Annapurna Behera, Programme Officer, joined PRIA in February 2026. Annapurna works on the open-access platform of the UNESCO Chair and with PRIA International Academy on the development of knowledge materials for trainings, online courses, blogs, and learning circles, in addition to providing coordination support for learning and capacity-building initiatives. They hold a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Jesus and Mary College and a Master’s degree in Development and Labour Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University. A social science researcher by training, their interests lie at the intersections of labour, climate, gender, and urban development. Prior to joining PRIA, they interned with organisations including the People’s Resource Centre and Bharat Krishak Samaj. They believe in centering communities at the heart of research.

Dr. Anshuman Karol, Lead – Governance & Climate Action, has been associated with PRIA since December 2007. He holds Ph.D. in Social Sciences (Economics) from Himachal Pradesh University. He has 24 years of experience on Panchayati Raj, Decentralized Planning, Devolution Capacity Building & Training, Monitoring & Evaluation and Policy Advocacy. He has extensively worked around social science research in agriculture and allied sectors. Currently, he is engaged in initiatives on Climate Resilient Water and Sanitation, local governance, Inclusive Urban Mobility. He is UGC accredited Resource Person on Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR). He is also part of the team of UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education, wherein he is responsible for overall coordination of Knowledge for Change (K4C) Global Consortium, and also extends his support in conducting of training programmes headed by Co-Chairs. He is also a certified Mentor under the Mentor Training Program on CBPR under the K4C Global Consortium.  

Bindu Baby, General Manager, joined PRIA in 1995.  She manages Facilities and Business Development, Administration, Human Resource, Contracts, third party payments, Coordination of Governing Board meetings and Management of Institutional records.

Chandra Shekhar Joshi, Manager - Public Relations, joined PRIA in 1996. He is currently responsible for the supervision of institutional events, facilities and third-party events. He also provides support in the marketing of courses & workshops offered by PRIA International Academy (PRIA's academic wing) and Knowledge Resource Centre. 

Dhan Singh, Administrative Officer, joined PRIA in July 2000.  He has done B.A. from Hemavati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (Uttarakhand). He handles overall administrative work in PRIA including maintenance of premises, housekeeping management, conference and meeting facilities, hostel facilities, security and general procurement of goods and services. He also provides support in making logistic and administrative arrangements for events (conferences, seminars, workshops, trainings, and meetings).  

Dr. Furzee Kashyap, Service Engagement Specialist, PRIA International Academy (PIA), joined PRIA in October 2025. She is a researcher and practitioner with over 9 years of professional experience in participatory research, gender and social inclusion, and capacity building in development settings. Her academic foundation (Ph.D. in Sociology) is complemented by impactful work with organisations such as the Indian Social Institute, ROSHNI- Centre for Women Collectives Led Social Action, and the North Eastern Social Research Centre. With a strong commitment to translating field insights into accessible learning, Furzee embeds gender and social inclusion as core lenses to strengthen PIA’s capacity. At PIA, she facilitates the redesign of online courses, hybrid trainings, and learning circles, and coordinates the delivery and monitoring of the Academy’s service streams. She also works closely with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless operations and inclusive learning processes. Her key interest areas include gender and social inclusion, gendered power structures, and community engagement and empowerment.

Dr. Kaustuv K Bandyopadhyay, Director and Head of PRIA International Academy (PIA) – the academic vertical of PRIA, has more than 30 years of experience with non-profit organisations, research institution and university. He is a leading expert on citizen participation and social accountability in urban governance. He has led numerous innovative programmes to institutionalise voices of the urban informals in planning, management, and governance of cities, especially in the water and sanitation sector in India. Over three decades, Kaustuv has provided capacity building support to hundreds of non-profits in many Asian countries with particular focus on organisation development, strategic planning, participatory monitoring and evaluation, participatory training methodologies and participatory research.

Linu Rachel Chacko, Officer – Knowledge Management and Communications, joined PRIA in July 2021. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from IGNOU. She is responsible for overseeing the Knowledge Resource Centre (KRC), overall coordination of IT-related activities, content updation and maintenance of websites, and managing social media handles of the organisation. She also produces and edits short audio-visual content to document and promote key institutional projects and events. Prior to joining PRIA, she was associated with Alliance Defending Freedom and the National Council of Churches in India.

Mohd. Zia Abbas, Assistant Librarian, joined PRIA in March 2025.  He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Library and Information Science from the University of Lucknow in 2021 & 2022, respectively. He is responsible for the overall coordination, updation, and maintenance of the Knowledge Resource Centre. He also supports the updation of e-Library, archival of documents, audio-visuals, and digital repository management using tools like D-Space. Prior to joining PRIA in 2025, he gained hands-on experience Amir-ud-daula Public Library, Lucknow, building a strong foundation in academic and public library services, digital resource management, and user services.

