Governance from Azim Premji University and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University.

Her research interests lie at the intersection of livelihoods, gender, and circular economy. She specializes in mixed methods studies, with a strong focus on qualitative research. When she’s not working, Vatsima likes to unwind by toiling away in her kitchen garden and also takes up painting occasionally.

Akshay Mahadevan

Senior Research Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Akshay is a Senior Research Associate with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. He is passionate about impact investing, behavioural economics and aims to design interventions to motivate private sector participation towards climate action. He has over two years of experience with global think tanks, international organisations and government officials in the domain of natural resource economics, climate governance and integrated system analysis.

He has executed a study for the Centre for Research on the Economics of Climate, Food, Energy and Environment (CECFEE) grant from the Indian Statistical Institute. He has also been selected for the external review stage of the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE) research grant as a co-principal investigator. He holds an M.Sc. in Economics from TERI School of Advanced Studies and a B.Sc. in Economics, Mathematics and Statistics from St Joseph’s College, Bangalore University.

Tanushree Bhan

Research Fellow, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Tanushree Bhan is a Research Fellow in the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD. She graduated with a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts, Boston in 2020. Her dissertation was a process-based evaluation of sanitation policy for the urban poor in Delhi. Tanushree has an undergraduate degree from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree from the University of Mumbai, both in Economics.

Before her PhD, Tanushree worked at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) until 2014. As a Research Associate, she was part of a research program funded by the Government of India on understanding the challenges and opportunities for improving public service delivery in major cities.

Tanushree’s research interest lies at the intersection of poverty, politics, and public policy, especially in India. In her free time, she loves going for heritage walks and food expeditions.

Meenu Jothsna

Research Manager

Meenu Jothsna is a Research Manager with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. Meenu holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai alongside a B. Tech in Biotechnology, from Anna University, Chennai.

Previously, Meenu worked for over six years at the Centre for Public Policy, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore anchoring a cross-section of research and academic responsibilities. She was particularly part of the curriculum development process of a certificate program offered at the institute, titled Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF). Meenu was also a Senior Field Investigator for an IFMR-Harvard University project which aimed to collect evidence on the economic costs of low caloric intake in India.

Her research interests revolve around public policy, health equity and sustainable development. Once she logs off, Meenu enjoys kicking back with classic movies and the latest sitcoms.

VANDHANA RAMESH

Project Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Vandhana Ramesh is a Project Associate with Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. Currently, she is engaged with providing technical assistance to the World Bank Persons with Disabilities (RIGHTS) project in Tamil Nadu.

Before arriving at LEAD, Vandhana explored themes related to healthcare, labour and criminal justice as a part of Project Statecraft, a youth-led think tank.

Vandhana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Stella Maris College, University of Madras. Deeply interested in widening the lens through which economies are examined, she is passionate about intersectional, pluralistic and non-traditional approaches to policy making.

When not working, Vandhana can be found catching up on compelling history reads and edge-of-your-seat investigative podcasts.

SUJEET KUMAR

Research Manager, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Sujeet Kumar is a Research Manager at LEAD with the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical. Prior to joining LEAD, he has worked as a research consultant, where he was engaged in projects related to slum-upgrading for the marginalised, gender and field-based intervention projects with organisations such as Duke University, Centre for Advocacy and Research and University of Delhi.

Sujeet received his PhD in Law and Governance from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi where his doctoral research examined how vulnerable urban communities secure rights and citizen-state relations in the city of Patna (Bihar).

Sujeet is passionate about research in the intersections of rural and urban poverty, inequality, social justice and public policy. When he shuts off his laptop, Sujeet seeks calm by indulging in long walks while listening to audio dramas and commentary on podcasts.

SAPNA NAIR

Research Fellow, Health Systems and Quality of Life

Sapna Nair is a Research Fellow at LEAD where she anchors multiple projects on public health policies, strategy and interventions. In her capacity as an expert on public health systems, she has worked as the Principal Investigator on multiple projects with partners including Infosys Foundation, BMGF, DFID and Aga Khan Foundation.

Sapna has a decade worth of experience as a public health specialist and researcher focusing on health systems research, from developing research methodologies, policy strategy, policy uptake and evaluation. Prior to her foray into research, she worked as a physician for over ten years. She was a part of the People for Health project, an initiative funded by the European Union aimed at improving the human resource for health (HRH) policy, strategy and practices across India. She has also played a key role in two UNDP funded projects aimed at providing social protection to Most At risk populations (MARP) and Persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in six states in India.

