Navigator Crew

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Sandhya Singh
Chief Finance Officer

Sandhya is the Chief Finance Officer at Atmashakti Trust, where she has been a pivotal part of the team for the past 14 years. With 23 years of experience in Finance, Human Resource Management, and Administration, Sandhya excels in financial planning, analysis, auditing, budgeting, and statutory compliance. Her previous roles at ‘The Other Media’ and ‘PANOS South Asia’ in the development sector have honed her skills in optimizing fund utilization and supporting program teams.
Sandhya holds an Inter C.A. qualification, a PGDBM in Financial Management from NMIMS, and has completed the Executive Programme in Business Finance from IIM-A in 2021. Known for her thorough professionalism, keen communication, and continuous learning, she is committed to advancing Atmashakti Trust’s mission through strategic financial leadership. Additionally, as an active member of the Internal Complaints Committee, she plays a crucial role in promoting a safe and inclusive work environment. Sandhya is dedicated to advancing Atmashakti Trust’s mission through her financial acumen and leadership.

Santosh Kumar
Program Lead

Santosh joined Atmashakti in July 2015, bringing over 18 years of rich experience in social movements and people’s organizations. A postgraduate in Sociology from Shobhit University, Meerut, Santosh completed an 18-month internship with the National Centre for Advocacy Studies in Pune, where he honed his skills in community mobilization, advocacy, and policy-level intervention.


His previous roles include work with Jan Adhikar Kendra, Jeewan Mashal Samiti, and the Programme for Social Action, where he focused on building alliances and networks with Civil Society organizations. Santosh’s commitment to social justice is further evidenced by his consultancy and fellowship roles in numerous rights-based forums and organizations. He is also a Co-Founder of Dalit Shakti Sangathan in Bihar and has been honored with the UNV Karamveer Chakra Award for his significant contributions to people’s movements. As a quick learner and team player with a positive attitude, Santosh continues to make invaluable contributions to Atmashakti’s mission and impact.

Jaya Bharti
Senior Program Lead

Jaya Bharti is a forward-thinking leader with over 20 years of experience in the social development sector. She is passionate about creating an enabling environment for marginalized children and youth. Her expertise spans Organization Development, Operations Management, Program Management, Consortium Management, and Resource Mobilization.


Within Atmashakti she leads designing and implementing innovative models for people’s collectives, measuring social impact, and managing large-scale volunteer initiatives. Additionally, she excels in capacity building for teams and community leaders. In 2012, she ventured into eco-feminist entrepreneurship by launching a Start-up, Ayaad Foundation. She also started the Dimagshala learning center in Rural Rajasthan to support underprivileged children from the most marginalized community. For her work she was also awarded the BBC Top 100 women award in 2015.

Her commitment to innovation and sustainable development led her to join Atmashakti in 2021, where she works on youth mobilization, volunteer engagement and Sangathan sustainability, collaborating with networks to empower tribal and Dalit communities for creating a strong foundation for a bright future of the tribal and marginalized children and youth.

Neha
Senior Program Manager

Neha is a dedicated and passionate professional in the social sector with postgraduate degrees in Computer Science and Social Work. Since joining Atmashakti in 2016, she has brought over 11 years of diverse experience to the organization, supporting the rights of migrant workers, women, and industrial workers in the Delhi-NCR area.


Her efforts also extend to marginalized Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. Neha’s multifaceted career includes roles as a Field Researcher, Labour Organizer, and Field Investigator with various social organizations. She has conducted significant research on migrant workers for the International Labour Organization (ILO) and has used puppetry to raise awareness about critical social issues as a team member of the Katkatha Puppets Art Trust.

In addition to her work with Atmashakti, she has contributed to the India Vision Foundation, focusing on the rehabilitation and empowerment of female prison inmates, helping them reintegrate into society. Her commitment to making a positive impact in her community and advocating for the rights of the underserved is evident in every aspect of her work. Neha’s diverse background and unwavering dedication make her an invaluable asset to the social sector and a beacon of hope for those she serves.

Manoj Kumar Samantaray
State Program Lead

Manoj holds a Master’s in Social Work from Utkal University and is currently pursuing an Executive Post Graduation Program (EPGP) in Data Science and AI from the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIITB). Since joining Atmashakti in 2016, he has leveraged 17 years of experience in the social development sector to excel in Disaster Risk Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Convergence, and Networking. Before Atmashakti, Manoj made significant contributions at organizations such as IPE Global Ltd, CENDERT, XIMB, Seba Dharitree, CORD, and SRISTI.
At IPE Global Ltd., he played a key role in supporting operational and technical reforms in MGNREGA, the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), and Paddy Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) in Odisha. Manoj aspires to specialize in Rural and Urban Development and is committed to multidisciplinary learning and professional growth. His extensive background and dedication make him a valuable asset in driving impactful changes in both rural and urban development initiatives.

Nityananda Thanapati
Senior Program Manager

Nityananda holds a Master’s in Social Work from ITMS – Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He has worked as a Trainer of PHFI, NACO, and OSACS on HIV/AIDS and Sexual Reproductive Health.

In his 20 years in the Development Sector, Nitya has worked in the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha with National and International NGOs managing different projects related to school and mass education, projects on accountability and governance vis-à-vis MGNREGA, community mobilization to name a few.

 

Nitya joined Atmashakti in 2017 as a Program Manager for Special Projects. Nitya is an energetic person who looks forward to taking on new assignments from time to time and bringing them to their logical conclusion in a mature and responsible manner. He currently oversees E-Sangathan and the Twitter initiative 12 Baje 12 Minute.

Henarani Nayak
Senior Program Manager

Hena is instrumental in advancing women’s leadership on a global scale and plays a key role in shaping the strategic direction and guidelines to foster a supportive work environment at Atmashakti Trust. With 20 years of experience in gender equality and multi-sectoral interventions, her expertise spans sexual and reproductive health and rights, maternal and child health, gender-based violence, agriculture, food security, migration, and trafficking.
Prior to joining Atmashakti, Hena managed the “Prevention of Trafficking of Women and Girls in India” project for the NAWO-Odisha Chapter and supported diverse state programs with various NGOs and INGOs in Punjab and Odisha. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from Allahabad Agriculture University-Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and was honoured as a Professional Fellow by the US Department of State in 2018.