Core Team
Mr. Vijay Mahajan (Dean)
BASIX Group CEO and Chairman , was educated at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (1970-75); the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (1979-81); and at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, USA (1988-89). He co-founded PRADAN in 1983, Sa-dhan in 1998 and APMAS in 2000. He has co-authored a book “The Forgotten Sector” on the rural non-farm sector and written over 50 articles on rural livelihoods, development and micro-finance. He is a member of the Committee on Financial Inclusion, the Microfinance Equity and Development Fund and is also on the Board of CGAP, the global microfinance apex. He was selected as “Outstanding Social Entrepreneur” by the Schwab Foundation of the World Economic Forum, Davos, 2003
Dr. Sankar Datta (Dean)
A Graduate in Agriculture , Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Management (MBA) from Institute of Rural Management (IRMA), and PhD in Agricultural Economics.He has over 26 years of Experience in Development Sector( both in practice and academic).He worked with the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), and later was a member faculty of the Institute of Rural Management , Anand (IRMA) between 1989-1996 and had launched the international management appreciation programme specially designed to cater to the needs of NGOs. He was a founding member of PRADAN and then BASIX.He also headed the operations in BASIX in its initial years.
Dr. K.V. Gouri (Deputy Dean)
A Post Graduate in Zoology, Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Management (PGDRM) from Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), and PhD in Management from Golden State University of USA. She has about 25 years of industry experience in the varied sectors of PSU, media and education. After her first stint with promoting primary cooperatives of oilseeds growers in AP with AP Oilfed, she moved on to Internet Department of Vaartha, the popular daily newspaper. Following this she had joined the ICFAI, where she rose to the position of an Associate Dean, and had some very interesting experiences in promoting ICFAI Universities in several states. She brings in a unique understanding of academic administration in addition to her rich experience of working at the grassroots.
Nabarun Sengupta (Senior Faculty)
A Postgraduate in Social Sciences, from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, (TISS) Mumbai. He has over 16 years of experience in Development sector. He worked as a Faculty at Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad , managing Post Graduate programme in NGO management.
Dhruv J. Sengupta (Senior Faculty)
A Postgraduate Diploma in Rural management from XISS, Ranchi, M.Phil in Natural Resource Management from Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. He has over 17 years of experience in NRM and Microfinance.
Barna Baibhaba Panda (Senior Faculty Associate)
An MBA from Sambalpur University, Orissa. He has over 14 years of experience in Natural Resource Management, Livelihood and Rural Self Governance. He is presently in the team of EIRC and based at Kolkata.
Mahua Roy Choudhury (Senior Faculty Associate)
A Post Graduate in Rural Development from Xavier Institute for Social Service, Ranchi, and has over 11 years of experience in development sector. She has been associated with the Watershed Development Department of CAPART from 1998-2000, she then joined PRADAN and continued there till 2007. She joined the School in Feb,2009 as Senior Faculty Associate and is responsible for expansion of the School’s activities in Bihar.
G.A.Swamy (Senior Faculty Associate)
A postgraduate in Social work discipline from Andhra University and having 11 years of developmental experience. He worked with NGOs like APMAS, LAYA, SARDS and INGOs like Aide et Action and PSI. He worked with multiple sectors like tribal development, micro finance, Institution building and prevention of HIV. He has expertise in liveilhood promotion and capacity building. He is presently associated with SIRC team based at Hyderabad.
Dr. Rajendra S. Gautam (Senior Faculty Associate)
An M.Phil in Environmental Politics and Doctorate in Participatory Watershed Development and Management He has over 5 years of experience in Development Sector. He is presently in the team of CIRC.
Anamika Prasad (Faculty Associate)
Post graduate diploma in Rural Development from Xavier Institute of Social Service. She has 10 years of experience in development sector in diverse thematic areas particularly in Gender, Education and livelihood spread over several states of the country. She also has expertise in capacity building, institution building and research with cut across many thematic areas.She is presently in the team of EIRC.