Sapna holds a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS, Mumbai) and has additional training in Public Health Research and Qualitative Research methods from the University of Minnesota and the Indian Institute of Public Health.

SAKTHIVEL ARUMUGAM

Senior Creative Designer, Learning & Communications

Sakthivel Arumugam is a Senior Creative Designer with LEAD. In this role he conceptualises and designs knowledge outputs and communication collaterals for projects under LEAD and its initiative IWWAGE.

Sakthivel has extensive experience in working with agencies, and has handled branding and communication design for clients across industries. Some of his noteworthy campaigns include the call of the blue campaign for Yamaha, 10k challenge campaign for the Murugappa Group and packaging design for CavinKare.

Sakthivel holds a Bachelor’s in Information Technology form Anna University anda B.sc Vis.Communication from Bharathiar University. He is a sports enthusiast and has represented his University in kabaddi tournaments. In his free time, he also enjoys gardening, reading and cooking.

MANORANJITHAM S

Senior Administrative Assistant

Mano Ranjitham is a Senior Administrative Assistant with LEAD. She has considerable experience in managing databases of survey teams, and coordinating with field managers regarding data collection and related activities. She is experienced in preparing contracts, salary sheets and other necessary documents.

Mano Ranjitham holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Dr. M.G.R Medical University, Chennai.

Elankumaran E

Senior Executive, Field Operations

Elankumaran is a Senior Executive with LEAD. His diverse professional experience covers marketing, project coordination, and construction supervision. He joined LEAD in 2011, and has monitored different projects in the domain of Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises (MSME).

Elankumaran has previously worked as a Project Coordinator at ICDS Centres under UNICEF, overseeing operations in the Tsunami affected areas of Nagapattinam District.

Elankumaran holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology from Loyola College in Chennai along with a PG Diploma in Computer Application from the Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai.

DIBYAJYOTI BASAK

Research Associate, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Dibyajyoti Basak is a Research Associate with the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD.

Dibyajyoti holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and a Bachelor’s degree in English Honours from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Prior to joining LEAD, he worked with the Indian Political Action Committee.

Dibyajyoti is deeply interested in weaving his way through the different layers of public policy research and data science. He is keen to cultivate the interdisciplinary knowledge required to solve complex development issues.

A passionate Manchester United supporter, Dibyajyoti is happiest when he is working his way through grand strategy video games and intriguing fantasy novels.

Dhanan Chezhiyan

Senior Webmaster, Learning & Communications

Dhananchezhiyan is a Senior Web Developer/Web Master with LEAD. In this role, Dhanan manages all aspects related to LEAD’s portfolio of websites including web design, development and ensuring that they remain updated.

Dhanan has six years of experience in the development of Web & Enterprise Applications using PHP, DOT NET. Apart from this, he is highly experienced and has hands-on experience in WordPress, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JQuery, Ajax, Tomcat and Glass Fish Servers, Eclipse, NetBeans IDE Tools, Oracle, and MySQL Database. He is fluent in Operating Systems such as Windows, Ubuntu, and CentOS. Other technical skills include Oracle 10g, MySQL, Core Java. He knows the ins and outs of the prevailing trends in the web creation arena and in the proper management of the same and specializes in assessing deficiencies in the operational systems and troubleshooting.

Dhanan holds a Master’s in Computer Applications. In his free time, Dhanan enjoys playing cricket and swimming.

PREETHI RAO

Associate Director

Preethi Rao oversees the leveraging evidence function (collaborations, training, learning and communications, and innovations) and contributes to strategic decision-making at LEAD. Preethi has served the organization in various capacities such as Head – Innovation, Senior Operations Manager and Researcher (MSME).

As an Innovation Champion, she drives new initiatives and is responsible for conceptualizing new areas of interest for the organization. Prior to heading the Innovation vertical, Preethi has overseen the entire field data collection and digitization operations (spanning more than 10 states) of LEAD in her capacity as Senior Manager (Operations & Development). Preethi was the Director of the Jaipur Digital Payments Lab at Catalyst, where she oversaw the entire on-ground execution, managed partner/stakeholder relations, managed donor liaison and expectations, anchored M&E and was involved in the production of programmatic learning outputs. For IWWAGE, an initiative of LEAD conducting research on women’s economic empowerment, she serves as the Innovation Lead, assisting in setting up the hub, providing particular assistance in terms of confirming policies and procedures, and setting up outreach protocols in coordination with the team.

Apart from donning multiple hats at LEAD, over the years Preethi has undertaken interdisciplinary studies on access to finance for small and medium scale enterprises and the influence of macroeconomic policies on the low-income populations. She has also been involved in developing, designing and leading research studies and short term projects in open data, financial inclusion and MSMEs.

