About Us

Who we are
Our Team
Our Values

ABOUT CHANGE ALLIANCE

Change Alliance Private Limited (CAPL) was established in 2013 as for-profit company under companies Act 1956. Change Alliance Private Limited (CAPL) is a social enterprise and technical support agency with its primary objective to implement projects, social impact advisory and consultancy services, and to promote and achieve inclusive development.

We work with organisations across not-for-profit, government and for-profit sectors. We have delivered innumerable projects for private sector, corporate foundations, government and not-for-profit organisations across a variety of thematic areas and geographic locations.

We have a footprint in majority of states in India through one or more of our interventions or assignments. Our portfolio comprises of programme design, management, implementation, impact evaluation, research, policy advisory, strategic consultancy, monitoring & evaluation and end-to-end management of sustainability and corporate social responsibility programmes.

Our Core Team

We are a multidisciplinary team united by the belief that every individual—regardless of caste, colour, race, gender, or economic background—deserves a life rooted in equality, justice, and dignity.

CEO and Executive Director

Dr. Archana Shukla Mukherjee

Dr. Archana Shukla Mukherjee is CEO and Executive Director of Change Alliance Pvt Ltd (CAPL) with effective 1 August 2025.

In Change Alliance, Dr. Archana Shukla Mukherjee has previously served as Interim CEO & Executive Director from April 2024 to July 2025 and prior to that she has led several strategic business verticals within Change Alliance. She is widely recognized for her expertise in workplace diversity, affirmative action, gender equality, safe migration, prevention of sexual harassment, sustainable supply chains, and linking marginalized communities with social protection and livelihood opportunities.

Her work spans sectors including garments, mining, tea, coffee, sugarcane, cotton, automotive manufacturing, and seafood, always with a focus on empowering women and amplifying the voices of vulnerable and marginalized communities.

She has extensive experience of working on climate change adaptation and resilience, community led resilient processes having social inclusion and gender equality.

Archana has been working with Change Alliance since 2015, in different roles and capacities. She was part of Christian Aid India Programme as Senior Programme Office/Programme Lead 2015 to 2017, Business Development and Marketing Manager, business vertical Lead- Gender Diversity and Inclusion and Interim Director-DAS. Before joining Change Alliance, she worked as Programme and Research head at the Centre for Alternative Dalit Media (CADAM) & National Confederation of Dalit Organisations working on Dalits and Adivasi rights and fair share in private sector. She also worked in Partners in Change (PIC) as Programme and Research specialist engaging with private sector companies on the assessment of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects. She was Chief Operating Officer in Prakruthi – enabling Sustainability and worked on supply chain management and led the South Asia Network for Sustainable and Responsible Business.

She has led the Gender Equality Programme and safe and responsible migration with the support of leading apparel brands of UK and US and worked with more than 35 leading export garment companies. In recognition of women empowerment interventions, Change Alliance represented by Archana was awarded the “Sandvik India Gender Award (SIGA), 2019, under the Social Venture”category by Sandvik Asia Pvt Ltd, Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Swedish Consulate and UN- Global Compact Network.

She has over 15 years of experience working in the textile, mining, tea, coffee, sugarcane and cotton sector (sustainable and responsible business) and affirmative action programmes in the private sector companies. She is a trainer on Gender, Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace, CSR, career progression programmes and Business & Human Rights (BHR). She is a trainer for the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) on project design and implementation for private and public sector companies. She is certified faculty under Faculty Development Programme in Entrepreneurship by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII). She is trained on sustainable value chains through practice and cohort-based capacity building initiative of programmes like “Regenearth” on sustainable livelihoods and help in building business models (2021-2022).

She has recently (Sep-Dec 2023) completed the Executive Mini-MBA course by The University of The West of England and Advanced People Management Training by the Management Centre Learning =mc, London, UK, supported by Christian Aid.

She has a doctoral degree in Social Anthropology from University of Delhi (“Women in local governance among Padhars – a Primitive Tribal Group of Gujarat”). She is a lead author of the research on Affirmative Action Programmes in the Private Sector (BSE listed companies) in India.

