Who We Are / Our People
Board Members
Sunit Mehra
Managing Partner, Hunt Partners
Sunit Mehra heads Hunt Partners’ Private Equity practice across Asia. Sunit has worked with numerous corporate boards and is an advisor to several Indian business houses on Corporate Governance. He co-founded Third Sector Partners (TSP), a not-for-profit search firm for the development sector. TSP in turn spawned the Katalyst program. Sunit is a past Chairman of United Way of Mumbai, Vice Chairman – American Chamber of Commerce, Mumbai, and Treasurer of the Wharton Alumni Association of India. Sunit received a business degree in marketing management from the Wharton School and a degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Vijay Mahajan
Independent Director & Management Consultant
Vijay Mahajan is an Independent Director and Advisor to a number of companies in the NBFC, Education, Healthcare, Energy, and Engineering sectors. Vijay has a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and has the distinction of being a topper at Punjab University. He was Head of Group Corporate HR of AFL, one of the largest service sector groups in India. He has been a member of the Executive Board of the National HRD Network and is a member of the National Council of the Indian Society for Training and Development for over 15 years. He has been a visiting faculty in the prestigious IIMs & other institutes of national repute.
Shital Kakkar Mehra
Founder, ISCEP
Shital Kakkar Mehra is India’s leading Executive Presence Coach for CEOs. With over 20 years of experience, Shital has personally trained over 45,000 professionals across Asia, including numerous CEOs from leading multi-national and progressive domestic companies. Shital is an acclaimed public speaker and best-selling author. Her articles are regularly published in leading media publications including Economic Times, Business Today, Times of India, amongst others. Shital is an active philanthropist and the Co-Founder of Katalyst. She is also the Founder of GoBarefoot, a networking platform for development sector professionals, and a Board Member at Third Sector Partners.
Harkirat Singh
Chitra Jain
Senior Educator
Chitra has been associated with the Katalyst journey as a mentor since 2007. She has successfully mentored more than 10 girls and takes great pride in their achievements. She is an educator with several years of hands-on teaching experience in some of the most distinguished academic institutions in Mumbai. An experienced board examiner, she believes that children need to be respected to inspire them to learn. She is also an active member of the Seva Sadan Society and Maharashtra State Women's Council, which are organisations that support women in distress. Chitra is a management graduate from IMT Ghaziabad and studied Economics Honors at Delhi University.
Kamlesh Sajnani
Managing Director - IMS Learning Resources Pvt. Ltd.
Mr. Kamlesh Sajnani is currently working as the Managing Director of IMS Learning Resources Pvt. Ltd. He is widely acclaimed across the Test Preparation industry for his contribution in shaping students career. Under his leadership, IMS has become a multi-faceted education company with 120 centers across 40+ Indian cities, coaching 70,000+ students in diverse academic programs. He played an active role in promoting IMS’s business in other segments within the education Industry by starting business initiatives like Test Funda, Praxis Business School and IMS Proschool. He is an active speaker and has participated at numerous forums and discussions on Indian Education Industry and Career guidance.
Under his leadership IMS sets a realistic agenda of social impact through career guidance and coaching of the students and sustainable development of the Organization.
Ninad Karpe
Partner, 100X.VC
Ninad Karpe is a Partner at 100X.VC – a VC firm, which invests in early-stage startups and aims to invest in 100 startups every year. Karpe was the MD & CEO of Aptech Ltd. for more than seven years till 2016. He previously served CA Technologies, a US headquartered leader in software products, as Managing Director of India. Karpe has authored a book on business strategies, titled “BOND to BABA”, which received rave reviews and was listed by Amazon in its prestigious list, “Memorable books of 2018”. He was the Chairman of the Western Region of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) for 2017-18.
Noopur Desai
Educator & Philanthropist
Noopur did her schooling at Cathedral School and is a Life Science graduate from St. Xaviers College, Mumbai. She loves working with children and youth in various capacities. In 2004, she founded the Wonder Years Kindergarten School in South Mumbai which she ran successfully for 17 years. She has been on the board of the Institutional Ethics Committee in 2 hospitals in Mumbai - Kokilaben Ambani Hospital and the Bhaktivedanta Hospital. She is the CSR program director of Apar Corporation. She is very closely involved with several NGOs, including Annamrita (the Midday Meal Program), Bombay Medical Aid Foundation, and Katalyst India.
Paula Mariwala
Founding Partner, Aureolis Ventures
An alumnus of Stanford University, Paula Mariwala is a well-known venture capitalist who has been a part of building the early-stage startup ecosystem in India since 2006. One of the first women VCs in India, she is the founding partner at Aureolis Ventures, which invests in innovative companies focused on social or environmental impact. She is also the Founder/President of Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs India, Managing Director of Seedfund Advisors, and Promoter Director of Hinditron Group. As an engaged philanthropist, she is deeply committed to the causes of education, environment, women empowerment, gender equality, human rights, and the arts.