Preethi holds a Master’s Degree in Management from IFMR Graduate School of Business where her focus areas were Finance and Marketing.

In her free time, Preethi likes to write poetry, read fiction and watch documentaries on Psychology or experimentation on human behavior.

DIKSHA SINGH

Head, Learning & Communications

Diksha Singh currently manages LEAD’s learning and communications portfolio. She works with teams and partners to develop learning outputs, manage knowledge sharing events and peer learning sessions, and oversees digital and offline communication. Trained as a researcher, Diksha is passionate about connecting the dots between research, policy and impact. She has previously supported policy and outreach activities for a USAID-funded program Catalyst, where she was engaged in organising strategic stakeholder convenings and policy dialogues, and synthesising evidence to inform policy decisions.

Diksha has more than a decade of experience in research, outreach and communications. Prior to joining LEAD, she worked as a project officer with Praja Foundation, where she anchored their housing and education portfolios. Before her foray into international development, she worked as an analyst with CMIE.

Diksha has a Master’s in Economics from the University of Mumbai.

She enjoys cycling, reading and writing, when she is not chasing her toddler around.

Raghavendhra M

Junior Executive, Field Operations

Raghavendhra M is a Junior Field Executive with the Field Operations vertical at LEAD. He is currently involved in data collection and field operations for research projects in Karnataka. Raghavendhra joined LEAD in 2014 and has been engaged in managing field surveys for large-scale impact evaluations in the domains of mental health, agriculture, enterprise development, and women empowerment.

Prior to joining LEAD, Raghavendhra has worked with Population Research Center and Sigma consulting, as a field Executive.

Raghavendhra holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Gulbarga University.

SITARAM MUKHERJEE

Head, Field Operations

At LEAD, Sitaram Mukherjee oversees the field/survey operations vertical. Sitaram is an experienced development professional with excellent managing capacity with core experience in field operations and project management.

Sitaram has over 13 years of experience across operations and execution of large-scale projects especially with the setting up and roll out of the RCT based projects in eastern and northern India. He has exposure to working in Bangladesh, Nepal and UAE and executed the project objectives as well.

Sitaram holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work as well as PGDHRM from Udaipur School of Social Work, Udaipur, Rajasthan.

He is a keen traveler and has knowledge about Indian tourism industry.

SUJATHA SRINIVASAN

Senior Research Fellow, Institutions and Society

At LEAD, Sujatha Srinivasan is responsible for the design and delivery of key strategic initiatives related to public infrastructure and basic services through a combination of research, outreach and policy advocacy.

Her research interests and portfolio span a range of sectors (include Water and Sanitation, Solid waste management, Energy, Public health, Financial inclusion, Livelihoods), across various policy and governance reform areas (public finance management, public-private partnerships, inclusive business models for basic services, eGovernance, monitoring & evaluation). She leads a range of research-policy partnerships with central/sub-national governments in India.

Sujatha is an experienced management professional with over 10 years of multidisciplinary, global experience across practice areas such as Public Sector and Social Sector Development, Banking and Financial Services. Prior to her current position, she worked for State Street Corporation (USA), Raytheon (USA) and Citibank (India).

Sujatha holds an MBA from Suffolk University, Boston and an undergraduate degree in Science from the University of Madras.

Gayathri Balan

Manager, Business Development

Gayathri Balan is Business Development Manager with LEAD. Her present scope of work includes spotting and pursing new business opportunities by anchoring proposals and submissions. She is also working on donor and partner management.

Previously, she was with PwC India where she was part of the Government Reforms and Infrastructure Development (GRID) team. She has worked on a range of projects in the development sector with clients/donors such as UNICEF, UN Women, USAID. Most recently she was part of the advisory team assisting State Govt of Andhra Pradesh in the conceptualization of the new capital city of Amaravati.

Gayathri holds a dual degree from the University of Oxford: MSc in Comparative Social Policy and MBA and her undergraduate degree is BTech IT from VIT University, Vellore. She has also completed the Gandhi Fellowship, where she worked in rural Rajasthan for 2 years, imparting leadership skills to government school headmasters.

In her free time, Gayathri loves to discuss, debate and have a good laugh at anything from politics to Bollywood.

Jithin Jose

Research Manager, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Jithin Jose is a Research Manager at LEAD with research interests spanning across public health and its intersections with finance, gender and women empowerment. His work encompasses research areas like Financial Inclusion and related areas such as financial incentive programs, risk assessment and insurance; Public Health and its sub categories such as maternal and child health; and empowerment initiatives focusing on women’s economic empowerment.

