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Ashraya consists of a dedicated team of onsite staff and volunteers committed to our mission combined with a core group of board members, including two of our co-founders, dispersed around the world.
Our Board
Sanjiv Tare, Board member
Director, Strategic Partnerships - NuSocia
Sanjiv carries with him a 35 years of rich experience in areas of CSR, Sustainability, Corporate affairs and Corporate communications. A certified Sustainability Assurance Practitioner (UK) and Affirmitive Action Assessor(Tata group); Sanjiv has managed CSR functions for Tata Communications and has been instrumental in designing global CSR projects in areas of Digital Inclusion, Education, Healthcare, Livelihoods, Entrepreneurship, Volunteering and Impact communication. He has also been an advisor for large corporates and development organisations, helping them deploy a sustainability management platform.
Sanjiv carries with him a 35 years of rich experience in areas of CSR, Sustainability, Corporate affairs and Corporate communications. A certified Sustainability Assurance Practitioner (UK) and Affirmitive Action Assessor(Tata group); Sanjiv has managed CSR functions for Tata Communications and has been instrumental in designing global CSR projects in areas of Digital Inclusion, Education, Healthcare, Livelihoods, Entrepreneurship, Volunteering and Impact communication. He has also been an advisor for large corporates and development organisations, helping them deploy a sustainability management platform.
Lewitt Somarajan, Board Member
Founder and CEO, LifeLabs
Lewitt comes with a rich experience of nonprofits and education sector. He is the Founder & CEO of Life-Lab which makes science education engaging and builds the capacities of teachers to create experience-based learning environments. Life-Lab is currently working with more than 1200+ schools, impacting 4.5 lakh children across 6 states. Lewitt is an Ashoka Fellow & Teach For India Fellow and who holds a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering.
Lewitt comes with a rich experience of nonprofits and education sector. He is the Founder & CEO of Life-Lab which makes science education engaging and builds the capacities of teachers to create experience-based learning environments. Life-Lab is currently working with more than 1200+ schools, impacting 4.5 lakh children across 6 states. Lewitt is an Ashoka Fellow & Teach For India Fellow and who holds a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering.
Diya Kapur Misra, Advisory Board
Founder and Leadership Impact Coach - THE POWER OF i
Diya Kapur Misra is a leadership impact advisor & coach, and a diversity
& inclusion champion, who lives in Mumbai, India. Diya has over twenty four years of rich and diverse experience. Over her
career, she has impacted over 2500 leaders from 45+ organisations. After a successful career with some of the best global organisations – Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Hewitt,
Cadbury/ Kraft Foods, and Korn Ferry - in 2016, Diya ventured out as an entrepreneur. Since then, she has
been advising and supporting many organisations on their leadership and talent needs.
Diya Kapur Misra is a leadership impact advisor & coach, and a diversity
& inclusion champion, who lives in Mumbai, India. Diya has over twenty four years of rich and diverse experience. Over her
career, she has impacted over 2500 leaders from 45+ organisations. After a successful career with some of the best global organisations – Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Hewitt,
Cadbury/ Kraft Foods, and Korn Ferry - in 2016, Diya ventured out as an entrepreneur. Since then, she has
been advising and supporting many organisations on their leadership and talent needs.
Soumya Jain, Advisory Board
Founder and CEO - iTeach Schools
Mithun Mukherjee, Advisory Board
Senior Technical Enterprise Customer Success Manager - Suki
Judith Eckl, Advisory Board
Architect - Kofler Architects
Our Team
Tarun Joshi
CEO
Rajani Dhende
Lead, Health & Community
Sujata Biswas
Director, Partnerships
Nidhi Wanjari
Director, Education Program
With over 8 years of diverse experience in the education sector, Nidhi is a Computer Science Engineer turned educator. She began her journey with the TFI Fellowship, where her passion for teaching and transformative education took root. Nidhi holds a Master's degree in Education from the prestigious TISS. Her expertise spans teaching, teacher training, and curriculum design, where she has shaped strategies fostering holistic learning and educational growth.
With over 8 years of diverse experience in the education sector, Nidhi is a Computer Science Engineer turned educator. She began her journey with the TFI Fellowship, where her passion for teaching and transformative education took root. Nidhi holds a Master's degree in Education from the prestigious TISS. Her expertise spans teaching, teacher training, and curriculum design, where she has shaped strategies fostering holistic learning and educational growth.
Suchitra Memane
Lead, Department of Psychology & Counselling
Khan Gulafsha
Center Head, Chandramma Nagar
Gulafsha has been part of the Ashraya team since 2018 and holds a Masters in Psychology and English from Pune University. She also holds prior work experience of 2.5 years from Bapu Trust Mental Health Organization specializing in learning disability and child psychology. Previously a Remedial Educator at Ashraya, she now manages the Chandramma Nagar center.
Gulafsha has been part of the Ashraya team since 2018 and holds a Masters in Psychology and English from Pune University. She also holds prior work experience of 2.5 years from Bapu Trust Mental Health Organization specializing in learning disability and child psychology. Previously a Remedial Educator at Ashraya, she now manages the Chandramma Nagar center.