Manager Gender, Diversity & Inclusion (GDI)

Chitranka Banerjee

With over a decade in the development sector, Chitranka Banerjee brings a wealth of experience in advancing Diversity, Inclusion, Decent Work, Labour Rights, Women’s Leadership, Livelihoods & Enterprise Development, and Climate-resilient Livelihoods. While working on the theme of Migration & Labour Rights, she has closely engaged with construction workers, garment workers, agricultural workers, and domestic workers, endeavoring to understand their issues under various themes of inquiry. From spearheading Gender Equality initiatives with implementing organizations like SEWA Bharat & Pragya, to contributing as a Short-term Consultant for UN Women, her journey has been marked by a commitment to fostering inclusive societies. Through strategic program design, stakeholder engagement, and detailed documentation for critical themes—such as Eliminating Violence against Women in Ethnic Minority Communities; Education of Adolescent Girls in Rural Areas; Rights of Migrant Workers in Remote & Hilly Regions; Fostering Women’s Collectives among Domestic Workers; Building Women Microentrepreneurs, and Supporting Women’s Livelihoods with Productive Assets & Cash Transfer—she has facilitated impactful projects, ensuring tangible progress in areas critical to social justice and sustainable development. She holds an MPhil in International Relations and her academic background in International Relations and Political Science, complemented by post-education training in Labour Rights and Gender Programme Evaluation, further enriches her expertise. Fluent in English, Hindi, and Bengali, she is equipped to navigate diverse contexts and collaborate effectively on initiatives aimed at driving positive change.

She has worked as a Consultant (Programme Specialist – Gender, Diversity & Inclusion) with Change Alliance on several projects, for example, on the themes of Women’s Leadership in Disaster Risk Reduction Governance; Disaster and Climate Resilient Development Planning in Bhadrak & Ganjam districts of Odisha; Comprehensive Development through an Integrated Approach of Providing Education, Health & Livelihood Support to Adolescent Girls in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand; and played a supportive role on themes like Labor Rights of Construction Workers in Jharkhand, Decent Work Practices in the Sugarcane Value Chain of Maharashtra & Karnataka, and Community-Led Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience. Apart from this, she has also helped design projects on the themes of Increased Access of Migrant Workers from 400 worksites to Social Protection Schemes, on building a Gender-Sensitive Workplace, and on Rights of Garment Workers in Factories/Manufacturing Units, among others. She has now joined Change Alliance as Manager – Gender, Diversity & Inclusion and during her tenure as Manager, she hopes to collaborate and work closely with the India Programmes Team, Impact Advisory Division, the PHIA Team, and the Department of Administration & Finance, to work on new projects and programmes and to help prioritize & advance Change Alliance’s commitment & goals around Gender, Diversity & inclusion.

Programme Officer, Humanitarian Response

Dr. Henna Hejazi

Dr Henna holds a medical degree and is a practicing humanitarian, disaster risk management and development professional leveraging 17 years of cutting edge experience of working with communities for principled humanitarian action and sustainable development including 12 years as functional head for effective development and management of humanitarian and development Projects/Programmes, advocacy with stakeholders and capacity building in Emergency Preparedness and Response. She has a cutting edge experience of managing multi sectoral projects on Relief, Response, Rehabilitation, Gender in DRR, Psychosocial Support in Emergencies, SRH in Emergencies, Health Emergency Preparedness for Response, Social Development, Natural Resource Management, Child Protection in Emergencies, Disability inclusive DRR (DiDRR) with organizations like Action Aid, International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC), United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA), UNICEF, HCLF, World Health Organisation (WHO), IPPF, Pragya, UNHCR & Sphere India. Having worked with a National Coalition of 150 humanitarian agencies (Sphere India) as thematic lead for Accountability to affected population, Knowledge Management Program, Collaborative Advocacy Vertical & Strategic Partnerships, she has ensured effective communication with communities, implementation of accountability principles and CHS standards in emergencies, build capacity of Govt and civil society in integrating Humanitarian Standards & has established & managed high value partnerships with Government, UN Agencies, NGO Networks, Corporates, Academia, Global Networks for ensuring implementation of national guidelines/standards, core humanitarian standards in disasters and complex emergencies. Focal point for NAEPR (Network Approach to Emergency Preparedness & Response) Program for COVID-19 response and recovery, Focal Point for Sector Committees/Groups including Health, & Protection Sector Committee, Cash Working Group, Inter Faith Humanitarian Alliance, she has been instrumental in bringing together sectoral experts/think tanks for charting out effective roadmaps for risk reduction and resilience. Dr Henna has also been responsible for pilot testing of Multi-sector Coordination on Emergency Preparedness & Response in six sectors across 10 States of India, in collaboration with National Institute of Disaster Management. She has been deployed in field for emergency assessments, evaluations, preparedness and emergency response coordination during & post disasters and has supported the URS process for response, Alert reports, SitReps and Joint Rapid Needs Assessment Reports. Dr Henna has facilitated coordination and established partnerships/agreements with global networks, conducted evaluations post emergencies, harmonised cash transfer program and has been one of the Core Team Member in the Study on State of Humanitarian Systems in India Report. She has advocated for protecting the rights of the most vulnerable women and children and integrated gender, women and child friendly services and policies in the assessment processes in the aftermath of disasters and emergencies in India.
Research Manager