Prior to LEAD, he worked as a Research Consultant with J-PAL South Asia in Bangalore. He has also interned at the Asian Development Research Institute, Patna and Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum.

Jithin holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from University of Delhi.

Jithin likes photography and enjoys discussing arthouse flicks and its impact on society.

Madhu Sivaraman

Policy Manager, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Madhu Sivaraman, is a policy research professional and part of the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD.

Madhu has 11 years of experience working in the domains of business regulations, governance, urban reforms and data policies. Prior to joining LEAD, Madhu had worked in the government advisory vertical of Ernst & Young LLP as a Senior Policy Expert and was the Research Director of Centre for Public Policy Research, India handling various research projects and influencing policies in the country.

Madhu has a law and policy background and did his Masters in Comparative Public Policy from the University of Edinburgh as a Chevening FCO UK Scholar. He is a recipient of the Edinburgh Award for Public Engagement for his work on ICT Education in Malawi, Africa.

A barefoot footballer and a keen walking enthusiast, Madhu likes to tour places by foot and keeps a World Map Mug to get inspired.

Pramod Tiwari

Senior Regional Manager, Field Operations

Pramod Tiwari, is currently the Senior Regional Manager, Field Operations at LEAD. He is a seasoned researcher with several years of experience and engagement in rigorous academic and policy research.

Prior to LEAD, he worked in various government health programs, essaying several roles ranging from managing the training of health providers to planning treatment delivery of leprosy patients with the World Health Organization. He also spent 9 years working on a variety of randomized control interventions in health and education in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and his native Rajasthan with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab. (J-PAL).

Pramod has worked on evaluations of various kinds across multiple areas such as health, education, financial inclusion, migration, microfinance, and livelihoods.

Some of the studies Pramod has worked on include Improving Health Care Delivery in India (Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, 2009) in Udaipur, Putting a Band-Aid on a Corpse: Incentives for Nurses in the Indian Public Health Care System (Banerjee, Duflo, and Glennerster, 2008), Is Decentralized Iron Fortification a Feasible Option to Fight Anaemia Among the Poorest? (Banerjee, Duflo, and Glennerster, 2009), Improving immunisation coverage in rural India: clustered randomised controlled evaluation of immunisation campaigns with and without incentives (Banerjee, and Duflo,( Nobel prizes in economic sciences 2019 Glennerster, and Kothari, 2010; published in the prestigious British Medical Journal), Economic Decision Making in Poverty Depletes Behavioral Control (Dean Spears, 2010), The Evolving Financial Ecosystem for Micro-Merchants in India (LEAD), NREGA Program with John Dreze and Prof.Amartya Sen (Nobel prize in economic sciences 1998) and closely worked with Sir Agnus Deaton (Nobel prize in economic sciences 2015) for Explorations in the Economics of aging.

Pramod holds several Master’s degrees, in Chemistry, Public Administration, Sociology, and Business Administration (Human Resources Management), as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Rights.

Kothandam D

Senior Programme Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Kothandam is a Senior Programme Associate with LEAD. He is currently involved in data collection and field operations for research projects in Chennai, including a randomized control trial study. He has been with LEAD since 2009 in various capacities such as data correction, data quality checks and has also been a team leader for more than five years.

Kothandam holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (CSE) from Anna University. He has a passion for solving mathematical riddles and enjoys playing chess in his free time.

Durgesh Pandey

Junior Executive, Field Operations

Durgesh Pandey is a Field Executive at LEAD. He specialises in field team training, monitoring, and managing survey teams across different projects. He has extensive experience in managing field surveys for large-scale impact evaluations in the domains of agriculture, digital financial services, MSME development, women empowerment, and livelihoods.

Prior to joining LEAD, Durgesh worked as a District Coordinator with Ekal Vidyalaya, where he worked on programs that aim to alleviate poverty in rural parts India with a focus on both tribal and non-tribal communities.

Durgesh holds a Master’s degree in Social Science and Political Science along with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Dr. R. M. L. Awadh University, and is currently pursuing a PG diploma in Rural Development from Indira Gandhi National Open University. He also holds a Diploma in Information Technology from NIIT.

Avdhut Fadanwis

Software Associate, Field Operations

Avdhut Fadanwis is a Software Associate at LEAD. Avdhut has extensive experience in developing applications for CATI-based and in-person field surveys. Avdhut joined LEAD in 2009, prior to which he was working as a freelance programmer.

