I lead the technology vertical and coordinate data analysis to support activities in our pilots. My responsibility involves a combination of fieldwork for data collection, building simulations and machine learning models combining primary and satellite data. I am designing a 3D virtual environment where communities can interact with their forests. I also lead collaborations with technology partners including government agencies and research institutions. I am interested in complex adaptive system, human-environment coupling, population genetics and complex networks and have become fascinated with self-organized criticality and role of institutions in socio-ecological systems.
Folks
We are a bunch of friendly folks! Don’t be a stranger now!
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Abhijeet Parmar
Researcher and Technology Lead
#complexity #socio-ecologicalSystems #geospatial -
Apurva Duddu
Governance Specialist and Himachal Pradesh Pilot Leader
#SGDs #research
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Ashwini Chhatre
Associate Professor and Executive Director, BIPP, ISB
#public policy #research #governance
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Avijit Chatterjee
Project Specialist and Community Expert
#On the Field
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Freyam Mehta
Student Intern and Technology Enthusiast
#Technology for Good
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Nitisha Jaiswal
Project Associate, Operations and Management
#travel #operations
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Ravindra S. Chunarkar
Project Specialist and Field Coordinator
#enagement #research
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Sangeetha Hariharan
Grant Management, Operations and Administration
#audit #visualization
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Sanjoy Mondal
Field Coordinator and Mapping Specialist
#GPS #data
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Sushma Kattamuri
Corporate Engagement Specialist & Communications
#responsiblebusiness #sustainability
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Yamini Kumar
Content Creation, Communication and Outreach
#gender #empowerment
Apurva Duddu
Governance Specialist and Himachal Pradesh Pilot Leader
I lead the initiative on the forest economy in Himachal Pradesh. This takes me to Shimla to meet government stakeholders and researchers working on forest economy. Most of my time in Himachal Pradesh has been spent in the remote Pangi valley, living and working with local communities. I support activities of the Kisaan Sabha in Chhota Bhangal, where 28 Gram Sabhas are collectively governing more than 35000 hectares of forests. I also manage the content generation for our website, at least until we find someone better! My only regret is being allergic to mushrooms, especially when the families prepare Morel Mushrooms for dinner.
Ashwini Chhatre
Associate Professor and Executive Director, BIPP, ISB
I lead the initiative on the forest economy at Indian School of Business. This allows me to collaborate with Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries, and leaders of industry in India about the potential of an inclusive forest economy. On the other hand, I also coordinate activities with civil society organizations both local and national. I expect to spearhead the creation of new knowledge that changes the perceptions about forests from a space of poverty to a space of opportunity. My interest is in democratic governance at the landscape level covering forests, agriculture, water, and climate change.
Avijit Chatterjee
Project Specialist and Community Expert
Avijit Chatterjee is a Project Specialist associate at Forest Governance Department, BIPP. He is working on the ground with Tribals and various other stakeholders in the Gumla district of Jharkhand and Malkangiri District in Odisha. Avijit is also extensively working with the communities on claim filing and building awareness for the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
Freyam Mehta
Student Intern and Technology Enthusiast
I am a sophomore at International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad. I am responsible for planning and overseeing the development and the deployment of the application suite for supporting community forest rights. I spearhead the creation of an intuitive and lightweight android application for local communities to record and capture information about their forests. I am confident that we can leverage the applications I develop for a positive impact.
Nitisha Jaiswal
Project Associate, Operations and Management
I am the reason why the team can work on this initiative. I take care of logistics. I pay the bills. I keep the engine running. I support Sangeetha and Durga in carrying out administrative responsibilities of the initiative.
Ravindra S. Chunarkar
Project Specialist and Field Coordinator
I coordinate field activities in Gadchiroli district. I work closely with our partners Aami Amcha Aarogya Sathi and Korchi Maha Gram Sabha. I am facilitating a business partnership between Korchi Maha Gram Sabha and Ballarpur Industries for procurement of bamboo for paper production. I am documenting the experience of Korchi Maha Gram Sabha in their engagement with markets for Seasonal Forest Products.
Sangeetha Hariharan
Grant Management, Operations and Administration
I facilitate operations for the initiative by helping coordination within Bharti Institute of Public Policy, and across other verticals in Indian School of Business. I shied the team from having to deal with HR, Operations, Finance, and other beasts of beaurocracy.
Sanjoy Mondal
Field Coordinator and Mapping Specialist
I provide ground support for data collection. I train community resource persons in mapping using GPS and collecting ecological data using forest plots. I ensure that the data is prepared and compiled for analysis. I enjoy traveling to our field sites across multiple states.
Sushma Kattamuri
Corporate Engagement Specialist & Communications
I lead the corporate vertical for the initiative on forest economy. I work with industry partners to generate support for and endorsement of community forest rights. I also support the pilots by identifying big buyers for high value Seasonal Forest Products. My role requires building a strategy for corporate engagement to support pilot initiatives. I am excited about collaborating with industry partners to develop fossil fuel substitutes out of forest products.
Yamini Kumar
Content Creation, Communication and Outreach
I develop content for outreach. This has taken me to Pangi in Himachal Pradesh and Gumla in Jharkhand. I make sure that our fieldwork activities are reflected in our outreach through pictures and videos. I also support our corporate vertical with research inputs. I am interested to look at forest governance through the lens of gender.