Sudhanshu Vats
Deputy Managing Director, Pidilite Industries Limited
An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, he has a career spanning 30 years across the FMCG and Media sectors with a track record of propelling significant business growth and creating long-term value for all stakeholders of the Company. Sudhanshu Vats was the Managing Director and CEO at EPL Limited in 2020 & 2021. He spent eight years as the MD and Group CEO of Viacom18 Media Private Limited. He started his career with HUL and spent about 20 years at Unilever in India in sales, marketing, and general management roles. He has been the Chairman of the National Media and Entertainment Committee of CII, Vice President of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, and Director of the Broadcast Audience Research Council. He is on the board of ASCI. He is also on the Global Advisory Board of Columbia University, New York.
Sunishi Gabhawala
Honorary Secretary, Seva Sadan Society
Sunishi Gabhawala is currently working as a board member with two nonprofits. Seva Sadan Society and Katalyst. She is part of the fundraising and education teams at Seva Sadan. Sunishi is a Chartered Accountant and spent over a decade at Hunt Partners in executive search before she switched to the social sector. She spent four years as a consultant with HelpYourNGO, an internet-based knowledge forum on Indian nonprofits. This stint was invaluable in providing her insights into a range of focus areas in the sector.
Team
Poorvi Shah
Chief Executive Officer
Poorvi leads the organisation's efforts to empower women for equality in opportunity and leadership. Poorvi has over a decade of experience with The Akanksha Foundation in various capacities including student enrichment, leadership development, and fundraising. Before venturing into the social sector, she worked with Price Waterhouse LLP in New York, and then with IndAsia Fund Advisors, one of the first venture capital firms in India. Poorvi has done her B.Com., MMS (Finance), and MBA (International Business). She is passionate about equity in education and empowerment and enjoys meeting people from all walks of life.
Anjali Hari
Director, Fundraising & Partnerships
Anjali focuses on raising funds and building strategic partnerships for the organisation. She has successfully leveraged her diverse experience and passion to transform the lives of young girls, making a difference at the grassroots level. Previously, Anjali worked in Advertising for over seven years specialising in client servicing. Anjali completed her Economics major at Elphinstone College, followed by a Diploma in Marketing Management from Mumbai University. Anjali is candid, rooted to the ground, and empathetic. Her diverse interests include travel, wildlife, reading, and music.
Shalima Jain
Chief Operating Officer
Shalima Jain leads the organisation's operational functions including the implementation of interventions and development of growth strategies. With over 18 years of experience in the corporate sector and over two years in the social sector, Shalima has had an enriching career journey with expertise in operations, projects, and delivery management in the retail and development sector. She is a certified PMP professional and has done her BA (Psychology), Dip. Interior Designing, and Certification in Retail Management (IIM, IRMC). Shalima is a problem solver with a passion for technology.
Megha Verma
Associate Director
Megha heads international partnerships, marketing and communications, and two new initiatives of the organisation i.e. Alkemist and Akcelerator. Before joining Katalyst, Megha worked with four leading NGOs and boosted her innovative and creative skills. She has worked with project partners and undertaken stakeholder management, program monitoring, budgeting, fund planning, and auditing of partner funds. She pursued her MBA degree with a specialisation in Finance and has an extensive 16 years of experience in the social sector. Megha enjoys networking and rapport building, solving puzzles, and reading books.
Shweta Mathur
Senior Manager, Program - Mumbai
Shweta manages operations for the Mumbai program. She is also a part of the students, mentors, and donors outreach program. With a Master's in Human Development and a Diploma in Management, she worked as a faculty member at TISS and SNDT Women's University for 15 years. She wishes to continue working in the education space, focusing on inclusion and bridging the skill gap
Vijaya Rangaswamy
Senior Manager, Program - Bangalore
Vijaya manages operations for the Bangalore program. Before joining Katalyst, Vijaya worked for firms such as Hewlett Packard and Cisco Systems and had managed her own enterprise for over two years. Vijaya graduated from Joseph's College in Bangalore with a Bachelor's in Commerce and a Postgraduate in Human Resources. She enjoys volunteering for various causes, such as an energy healer or a mental health volunteer.
Dr Janesh Sanzgiri
Manager, Digitalisation & Learning
Janesh leads the learning outcomes function at Katalyst, developing a series of interventions to increase engagement, measure progress, and improve results. Janesh has worked as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Open University, UK, and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology. He also has a Master's degree in Digital Technology and Education from The University of Manchester, UK. Janesh enjoys travelling, binge-watching TV shows, and brewing coffee
Ayesha Khan
Manager, Program - Delhi
Ayesha Khan manages operations for the Delhi program. She handles the training intervention and facilitates the holistic development of the students. She pursued her Master's in Social work from Jamia Millia Islamia University and has been working in the development sector for the past six years. Ayesha likes travelling and meeting new people.