Avdhut holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Application from Indira Gandhi National Open University. He also holds an ACCP Certification from Aptech Education.

Avdhut is a big cricket fan and his love for the sport goes beyond playing. He has also umpired for the Baroda Cricket Association.

Asmi Khushi

Research Associate

Asmi Khushi is a Research Associate with LEAD and is currently working on a project to study the impact of applied- theatre training for sensitising the police in Bihar to gender based violence, and on another project that examines the importance of norms among bureaucrats.

She is a Felix Scholar with an MSc. in Economics for Development from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor’s in Economics from Miranda House. She has previously worked with a social science experiments lab, the Oxford Technology and Management Centre for Development, and as an RA for synthesising literature between cognitive science and storytelling in the humanities.

Asmi dreams of being able to articulate the world of humans and cultures in a grain of sand, and see heaven in living the lives of many different people from diverse communities. In her spare time, she makes art and writes poetry, likes to have long walks and long conversations amidst nature, and tries to cook, drive, play sports and manage daily life ((with little success).

Arul Raj A

Senior Executive, Field Operations

Arul Raj is a Senior Executive, Field Operations at LEAD. He is currently responsible for field operations in Tamil Nadu and manages field teams across different projects. He has managed fieldwork for audit studies, randomized control trials, impact assessments among others. Arul has worked in both rural and urban areas and has extensive experience in training, piloting and actual administration of field based surveys.

Prior to joining LEAD in 2007, Arul worked as an interviewer and supervisor with IMRB International. He has nearly 15 years of work experience.

Arul holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from University of Madras. He is a die-hard cricket fan and enjoys winding down with some music.

Debdulal Thakur

Senior Research Fellow, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Debdulal Thakur is a Senior Research Fellow with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment at LEAD.

An economist by training, Debdulal has extensively worked in the areas of fiscal policy, budgets, urban finance and economics of education for the last sixteen years. He has previously worked with the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, Pricewaterhouse Coopers India, BITS-Pilani and Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies. Debdulal has actioned diverse project-base portfolios funded by the UNDP, UNICEF, ADB and DFID related to budgets and public expenditure, especially geared towards strengthening the fiscal and governance position of the urban local bodies in India.

Debdulal earned his MPhil and PhD from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He also holds a Master’s in Economics from Kalyani University in West Bengal. In his free time, Debdulal enjoys catching the latest movie, travelling, cooking and above all, loves to take a nap.

Mahantesh B S

Regional Manager, Field Operations

Mahantesh is a Regional manager with the Field Operations vertical at LEAD. He is currently involved in managing data collection and field operations for research projects in Karnataka. Mahantesh joined LEAD in 2014 as a Field Supervisor and since then has managed field surveys for large-scale impact evaluations across domains such as mental health, agriculture, digital financial services, and MSME development.

Mahantesh has previously worked with Janaagraha as field surveyor on a Brown India Initiative Citizenship Index and Jaagte Raho projects.

Mahantesh holds a Bachelor’s in Commerce from Sri Venkateshwara Institute. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, playing cricket and badminton.

DEBASIS PANDA

Research Associate

Debasis Panda is a Research Associate with LEAD. Currently, he is working on a project related to Green Recovery that tries to meaningfully engage stakeholders, connected to the success of Green Finance Mechanisms in Odisha.

Before arriving at LEAD, Debasis interned for Pratham Education Foundation where he was involved with the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) survey. Post this, he was a part of the Mo Cycle survey, conducted jointly by the Indian Institute Of Technology, Madras and GIZ Germany.

Debasis holds an M.Phil and a Master’s degree in Economics from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar and is at the moment, working towards his PhD in Economics from the same space. 

Passionate about research in areas related to Agricultural and Environmental Economics, Debasis tries to incorporate econometric tools in research, when possible. Outside of work, Debasis is happiest when he is running culinary experiments in his kitchen, watching movies and taking care of his beard. 

Chakka Meher Praneetha

Junior Data Scientist

Meher Praneetha is a Junior Data Scientist with LEAD. She has previously worked as a System Engineer with Tata Consultancy services for two years. She has a keen interest in working with data and finding meaning in it by applying models tools.

Meher completed her Post-Graduation in Research and Business Analytics from Madras School Of Economics and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from SASTRA University.

In her free time, Meher likes to travel and also loves cooking.

Abinaya Rengarajan

Research Associate, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Abinaya Rengarajan is a Research Associate with the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD. At present, she is working on a project that seeks to understand the governance and financial frameworks of social protections for the urban poor and vulnerable groups in Tamil Nadu.