Nikita Rakhyani, Team Lead – PRIA International Academy, is a certified participatory researcher, trainer, and youth-engagement expert with over six years of experience across India. She has worked with more than 2,500 young people across Asia on active citizenship, democracy, urban governance, digital literacy, and climate change. Nikita has also led several participatory research studies with grassroots communities on climate adaptation, digital trust, mobility, and the needs and aspirations of low-income groups. She currently heads the PRIA International Academy at PRIA, which delivers training and courses for students and development professionals. Additionally, she serves as a Rising Star Mentor with People Powered. She holds a postgraduate degree in Development Communication and Extension from the University of Delhi and firmly believes that empowering local communities and fostering civic and democratic responsibility leads to meaningful social change.

Praveen PV, Manager – Finance & Accounts, joined PRIA in July 2011. He has done M.B.A. (Finance) from Annamalai University. He is accounts and financial management professional, with rich experience of more than 20 years. His diverse experience includes his exposure to key functional aspects i.e. strategic budget planning and financial management of in-flows & out-flows of research grants, administrative expenses, govt. liaison and statutory compliances. He manages payroll system and is also responsible for book writing, assisting auditors in annual audits, preparation, and submission of tax returns.

Dr. Rajesh Tandon, Founder-President, is an internationally acclaimed leader and practitioner of participatory research and development. He founded PRIA in 1982 and continued to be its Chief Functionary. He is also Co-Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education. Engineering in Electronics from IIT, Kanpur, MBA from IIM Calcutta, and PhD in Management from Case Western Reserve University, USA, Dr. Tandon left his teaching job at IIM Calcutta to support & champion the cause of building organisations and capacities of the marginalised through their knowledge, learning, and empowerment. A pioneer of participatory research, Dr. Tandon has given new meaning to academic research by redefining the relationship between the researcher and the researched. He has been contributing to the emergence of several local, national, and international initiatives to promote authentic and participatory development of societies. In 2015, the Indian Adult Education Association (IAEA) awarded Dr. Tandon the Nehru Literacy Award. For his distinguished work on gender issues, the Government of India honoured him with the prestigious Award in ‘Social Justice’ in March 2007.He is the first Indian to be inducted to the International Adult and Continuing Education (IACE) Hall of Fame (class of 2011). He is also the first Indian scholar to be inducted into the Academy of Engagement Scholarship in 2019. Dr. Tandon has authored more than 100 articles, a dozen books, and numerous training manuals. 

Soja Saramma Mathew, Senior Accounts Officer, joined PRIA in June 2011. An M.B.A. (Finance) from Annamalai University. She is involved in management of finance & accounts and project monitoring. She is also responsible for book writing, preparation of financial statements & reports, preparation, and submission of tax returns, assisting with annual audits. She has overall professional experience of more than 18 years.  

Sonu Kumar, Systems Administrator, joined PRIA in May 2014. He has done advance diploma in Computer Hardware and Networking from JETKING. He is responsible for providing technical support including troubleshooting of IT and Audio-Visual equipment. He also handles procurement and maintenance of IT and Audio-Visual equipment. Also responsible for documentation of Audio-Visual and editing work. He has 17 years of professional experience in providing IT technical support.

Sowmia Philip, Programme Officer, joined PRIA in November 2024. Sowmia is an architect and environmental planner with over five years of experience in urban development. She holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur and a master's in environmental planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Law and Policy. In the past, she has contributed to research and planning initiatives at leading institutions, including the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), SPA Bhopal, and NIT Calicut. She has worked on climate-responsive housing, parking management, transition to EVs, low-emission zones, and public transport initiatives. Her interdisciplinary background allows her to bridge the gaps between design, policy, and community engagement.

Sujit Kumar Sourav, Manager – Knowledge Management and Education, joined PRIA in March 2013. He completed his Undergraduate Degree from Bhagalpur University followed by B.C.A. and M.C.A from IGNOU. He is responsible for designing, updating, and troubleshooting of websites. He is also responsible for handling Moodle of PRIA International Academy and databases. He has overall experience of more than 17 years.

Surjeet Singh, Senior Executive, has been associated with PRIA since February 2020. He did his undergraduate studies from University of Delhi. He is currently responsible for providing secretarial support to President’s Office, team of UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education and Program Management Group. He also supports functions of Human Resource Department, proposals management and institutional events & meetings. Prior to joining PRIA, has worked with various organizations including Centre for Development Economics, a research adjunct at the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.

Yedukrishnan V., Programme Officer, joined PRIA in April 2024 and currently leads the implementation of MobiliseHER: Participatory Approaches to Gender Responsive Mobility Systems, a EuropeAid-funded project in Kochi. He has also conducted a participatory research study for the Kerala Urban Policy Commission. His work spans research, multi-stakeholder engagement across government and civil society, and coordination of institutional initiatives. He is a graduate in Development Studies (MA) from IIT Guwahati and holds a BA in Economics. Before joining PRIA, Yedu worked with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in New Delhi, Swaniti Initiative in Tripura and Delhi, and the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) in Kochi. His core interests include citizen rights, participatory democracy, local governance, gender, and health, with a growing focus on the role of traditional healers and indigenous knowledge systems in community health and well-being