Harita Yadav Saha

Harita has an impressive 18-year journey in social program implementation and impact advisory, with expertise in diverse thematic areas and geographies. Holding an MSW and M.A in Economics, her commitment to continuous learning is reflected in her academic credentials.

Her experience spans FPO/CSO capacity building, SHG & Federation development, entrepreneurship, livelihood enhancement, gender vulnerability, climate vulnerability, and the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index. Harita has collaborated successfully with renowned clients like GIZ, UNDP, Solidaridad, and IFAD in various regions.

Dedicating herself to social impact, Harita has played a crucial role in educational initiatives, women’s empowerment through SHG formation, vocational training, and gender sensitization programs. In the domain of livelihood and rural development, she has conducted awareness initiatives, health camps, and livestock camps while liaising with rural financial institutions and contributing to watershed development. Her commitment to social impact extends to the implementation of impactful programs across a wide spectrum. She has played a pivotal role in educational initiatives, focusing on learning level assessments, training needs assessments, and fostering reading habits among children. Additionally, she has championed women’s empowerment through SHG formation, vocational training, and gender sensitization programs. In the domain of livelihood and rural development, her efforts have included gender sensitization programs, capacity building, awareness initiatives, health camps, and livestock camps. She has liaised with rural financial institutions, facilitated fund generation, and contributed to watershed development and the dissemination of latest agronomic practices. With experience across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh, Harita’s passion lies in emphasizing empowerment through education and fostering sustainable development.

Harita’s notable studies include the Endline Study of UPMA project for Trickle Up, the Baseline study on the “Regenerative and Resilient Sugarcane Supply Chain” project for Solidaridad, and the Assessment of the role of FPO in Rural Transformation for Reliance Foundation. She has also assessed the adoption rates of Soil Protection & Rehabilitation measures under ProSoil India for GIZ and conducted an Impact Assessment of SRLM Implementation using the Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for UNDP. Additionally, Harita has contributed to the Impact Assessment of strengthening and fostering CSOs for Child Fund India.

Research Associate

Ms. Vandana Khurana

Vandana Khurana is a professional with a strong academic background in Horticulture and Botany. In most recent role as Assistant Manager at Global AgriSystem Pvt. Ltd, she was responsible for managing and coordinating a diverse range of agricultural and development projects. She has gained experience in developing project proposals including technical and financial proposals, DPR preparation, feasibility study, conducting stakeholders’ meetings and consultations. Her work also included conducting primary and secondary research, developing reports and business strategies, and ensuring the alignment of projects with sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Throughout her career, she has developed expertise in project management, research coordination, and value chain analysis, with a focus on providing strategic recommendations and actionable insights. Her work has spanned key sectors such as agriculture, livestock, medicinal plants, and agro-based enterprises.

As a person, she values collaboration, adaptability, and empathy. She enjoys working in diverse teams, where she can contribute her expertise while learning from others’ perspectives.

Prince Dangariya
Agriculture Field Officer

Prince Dangariya

Prince Dangariya is from the Jamnagar district in Gujarat. From May to August 2024, he served as an Agriculture Field Officer (on a contractual basis) for Gujarat and Rajasthan at Change Alliance. He holds a postgraduate degree in Agriculture, specializing in Genetics and Plant Breeding, from Junagadh Agricultural University, Gujarat.

Prince has also completed a three-month Research Internship at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, where he worked on Nutrients and Irrigation Water Management in Field and Horticultural Crops through Smart Agriculture Technologies. This internship was fully funded by ICAR (NAHEP-IDP) and Junagadh Agricultural University.

Prince values relationships, adaptability, and empathy. He thrives in diverse team environments, where he can share his expertise while also gaining insights from the perspectives of others.