Prior to joining LEAD, Abinaya worked for the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, as a Research Consultant, where she aided in the preparation of model gender and child budget statements for the Government of West Bengal.

Abinaya holds a Master’s in Economics with a focus on International Development from Trinity College, Dublin and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Stella Maris College, University of Madras.

She is intensely passionate about exploring research needs in the fields of Agriculture, Gender and Health Economics. Abinaya finds her daily inspirations from reading fiction, making art and playing the mandolin.

Vinith Kurian

Research Manager, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Vinith Kurian is a Research Manager with LEAD. He has worked in the areas financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, analysis of social networks and public health. His previous projects include a quasi experimental design based study on reducing maternal mortality in Kerala. He has also worked on a network analysis of microenterprise owners to understand the dynamics of information flow and its potential to promote the take up of digital financial services.

Prior to joining LEAD, Vinith has worked with Nielsen India in the area of geospatial analytics to estimate socioeconomic variables at micro-geographies. His areas of interest include urban poverty, geospatial analysis and financial inclusion.

Vinith holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Economics from the Centre for Development Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Vinith is an avid traveller and motorcycling enthusiast.

Shashank Sreedharan

Research Associate

Shashank Sreedharan is a Research Associate with LEAD. He is currently working on two randomized evaluations: the first one seeks to measure the impact of an information intervention on incentive structures on the performance of microfinance loan officers, and the second one aims to assess the effects of a new, innovative credit product allowing for flexible repayment and simultaneous locked savings on the business and household outcomes of SHG-affiliated women entrepreneurs. His part projects include a novel yearlong field experiment involving the setting up and running of confederate vegetable shops as part of a study exploring whether behavioural differences between men and women can explain differential enterprise success.

Shashank holds a Bachelor’s in Public Policy from Brown University. In his time at Brown, he worked with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva on a project on new humanitarian financing modalities and how to evaluate their impact. His other domain interests include post-conflict reconstruction, international organizations, and migration.

Shashank is a die-hard Manchester United fan and loves writing and playing music in his spare time.

Sayan Bhattacharjee

Executive, Field Operations

Sayan Bhattacharjee is a Field Executive with the Field Operations vertical at LEAD. He has extensive experience in training field personnel, monitoring, and management of survey teams across different projects and geographies. He has managed field surveys for large-scale impact evaluations across domains such as agriculture, digital financial services, enterprise surveys, and women empowerment. Most recently, he was engaged in managing the fieldwork for an IIED study on climate change, in Jodhpur and Barmer.

Sayan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from Jaipuria College, Kolkata. In his free time, he enjos playing cricket and experimenting with new dishes in the kitchen.

Sachin Shrivastava

Senior Software Associate, Field Operations

Sachin Srivastava is a Senior Software Associate at LEAD. He is primarily involved in developing software, data analysis, setting up data entry as well as databases for various projects at LEAD. Sachin joined LEAD as a Software Developer and Data Management Associate in 2007 and has worked on a wide range of desktop and web applications as well as devices during this time.

Sachin has a Bachelor’s in Science (Chemistry) from Ravishankar University (2000 Batch). He also holds a diploma in Computer Application from Aptech and a Diploma from the Department of Electronics and Accreditation of Computer Courses.

Sachin is a movie buff, and also enjos swimming and calisthenics in his spare time.

Keerthana Ramaswamy

Senior Associate, Learning & Communications

Keerthana Ramaswamy is a Senior Learning and Communications Associate with LEAD. She has a background in social work research and community development. Working in the homelessness and mental health space for some years now, Keerthana has been comprehensively involved with evidence-based innovations led and informed by people with histories of disadvantage. Previously, she has anchored multiple portfolios at The Banyan, a non-profit organisation which offers services in a range of settings for those navigating complex trauma and marginalisation.

Keerthana holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Madras School of Social Work and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from University of Madras.

Keerthana is deeply interested in a number of cross-cutting stories revolving around the intersections of gender, disability, mental health, pop-culture & inclusion. She has a weak spot for long-form essays, mangoes and dogs, which is possibly the best way to get her talking when she is not hiding under a pillow.

CHRISTOPHER GLAN

Senior Project Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Christopher Glan is a Senior Project Associate in the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. A data whiz, he specialises in data analysis and data cleaning. He has considerable field experience in both urban and rural settings from his previous work.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Anna University.