Saranga Pophale
Manager, Program - Pune
Saranga has 15 years of experience in the corporate and social sector. Have worked in a variety of areas like Learning & Development, Training and Trainer Management, CSR projects execution and quality assurance. Managed multiple CSR projects across Maharashtra. Her strengths include Project execution, communication skills, networking, and managing operations. She is a certified Instructional designer and has done her bachelor of Engineering in Industrial engineering from Pune University. Saranga has Keen interest in Indian mythology, She enjoys travelling and gardening
Steffi CT
Manager, Program - Bangalore
Steffi C.T. manages the mentorship intervention based in Bangalore. Before joining Katalyst, she worked for various child rights organisations as she believes that education is the key to eradicating poverty in the country. She completed her Master's from Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai. In her free time, Steffi likes to travel and listen to music.
Radha S
Manager, Program - Hyderabad
Radha manages the day to day operations of the Hyderabad center. Radha completed her graduation in Commerce in 2005 from Bharath Degree College. Radha comes with 15 years of experience in program management, team leadership and efficient customer service. Radha has successfully managed concurrent projects, crafted training programs, and led dynamic teams.
Shravanthi Suresh
Assistant Manager, Program - Bangalore
Shravanthi Suresh is responsible for the development of the Bangalore program, working closely with students and trainers. Before joining Katalyst, she worked as Assistant Professor for Sociology at Mount Carmel College. She pursued her Master's in Social Work with a specialisation in Medical and Psychiatry from SJC and Sociology from IGNOU. Shravanthi likes to read, cook and travel. She is a social worker by choice and by profession.
Subhalakshmi Ganesan
Assistant Manager, Program - Pune
Subhalakshmi Ganesan is responsible for the development of the Pune program, ensuring program goals are reached on time. She has over 10 years of work experience and is a certified SAP Consultant specialising in Finance. She completed her Master's in Financial Management from LIBA - Pondicherry University, Chennai. In 2014, Subhalakshmi started her brand "Dessert Groove" and is a certified professional patisserie baker. She likes travelling, abstract painting, and music.
Anju Maske
Senior Executive, Program - Pune
Anju handles the operational functions for the Pune program including the training intervention. Before joining Katalyst, Anju was working at Global Vision Cancer Care NGO & Intelenet Global Services. She has done her BMS with a specialisation in Finance from Mumbai University. She is passionate about empowering women and bringing change through her actions.
Sanjukta Ghosh
Senior Executive, Program - Mumbai
Sanjukta is responsible for the coordination and development of the Mumbai program and works closely with the students. Before joining Katalyst, she worked with immigrant families in NYC for children's welfare. She pursued her second Master's in Social Work with a specialisation in the clinical field from NYU. Sanjukta likes to read, swim, travel, and is passionate about mental healthcare.
Gayatri Tambekar
Executive, Program - Pune
Gayatri is responsible for the mentorship and training interventions of the Pune program. Before joining Katalyst, she interned with TVS Lucas and Electronica Plastic Machine as a Management Trainee. Gayatri has a Master's degree in Social Work with a specialisation in HR and a Diploma in French from the University of Pune. In her free time, Gayatri loves to travel, cook, bake, read and is passionate about dogs.
Shalini Das
Executive, Program - Bangalore
Shalini is responsible for the training intervention and works closely with the students for the Bangalore program. Before this, she worked with the Dakshin Foundation and Ashwini Charitable Trust as a Research Assistant and Program Manager in the area of Public Health, Education, and Ecology. She has two Master's in Economics and Development Studies respectively from Azim Premji University. Shalini likes to travel, and act.
Sunidhi Sinha
Executive, Program - Delhi
Sunidhi Sinha is responsible for the coordination and development of the Delhi program and works closely with the students. Before joining Katalyst, she worked for the welfare of sex workers and their children in Delhi's red light area. She pursued her Post Graduate certification in expressive arts therapy and is fond of traveling, reading, painting and is passionate about community work.
Prachi Fariya
Associate, Program - Alkemist
Prachi is responsible for the overall functioning and operations of the Alkemist and Akcelerator Programs.Her role involves strategizing the plan of action and working closely with students and coaches to ensure the success of the programs. Prachi holds an MBA with a specialization in Marketing & Entrepreneurship from Atlas SkillTech University. Before joining Katalyst, Prachi worked as a social media handler for professionals and interned with Rubix Data Sciences Pvt Ltd. In her free time Prachi has a passion for K-Dramas and enjoys indulging in binge-watching sessions.