Vrushali Vishal Shewale
Lead, Finance
Vrushali joined Ashraya in 2018 with two years of work experience with a financial firm. She completed her B.Com and M.Com from Pune University before starting to work in the financial field.
Vrushali joined Ashraya in 2018 with two years of work experience with a financial firm. She completed her B.Com and M.Com from Pune University before starting to work in the financial field.
Anuradha Dalvi
Lead, Administration
Anuradha joined the Ashraya team in 2008. She started out as a Marathi teacher and progressed to handling administrative work and community coordinating. She holds work experience with a financial firm with personal tutoring experience.
Anuradha joined the Ashraya team in 2008. She started out as a Marathi teacher and progressed to handling administrative work and community coordinating. She holds work experience with a financial firm with personal tutoring experience.
Divyani Shrivastava
Lead, Education
Divyani our Education Lead, has been a part of the Ashraya team since 2017, and she holds a LLB from Pune University and a B.Ed. She comes with a passion for teaching and aims to bridge the learning gap of each child at Ashraya.
Divyani our Education Lead, has been a part of the Ashraya team since 2017, and she holds a LLB from Pune University and a B.Ed. She comes with a passion for teaching and aims to bridge the learning gap of each child at Ashraya.
Sweety Gupta
Lead, Early Childhood Care and Education Program
Sweety has been with Ashraya since 2016, where she started out as a part time teacher and eventually earned the position of Lead, ECCE program. She holds a B.Com from Pune University, and has also simultaneously completed her pre-school teacher training bringing a diverse set of Early Education skills to Ashraya.
Sweety has been with Ashraya since 2016, where she started out as a part time teacher and eventually earned the position of Lead, ECCE program. She holds a B.Com from Pune University, and has also simultaneously completed her pre-school teacher training bringing a diverse set of Early Education skills to Ashraya.
Jaya Agarwal
Educator
Jaya has been associated with Ashraya since 2018 and holds a B.A. in Sociology and Education, with a B.Ed in Social Studies and Hindi.
Jaya has been associated with Ashraya since 2018 and holds a B.A. in Sociology and Education, with a B.Ed in Social Studies and Hindi.
Kunal Deshmukh
Extracurricular Coordinator and Educator
Kunal joined the Ashraya team in 2015. One of our seasoned Educators, he holds a degree in MCA from Pune University along with 2 years of prior experience working as a software designer at S_Cube Software.
Kunal joined the Ashraya team in 2015. One of our seasoned Educators, he holds a degree in MCA from Pune University along with 2 years of prior experience working as a software designer at S_Cube Software.
Shweta Punwatkar
Educator
One of our most seasoned Educators, Shweta has been associated with Ashraya since 2009. She holds a B.A and M.A in Politics along with a B.Ed in Marathi and History enabling her to bring academic knowledge along with a sense of community context to Ashraya's Education program.
One of our most seasoned Educators, Shweta has been associated with Ashraya since 2009. She holds a B.A and M.A in Politics along with a B.Ed in Marathi and History enabling her to bring academic knowledge along with a sense of community context to Ashraya's Education program.
Farheen Sayed
Educator
Farheen has been a part of the Ashraya team since 2019 and she holds prior experience of 6 years of teaching in Maharashtra English School and Akanksha Foundation. She holds a B.A in psychology with a diploma in Education.
Farheen has been a part of the Ashraya team since 2019 and she holds prior experience of 6 years of teaching in Maharashtra English School and Akanksha Foundation. She holds a B.A in psychology with a diploma in Education.
Suman Wagheshree
Educator
An inspirational case study from the Waghri community, Suman has been part of the Ashraya Education team since 2019. She is currently teaching the Ashraya preschoolers while completing her pre-school teacher training on the side.
An inspirational case study from the Waghri community, Suman has been part of the Ashraya Education team since 2019. She is currently teaching the Ashraya preschoolers while completing her pre-school teacher training on the side.
Swati Gaikwad
Educator
Swati has been part of the Ashraya team since 2016 and holds a prior experience of 3 years of pre-school teaching at different schools in Pune. She holds an M.Com degree along with a degree in pre-school teacher training.
Swati has been part of the Ashraya team since 2016 and holds a prior experience of 3 years of pre-school teaching at different schools in Pune. She holds an M.Com degree along with a degree in pre-school teacher training.
Laxmi Waghri
Health Assistant
Laxmi joined Ashraya in 2018 as a community volunteer and was promoted to the Health Assistant due to consistency and hard work.
Laxmi joined Ashraya in 2018 as a community volunteer and was promoted to the Health Assistant due to consistency and hard work.
Paru Sungul
Caregiver
A community member associated with Ashraya since 2017.
A community member associated with Ashraya since 2017.
Laxmi Waghri
Caregiver
A community member associated with Ashraya since 2018.
A community member associated with Ashraya since 2018.
Shobha Waghri
Caregiver
A community member associated with Ashraya since 2016.
A community member associated with Ashraya since 2016.
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