SANTHOSH KUMAR

Regional Field Manager

Santhosh Kumar is a Regional Field Manager with LEAD. He Joined LEAD in 2010 and has been worked in the capacities of a Project Assistant and Field co-ordinator. He has previously worked on long-term Impact Evaluation of the KGFS Model in Tamil Nadu. He has also managed market research projects for in the domain of consumer products and field studies in public health for WHO.

Santhosh Kumar completed his B.B.A at MK University.

Sachin Sisodiya

Research Associate, Institutions and Society

Sachin is a Research Associate at the Institutions and Society vertical at LEAD. He is currently working on a study evaluating the impact of expressive art on the policing behaviour regarding gender based violence in Bihar. He previously worked as a Research Support Assistant at JPAL-South Asia for a project based out of Goa. He also served as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional Trade (CRT), a think tank under the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India.

Sachin holds an MA in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics and a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai. His research interests include Behavioral Economics and International Trade.

Shruti Kakade

Senior Data Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Shruti Kakade is a Senior Data Associate with LEAD, and is currently engaged with the Solutions for Transformative Rural Enterprises and Empowerment (STREE) initiative that provides technical assistance to the National Rural Livelihoods Mission.

Shruti is a Computer Engineer from PICT Pune, with over three years of experience in the data science industry. She is passionate about data driven decision making, and currently volunteers for the UNDP data futures team and the Women in Econ/Policy group. Shruti loves music and exploring Marathi poetry and literature.

Sunanda De

Research Associate, Institutions and Society

Sunanda is a Research Associate with LEAD, and is currently working on projects in the water and sanitation sector. Sunanda has previously worked on various projects under the University of Oxford, London School of Economics and the Australia National University. She also served as a financial journalist in the Indian Equities market.

Sunanda completed her Master’s in Economics from Amity University, Kolkata and obtained her undergraduate degree in Economics from Gauhati University. She is passionate about education, public policy and sustainability. Sunanda is fond of traveling, and trekking and likes to wind down with a nice book or movie.

Twinkle Juneja

Research Associate, Institutions and Society

Twinkle Juneja is a Research Associate in the Institutions and Society vertical at LEAD. She is engaged in a project that explores aspects of sexual harassment, menstruation, and family planning among adolescents and seeks to evaluate the impact of the intervention module which provides information about the same topics.

Twinkle holds a Master’s in Economics from Ashoka University. For her, the most intrigung aspect of research is working with data and the initial stages of desigining a new study keeping in mind ground realities. Twinkle is also an avid baker and loves to travel whenever she can.

Sandra Jose

Research Associate, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Sandra Jose is a Research Associate with the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD. Prior to LEAD, Sandra worked with the Institute of Rural Management Anand as an Academic Associate and a Research Associate.

Sandra holds a Master’s in Economics (with specialization in Development Studies) from the Symbiosis School of Economics, Pune. She holds a Bachelor’s in Economics, Sociology and Industrial Relations from St. Josephs College, Bangalore. She is interested in a range of development issues such as gender, informal labour markets, education and waste.

In her free time, Sandra loves to read fiction and watch sitcoms. She is also a proud member of the BTS Army.

Abhishek Gupta

Research Manager, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Abhishek Gupta is a Research Manager with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD. He is a design thinking enthusiast and evangelizes a trans-disciplinary, human-centred problem-solving approach.

Abhishek has more than five years of experience in financial inclusion consulting, incorporating behavioural design into research and advisory projects. He has previously worked with Intellecap and MicroSave Consulting (MSC). His defining consulting engagement was developing a roadmap for rejuvenating the traditional creative industries of Uttar Pradesh, working closely with representatives from the State Department of Tourism and World Bank.

Abhishek has a post-graduation in management from the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering (DCE), Delhi University. Abhishek is an avid chess player and fond of high-altitude trekking. His weekends are spent on imagining and fleshing out the character arc for his maiden novel.

SHAKTI CHOPRA

Senior Head, Grants & Finance

Shakti Chopra heads the finance function of LEAD and provides strategic leadership for these functions to bring efficiency & synergy to ensure the achievement of long term sustainability with accuracy & transparency. Shakti has over two decades of hands-on experience in solving critical business challenges with strategic financial framework & policies, oriented towards sustainable growth models.

Shakti is a seasoned finance professional with expertise in managing the whole financial gamut of large organisations with focus on building motivated, effective, delivering & committed teams. With over 12 years of experience in senior management positions, he has worked with large social sector organisations like VSO International, CARE, CottonConnect and Ide-India. He also had his entrepreneurship stint to guide and support small & grass-root social enterprises.

Shakti has a keen interest in learning about business strategies and finding the objective of one’s life through implementing Kaizen principles in day-to-day situations.

