Here are the diverse group of renowned experts who will present ground breaking research and provide valuable perspectives on the latest trends and developments in the field of adolescent health, nutrition and well-being.
International Speakers
Dr. Kirk Tickell is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington, where his work focuses on improving outcomes for malnourished and acutely ill children in low- and middle-income countries. He serves as Lead Epidemiologist and Network Coordinator for the Childhood Acute Illness and Nutrition (CHAIN) Network, leading research to understand and reduce mortality among this vulnerable population.
He is principal investigator of multiple NIH- and Thrasher Foundation–funded clinical trials exploring the intersection of enteric function, pediatric infectious diseases, and malnutrition. Dr. Tickell completed his medical training at Imperial College London and practiced in the UK, Tanzania, and South Africa before earning his MPH and PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Washington.
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirkby-kirk-tickell-246899102/
Professor Kirk Tickell
is an Acting Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington
Pierre Paul Michel Thomas, PhD Assistant Professor Institute of Public Health Genomics, Genetics and Cell Biology cluster, GROW Research School for Oncology and Development Biology, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Linkedin :https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-p-m-thomas-phd-9b87b4118/
Dr. Pierre P.M. Thomas
PhD Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) Institute of Public Health Genomics (IPHG) G&C Department, GROW research school, FHML Maastricht University, The Netherlands
Senior Research Scientist, Global Health, University of Washington
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrus-mugo-09babb133/
Dr. Cyrus Mugo, MBChB, MPH, has a background training in medicine, global health, epidemiology, implementation science and information & technology. Dr. Mugo has 10-year experience in designing and managing research projects including clinical trials and implementation science projects for pediatric, adolescent and adult HIV prevention, testing, treatment and treatment support, infectious disease surveillance and other observational studies in Kenya, Nigeria and the United States. He has also gained experience in over 9 years offering clinical care in rural and urban public and private settings. This has enabled him to develop a unique perspective on the health care needs for Kenya and appropriate, adaptable solutions.
Dr. Cyrus Mugo, MBChB, MPH
Senior Research Scientist, Global Health, University of Washington
She is a Nutritionist advocating sustainable nutrition and actively promoting a healthy lifestyle. She works in public health, private sector, education and research. She has worked in Geriatric Nutrition, by improving the quality of Life of the Elderly by improving their appetite and reducing the sodium intake. She is also involved in auditing of academic programmes and community engagement. Her project on the Elderly has been awarded with the Silver Award for the Best Community Programme at the 9th Annual Global CSR Summit & Awards and the Global Good Governance Awards 2017 held in Langkawi, Malaysia.
She was also awarded the Community Leadership award: Innovation in Community Service, IMU 2017 & 2021.
Linkedin :https://www.linkedin.com/in/snigdha-misra-74322123/
Dr. Snigdha Misra
Associate Professor Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Co-founder and CEO of SOCHAI Nepal
Bonita Sharma is a Public Health and Nutrition Activist and Co-founder and CEO of Social Changemakers and Innovators (SOCHAI).
In 2019, she was listed by the BBC among the 100 most influential women in the world. She is the winner of the Goalkeeper Global Goals Progress Award 2020 given by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has been recognized by UNESCO as a Female Champion for educating women and girls in Nepal.
She is a member of the Provincial Nutrition and Food Security Steering Committee (NFSSC) of Bagmati Province, Government of Nepal. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public health and a master’s degree in Food and Nutrition.
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonita-sharma-309843129/
Ms. Bonita Sharma
Co-founder and CEO of SOCHAI Nepal
Programme Director- #Bleedgood Initiative Selyn Foundation
Ms. Shanuki de Alwis is the Programme Director of the #BleedGood Initiative at Selyn Foundation, championing menstrual health, hygiene, and dignity in Sri Lanka. A TEDx speaker and award‑winning changemaker, she harnesses creative communications and community engagement to break taboos and empower women and girls.