Project Officer Responsible Business

Ms. Harsha Puja Joseph

Harsha Puja Joseph is a passionate and dedicated social work professional with a strong academic background and over five years of diverse field experience in human rights, labor welfare, and grassroots-level facilitation. With a Master’s in Social Work from Madras University, Chennai, and a Bachelor’s in History honors from Delhi University, New Delhi, Harsha combines academic excellence with a deep commitment to social justice. Her work reflects a consistent focus on empowering marginalized communities, especially workers in vulnerable sectors, through education, rights-based advocacy, and grievance redressal mechanisms. Harsha has worked extensively across Tamil Nadu and other parts of India, facilitating critical interventions around labor rights, gender-based violence, and factory-level grievance systems. Her recent roles in the Textile and Garment sector involves training workers and management on internal complaints committees (ICCs), works committees, and safe grievance redressal practices, particularly in the garment and textile supply chains. She is skilled in developing participatory learning environments, delivering sessions in both Hindi and Tamil, and tailoring content to meet local needs.

In addition to her facilitation and training work, Harsha has contributed to proposal writing, documentation, and capacity-building initiatives, as seen in her work with Vizhuthugal Trust. Her earlier experiences with organizations such as the Fair Wear Foundation, The Banyan, and World Vision India further highlight the versatility—from mental health interventions and clinical social work to large-scale community assessments and educational support. A recipient of academic honors and an international research participant under Finland’s FINDIGATE program, she brings a global perspective grounded in grassroots realities.

Outside of her professional life, Harsha is a former national-level Kho-Kho player who represented Jharkhand in the School Games Federation of India’s national championships and a classical Kathak dancer. Her team spirit, resilience, and commitment to collective well-being are qualities she carries into every team she joins.

Sonia-Wazed
Helpline Lead, India for Ungal Kural/Hamari Awaz (Project based employee)

Ms. Sonia Wazed

Ms. Sonia Wazed is the Ungal Kural/Hamari Awaz Helpline Lead for India under the LRQA (Hong Kong–based) project, which is being implemented Pan-India by Change Alliance as the India partner.

Sonia is a seasoned development professional with over two decades of experience leading initiatives that promote labour rights, equitable livelihoods, and social inclusion, with a strong focus on gender justice across India and South Asia.

Having previously worked with both Christian Aid and Change Alliance, Sonia now returns to embark on this new journey with us. We are delighted to welcome her back and look forward to her leadership and contributions to the project.

She has held leadership and thematic roles with organizations including the Azim Premji Foundation, Society for Labour and Development, Christian Aid, Terre des hommes, Groupe Développement (Acting for Life), and more. Sonia has led multi-country and multi-sectoral programmes on business and human rights, decent work, ethical supply chains, and gender-based violence and harassment, working closely with civil society networks, donors, corporates, and governments. Her contributions span programme design, policy dialogue, and research — strengthening the intersection of social justice and responsible business practice.

Sonia brings extensive experience in strategy development, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based advocacy, informed by years of collaboration with workers’ collectives and grassroots organizations. Her approach integrates rights-based and systemic thinking to promote inclusive, accountable, and sustainable development. Deeply committed to social justice, she continues to work toward ensuring that workers and marginalized communities are meaningfully represented in decision-making processes shaping global supply chains and development agendas.

At Change Alliance, Sonia leads the ‘Ungal Kural/Hamari Awaz helpline – Access to Remedy’ initiative, strengthening grievance redressal mechanisms and promoting responsible workplace practices across factory settings. She oversees helpline operations, capacity-building programmes for the key stakeholders – workers factories and suppliers, case remediation and data-driven analysis to identify systemic gaps and support sustainable improvements in working conditions of the workers.

Bipul
Project Coordinator – Access to Remedy (Project based employee)

Mr. Bipul Kumar Limma

Mr. Bipul Kumar Limma is a social development professional with over 15 years of experience in the development sector, and has worked in multiple themes such as labour rights, grievance redressal, child protection, education, and community development.

He currently serves as Project Coordinator for Ungal Kural/ Hamari Awaz helpline – Access to Remedy Project at Change Alliance Pvt. Ltd., where he offers assistance to the workers in Hindi and Odia through the helpline, facilitates resolution of workers’ grievance, and supports training at the factory levels.