JOHN ARUN

Project Director, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

John heads the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD, overseeing the research portfolio on this topic. He was instrumental in establishing Catalyst AIC, a Fintech Incubator in Jaipur. His core areas of work range from project design, incubation support, project implementation and monitoring & evaluation.

With an extensive experience of 12 years in the development sector, John has a special interest in MSME growth and finance. His previous experiences include working for Tata Consultancy Services where he implemented a Computer-Based Functional Literacy Training program, as well as with the Entrepreneurship Development program under the Bharatiya Yuva Shakthi Trust at Confederation of Indian Industries. He has also partnered in setting up an SME consulting firm.

John holds a Master’s degree from the Madras School of Social Work and an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from the Madras University.

A travel bug at heart, he enjoys a spot of farming when he’s not fulfilling his wanderlust. He also volunteers at NGOs providing education to underserved children and vulnerable communities.

AJAYKUMAR TANNIRKULAM

Advisor

Ajay’s interest in the livelihoods of small farmers made him spend significant time in the field identifying issues in agriculture that have resulted in low growth rates. Ajay co-founded Magasool in 2012, a not-for-profit initiative aimed at improving the lives of small and marginal farmers in Tamil Nadu. Magasool focuses on providing specialized agriculture inputs that improve yield or decrease input costs. In addition, Ajay has been an Advisor to IFMR LEAD since February 2013.

Ajay got his PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2008. He joined IFMR LEAD’s Centre for Microfinance (CMF) as the Head of the Analytics Unit in January 2009. Between 2011 and 2013 he kept additional charge as the Centre’s Interim Executive Director.

SHARON BUTEAU

Executive Director

Sharon Buteau combines expansive experience of over 18 years in research and international development, with over 7 years in the field of digital financial services and financial inclusion. Sharon is deeply passionate about finding effective solutions to promote enterprise growth and development, and realising the untapped potential of micro and small businesses.

At LEAD, Sharon focuses on bringing the right combination of talent, expertise and stakeholders together to ensure that investments and efforts are perfectly aligned with the desired goals. Sharon holds significant expertise on how to leverage co-creation, collaborative processes, as well using the power of data from the ground up can improve socio-economic outcomes for individuals, households and enterprises. She has in-depth knowledge in “right-fit research methods” and significant experience in the domain of financial capabilities and well-being, and small business and entrepreneurship development.

Sharon started her journey at LEAD in 2008, when she arrived in India with a strong desire to improve society by producing impactful knowledge that can bring positive change. Prior to joining LEAD, Sharon was an economist with Analysis Group in Montreal Canada.

Sharon holds an MSc in Economics from the Universite du Quebec a Montreal, as well as an MA in Social Research Methods from the London School of Economics.
In her free time, Sharon enjoys travelling across India and spending quality time with her pug.

VARUN HARIHARAN

Research Associate, Small, Growing Businesses and Employment

Varun Hariharan is a Research Associate with the Small, Growing Businesses and Employment vertical at LEAD.

Varun holds a Master’s degree in Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Math, from New York University. His college thesis analysed the effect of economic resilience on recovery after the onslaught of hurricanes in the United States.

Prior to working in LEAD, Varun was involved with the social impact investment scene in New York and public policy research initiatives such as The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania. Varun’s research interests include dissecting the historical impact of economic policies on marginalised communities. An avid bibliophile, Varun likes to unwind by rewatching the Sopranos.

SAMPURNA BASU

Research Associate, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Sampurna Basu is a Research Associate with the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD.

Prior to joining LEAD, Sampurna worked as a pro bono consultant and assisted with research work on development priorities for the Early-Stage Evaluation of the Human Capital Index at the Independent Evaluation Group, World Bank.

Sampurna has a Master’s degree in Public Policy from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. Her research interests revolve around pressing questions surrounding women’s participation and work-family policies across contexts. On the weekends, you can catch Sampurna curled up in a cosy corner with a pile of pre-loved books and movies.

SUMIRAN ARDHAPURE

Research Associate, Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Sumiran Ardhapure is a Research Associate with the Financial Well-being and Social Protection vertical at LEAD.

Prior to joining LEAD, Sumiran worked as a research assistant at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics on a project measuring the impact of chronic stress on economic decision making.

Sumiran holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Warwick and a Bachelor’s degree in the same subject from Fergusson College, Pune.

He enjoys deconstructing inequality and its various interconnections, particularly its combined implications on economic-decision making and poverty. In his spare time, Sumiran whips up homemade recipes, reads for pleasure, makes art and plays the occasional football.

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