Bipul has previously worked with organizations such as ActionAid Association (India), CFCA–Unbound (USA), Udayan Care, and Asha Deep Foundation, and represented India at the World Social Forum 2024 in Nepal. He holds an MSW from IGNOU, a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Rights from IIHR, New Delhi, and a Bachelor’s degree in History (Hons.) from S.K.C.G. College, Odisha.

Beyond his professional work, Bipul is also an artist and photographer, using visual media—such as wall paintings and educational posters—to creatively support worker training and community awareness initiatives.

Kavya
Project Coordinator – Access to Remedy (Project based employee)

Ms. Kavya K

Ms. Kavya was born and raised in Bangalore, Karnataka. She completed her Industrial Training as an Electrician and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Political Science, and Sociology from Bangalore University. She has completed a basic counselling course as well.

She currently serves as Project Coordinator for Ungal Kural/ Hamari Awaz helpline – Access to Remedy Project at Change Alliance Pvt. Ltd., where she offers assistance to the workers in Tamil through the helpline, she facilitates resolution of workers grievance, and also supports the lead in overall functioning of the helpline.

Growing up in a community of garment workers, Kavya was inspired by her mother, who worked in the garment industry, to engage in social activities from an early age.

Kavya began her professional journey as a Trainee Researcher with an NGO, contributing to studies on garment workers that focused on living wages, occupational health and safety, working conditions, and gender-based issues. Over the past decade, she has managed a Worker Resource Center, supported migrant workers, handled legal and personal cases, and facilitated training programs on leadership, communication, and labour laws. She has worked with garment, plantation, leather, and sex workers, as well as with transgender communities.

Project Coordinator – Access to Remedy (Project based employee)

Ms. Maheshwari Thota

Ms. Maheshwari Thota holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and began her career in public health programs, working closely with communities vulnerable to HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues.

She has been working as a development professional for more than 20 years. She has been actively involved in designing training and communication materials on public health and has collaborated extensively with government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and community-based groups.

She currently serves as Project Coordinator for Ungal Kural/ Hamari Awaz helpline – Access to Remedy Project at Change Alliance Pvt. Ltd., where she offers assistance to the workers in Telugu through the helpline, she facilitates resolution of workers grievance and supports in workers training.

Maheshwari is a strong advocate of a rights-based approach and emphasizes community participation as essential for creating effective and sustainable programs.

Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places and cuisines, finding inspiration and balance through these experiences.

Project Coordinator – Access to Remedy (Project based employee)

Ms. Sandhyarani Kanungo

Ms. Sandhya is a development sector professional with a postgraduate degree in Psychology and over seven years of experience working with NGOs in the areas of psychosocial support, crisis intervention, and coordination.

She is skilled in counselling and has been actively engaged in CSR initiatives, collaborating with various organizations to conduct programs such as Kidz Carnival and awareness campaigns for women and child welfare in association with the Child Welfare Committee.

She currently serves as Project Coordinator for Ungal Kural/ Hamari Awaz helpline – Access to Remedy Project at Change Alliance Pvt. Ltd., where she offers assistance to the workers in Hindi and Odia through the helpline, she facilitates resolution of workers’ grievance and supports in workers training.

Beyond her professional work, Sandhya embraces life with authenticity and confidence—unapologetically herself.

Head – Development Advisory and Partnerships

Mr. Mukul Dixit

PhD Scholar in Management (and secured gold medal for PG Diploma in Hydrogeology. He possesses a first-class master’s degree in Geology, AMU Aligarh, India. He has attended in campus international executive courses from Cambridge, Melbourne, Centre for Creative Leadership and La Trobe University). He is licensed for qualitative research and humanitarian competency assessor.

He has a proven 28 year international and national experience ranging-project management, advisory consulting services, resource and fund raising, strategic consortium management, research and evaluations. He has been associated with organizations such as CRISIL, Mott MacDonald, The Nature Conservancy, World Vision International, Habitat for Humanity, BillionBricks Singapore, AFPRO, ISAP India Foundation, etc. He has been instrumental in forming various consortiums for the large projects in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Singapore, Afghanistan and Canada.

His project/ programme management of large social development, water, agriculture, livelihood, climate change and infrastructure projects having components of urban infrastructure including mixed use land development, slum rehabilitation and redevelopment, water supply and sanitation, climate change, disaster risk reduction and response, school infrastructure, agriculture-irrigation infrastructure, housing and energy finance, watershed management, etc. funded by multi-bi-lateral, govt. and private sectors.

Apart from working in India, He has international experience of 12 years in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Canada, Singapore and Afghanistan. His clients are or were World Bank, JICA, EU, AFD, UN, ADB, USAID, AUSAID, CIDA, SDC, Federal Republic of Germany, KOICA, HKSAR, etc.), BMGF, ENGIE, IRRI, Michigan University, etc. and national- international CSR corporates including companies, banks, PSUs, HFCs, Technology partners, etc.

During his tenure on the projects that he has undertaken in India and other countries, he has been responsible for contract compliances, financial management, quality assurance of the project deliverable, M&E, internal and external programmatic and financial reports, audits, etc. to ensure client/donor requirements.

Head – Finance

Anjali Sachdev

A dynamic financial professional with 15+ years of cross sector experience spanning financial planning, compliance, operations, and social impact. Known for strengthening governance, enhancing financial transparency, and driving organizational efficiency through upgraded reporting and internal control systems. Brings proven expertise in CSR, DEI, corporate volunteering, and sustainable social impact financing, along with a strong background in corporate banking and outsourced financial operations. Backed by CA degree and certification in BRSR from ICAI and Green Belt Certified in Donor Fund Management, with impactful contributions across organizations in leadership roles in TERI, Genpact, Teach for India, The Federal Bank Ltd and American Express Pvt Ltd.
Manager – Climate Change Adaptation Resilience & Livelihood & DRR

Loveson Samuel

A senior climate and development professional with over 22 years of experience, working at the intersection of climate resilience, water resource management, and sustainable rural development across India. Brings extensive expertise in integrating climate change adaptation, natural resource management, WASH, and disaster risk reduction into large-scale development programs, alongside proven leadership in emergency and disaster response operations.

Has held leadership and advisory roles with organizations including World Vision India, Vanabandhu NRMS Pvt. Ltd., Piramal Foundation and served as a Consultant positioned with the Ministry of Jal Shakti in support of the Jal Jeevan Mission. Has also undertaken research and consulting assignments with the Indian Institute of Forest Management and other development partners. Has worked closely with government ministries, UN agencies, and civil society organizations to design, implement, and strengthen climate-resilient systems and policies.

Recognized for leading multi-state programs, managing emergency operations, and strengthening institutional and community capacities through strategic partnerships and technical guidance. Combines strong program leadership with policy engagement, knowledge development, and capacity-building expertise.
Holds an M.Phil. in Natural Resource Management from the Indian Institute of Forest Management, along with qualifications in law (LL.B.), economics, and business management. A recipient of the DAAD scholarship, he attended the International Summer School in Forestry at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany. Multilingual, with proficiency in English, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, and French.

Senior Manager Impact Advisory

Rijo George

Rijo George is a seasoned development professional with 14 years of experience in regional and participatory development, poverty eradication, community-based organisations, skill development, agri value chain, and livelihoods. He has worked with Andhra Pradesh state livelihood mission, UNDP, the Government of India’s Ministry of Rural Development, and the British High Commission.

Rijo’s educational foundation is in Agricultural Sciences from Kerala Agricultural University (2003-2007), followed by a Post Graduation in Rural Management from IRMA, Anand (2008-10). In 2021-22, he completed a Master in Public Administration programme from the National University of Singapore.

Rijo’s professional journey began in 2010, following his MBA from IRMA. He started as a Young Professional at the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SRLM of Andhra Pradesh) where he worked on poverty eradication utilising microfinance and microenterprises through women SHGs, and supported the design and implementation of a large-scale household poverty survey. In his role as State Mission Manager for the Employment Generation and Marketing Mission (2012-15), Rijo was part of the upper management team implementing a large-scale skill development programme targeting rural unemployed youth in Andhra Pradesh. As the skill development initiatives were being scaled up nationally, he was also part of many policy discussions at the national level organised by UNDP and MoRD.

Rijo then served as a Project Officer for UNDP (2015-18), where he provided technical assistance to MoRD on convergence initiatives and GIS implementation in MGNREGA. He was part of organising more than 50 capacity building programs for bureaucrats and local government office bearers on the convergence strategy for development. In 2018, he assumed the leadership role for a Project Management Unit at MoRD on the convergence initiatives. He worked on focused development of select geographies utilising convergence of resources from multiple sources – existing government schemes, CSR, private sector inputs, and voluntary sector.

In 2020-21, he moved to the British High Commission and worked on promoting bilateral partnerships in research. He coordinated with national scientific bodies of India and the UK, as well as prominent universities and academicians to deliver research partnerships. During 2022-24, Rijo worked as an independent public policy consultant to multiple clients, tackling diverse assignments in the sustainability realm. This included projects on governance reforms in disaster management administration, agri value chain analysis for cooperatives, and policy analysis of parliament questions among others.

In his leisure time, Rijo enjoys reading popular articles and listening to podcasts.

Project Officer - Livelihood and Climate Resilience

Sourav Mohanta

Sourav is a dedicated development professional with 7 years of working experience on Sustainable Agriculture, Farm & Non-Farm based Livelihood, Water and Sanitation, Climate Change and Communities Resilience Building Practices etc. to reduce the vulnerability of the most marginalised communities in the rural areas of India. He has accomplished the master’s degree in agriculture, Rural and Tribal Development from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute, Jharkhand and also completed the Post-Graduation Diploma in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) from TATA Institute of Social Sciences, Maharashtra.

He has sound understanding and practical experience in Agriculture, WASH, Socio-economic development related issues and exposure during his professional journey with various NGOs and UNICEF while playing different roles in programme implementation and management in rural areas of multiple states. During his association with Change Alliance Private Limited (CAPL), Sourav has held with multiple responsibilities including overall coordination of the UNDP supported Infrastructure for Climate Resilient Growth (ICRG) programme. Presently, he is associated as Livelihood, Research and Documentation Expert and coordinating the GiZ India supported Enhancing Rural Resilience through Appropriate Development Actions (ERADA) project in Bihar and also supporting the Organic Cotton programme of Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) in Gujarat & Rajasthan and also technically supporting the scoping study on Disaster Resilient Livelihood practices in Odisha

Head of Programmes

Semeda Steves

Semeda is one of Change Alliance’s focal points for gender empowerment, livelihoods and health projects.
She is a highly skilled trainer in the field of gender and organisational policy development.

Having spent more than 28 years in the development sector, Semeda has worked on the issues of domestic violence and women’s rights, the rights of slum dwellers, human trafficking and, HIV and AIDS.

Empowered with a vast experience in programme design and management, nurturing partnerships, grant management, accompaniment, monitoring and adhering to compliances and donor reporting, she is currently managing and heading programmes pan India.

Project Manager

Purushottam Kumar

Purushottam Kumar is a seasoned professional in the field of business and human rights and Labour rights, with a strong focus on global value chains. He has made significant contributions in promoting ethical and sustainable labour practices in various supply chains like Garment, Leather, and Seafood Processing Industry. Purushottam excelled in stakeholder engagement, fostering relationships with industry suppliers, government departments, and international organizations. His expertise extends to advocacy and compliance with international guidelines such as the United Nations Guiding Principles and OECD due diligence guidelines. He actively engaged with multiple Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs) like the Partnership for Sustainable Textile, Fair Wear Foundation, Amfori BSCI, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, and Indo-German Network for Business and Human Rights.

His collaborative efforts with the research teams in his previous work has led to in-depth studies on labor practices and supply chain sustainability. He conducted multi-perspective research studies and engaged in multi-stakeholder dialogue forums on barriers to quality employment generation within micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). His efforts contributed to the publication of the book “Reversed Subsidies: Gender, Labour, and Environment in Garment Value Chains” by Cambridge University Press. Purushottam holds an MBA in Sustainable Development Practices from Birla Institute of Management Technology and a Bachelor of Arts from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He has also earned certifications in Sustainable Development Practices from the Global Association and completed the course “The Age of Sustainable Development” from Columbia University. Purushottam Kumar’s expertise encompasses program management, business and human rights, research and advocacy, corporate social responsibility and stakeholder engagement. His dedication to creating an ethical value chain and promoting sustainability underscores his commitment to positive social impact.

Programme Lead

Dr Deepak S Nikarthil Ph.D

Dr Deepak S Nikarthil Ph.D. is an inclusive and sustainable development expert and socioeconomic development professional with over 9 years of experience in India and Asia. He did his graduation from St. Stephan’s College, New Delhi and master’s from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He also holds a Ph.D. in Health Governance from Centre for Study of Law and Governance (CSLG), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.

In his last role, Deepak worked as Senior Program Coordinator with Cividep India in Bangalore, where he managed the Multi Actor Partnership Programme for Gender and Health. He undertook research on Health among women garment workers in export-oriented garment industry and creation of guidelines for health vulnerabilities in the garment factories in Bangalore. His prior role included, working as Inclusive Development Programme Lead in Swasti Health Catalysts in Bangalore. In this role, he worked closely with USAID India Health Office, for implementation of inclusion in their health programmes in the country. He worked with Neilsen India Pvt. Ltd. as a consultant/technical expert for NACO project on high-risk population in Uttarakhand.

In his another significant role, Deepak worked with Swadhikar-NCDHR as programme and Research Manager for International Advocacy. He has assisted in creation of Global Forum on Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) a global coalition of caste and caste like communities around the world. He was the first coordinator for the coalition. He was instrumental in this group to be recognized as one of the stakeholder groups within Maor Group and other Stakeholders (MGoS) for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) both in Asia and Globally.

Chief Executive Officer

Anand Kumar Bolimera

Anand is the Chief Executive Officer at Change Alliance. In the past, he was heading the Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) Programme, one of the largest civil society programmes of Department for International Development (DFID) in India. He also worked as the Country Director of Christian Aid, UK India country programme.

He has over two decades of extensive experience in strategic planning, programme development & design, programme implementation & partnership management, multi-stakeholder engagement and impact assessment. He led several humanitarian response programmes, which includes relief, rehabilitation and resettlement. He has worked with bilateral aid institutions and civil society organisations on long term development programmes, emergency responses, pro-poor market and enterprise-based development initiatives.

He has been actively engaging with the private sector in promoting inclusive policies and diversity.

Our Consultants

Consultant

Avinav Kumar

Avinav is a seasoned development professional with extensive experience of working in the social sector for past 16 years on multiple issues concerning the marginalised and socially excluded communities. He brings a strong understanding and work experience of integrated development issues and a multi sectoral exposure in his professional journey.

He has been associated in implementation and management of large – scale development programmes right from grassroots to international NGOs in multiple states. During his association with Change Alliance, Avinav has been associated with the Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) Programme, an initiative of the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID), where he held multiple responsibilities.

As Head of Programmes for PACS he led the designing of programme interventions and strategic campaigns for the seven states of PACS and managed their effective implementation with 225 Civil Society Organization partners and other stakeholders. Avinav also conceptualized and led the knowledge management portfolio of the PACS programme, synthesizing learning and experiences from the seven years of the programme.

He holds a post-graduate qualification in Forest Management from India Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal and presently works with Change Alliance as Head of Programmes, based in Bhopal.

Consultant

Swati Kundra

Swati works as a consultant with Change Alliance.

She is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of experience in the finance domain, in a multi-cultural, multi-dimensional and multi-sectorial environment.

In the initial 7 years of her career, she had worked with for-profit corporates. Later, she headed the finance of the PACS – DFID programme.

Swati’s key strengths are grant management, legal compliances, risk management, devising policies and procedures for large scale grant programmes and ensuring their implementation and strategic management of finance to achieve best value for money

Vision

Changing lives through inclusive growth and sustainable development for a better tomorrow.

Mission

We provide consultancy for efficient and high-impact sustainable development programmes, delivered with professionalism, innovation, and the ability to tackle complex challenges in a fast-moving development landscape.

We offer a unique combination of a proven track record, breadth of expertise, and extensive reach to bridge the gap between policy and practice. Through our longstanding networks, we connect clients with diverse stakeholders to drive meaningful change.

With end-to-end experience in project design and execution, we bring the relationships, expertise, and technical capacity to manage a wide range of thematic projects across various geographic locations.

Our Values

Quality and professionalism.

We provide high quality professional services and technical support to our clients. This, in turn, we believe will help bridge the gap and bring measurable impact on communities and people’s lives.

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Collaboration and partnership

We work in a spirit of collaboration and partnership with organisations towards achieving a common purpose and goal.

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Accountability and impact

We believe in transparent and accountable development and the principle of value for money.

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Learning and sharing

We believe in mutual sharing of knowledge and best practices to help bring change.

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Honesty and respect

We place honesty and respect for others at the heart of what we do – the people and communities we reach through programmes, partner organisations and our clients.

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Innovation and scale

We believe in innovative and replicable approaches for driving us towards inclusive development at scale.

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Equity and inclusion

We seek solutions to poverty issues and to change lives through inclusive and equitable development.

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