Recognized as one of Sri Lanka’s Top 50 Women in Management, Shanuki has over two decades of experience in advocacy, advertising, and social impact. Her work combines humor, theatre, and storytelling to spark meaningful change. Beyond #BleedGood, she is a vocal advocate for mental health, gender equity, sustainability, and inclusion.
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanukidealwis/
Ms. Shanuki de Alwis
Programme Director- #Bleedgood Initiative Selyn Foundation
Indian Speakers
Mrs. Roli Singh is presently Additional Secretary and Mission Director at the National Health Mission in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, of Government of India
Alumnus of Welham Girls School and Lady Sriram College, from where she graduated in History, Mrs. Singh holds Master’s Degree in Public Management and Governance from the London School of Economics. She belongs to the 1994 batch of the IAS, Rajasthan Cadre.
In her vast career spanning almost 31 years in the Civil Services, she has worked across various sectors including Health, Medical Education, Women and Child Welfare. Besides, she has held important positions in the Department of Personnel & Training, the HR and capacity building wing of the Government, both at the State and the Central Government at the middle and higher management levels. She has also held faculty position at the premier Civil Services Training Institution, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration – Mussoorie. Her area of interests includes Public Service Delivery and the Regulatory institutional architecture. She is also an avid reader and enjoys gardening.
Ms. Roli Singh
Additional Secretary and Mission Director at the National Health Mission in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, of Government of India
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumita-ghosh-4166bb15/
Dr. Sumita Ghosh is a senior public health expert and policymaker, currently serving as Officer on Special Duty (Health) at NITI Aayog, where she leads national strategies on health and nutrition. She has held key leadership roles at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, including Additional Commissioner for Child Health, Adolescent Health, Aspirational Districts, and National Abortion Care programs, as well as Deputy Commissioner for Maternal Health and Family Planning. With decades of experience in clinical practice, program management, and health policy, she has been instrumental in advancing India’s public health agenda.
Dr Sumita Ghosh
Officer on Special Duty (Health), NITI Aayog
Dr. Zoya Ali Rizvi is a senior public health professional with over two decades of experience in India’s government health sector across district, state, and national levels. Currently serving as Deputy Commissioner at the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, she leads the Rashtriya Kishor SwasthyaKaryakram (National Adolescent Health Programme), which provides promotive and preventive healthcare for adolescents in facilities, schools, and communities nationwide.
She also oversees the School Health & Wellness Programme under Ayushman Bharat, aimed at improving health literacy and fostering collaboration between healthcare providers and educators to strengthen children’s health and well-being.
Dr. Rizvi is an alumna and gold medalist from King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, and holds a degree from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, reflecting her strong grounding in clinical and public health expertise.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zoya-ali-rizvi/
Dr. Zoya Ali Rizvi
Deputy Commissioner Nutrition and Adolescent Health, National Health Mission, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India
Dr. Mona Duggal is the Director of the ICMR–National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Data Science (formerly NIMS), where she leads strategic research and innovation in digital health, data science, biomedical informatics, and epidemiology. Since the institute’s renaming in April 2024, she has overseen pioneering work in disease surveillance, digital clinical trials, maternal and child health research, and health systems strengthening
An accomplished clinician and researcher, Dr. Duggal joined ICMR’s central leadership in March 2025 as a Scientist‑G and Director. She has an extensive publication record, with impactful studies featured in peer-reviewed journals—ranging from mHealth interventions for perinatal women to AI-enabled chronic disease screening in public health settings
Under her guidance, NIRDHDS is advancing India’s digital health infrastructure and capacity-building, fostering collaborations across government, academia, and global health organizations to inform policy and practice.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mona-duggal-559a8028/
Dr. Mona Duggal
Director ICMR – National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Science ICMR – NIRDHDS
Honorary Distinguished Professor and Goodwill Ambassador of Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) for Public Health Partnerships
Prof. K. Srinath Reddy is an Honorary Distinguished Professor at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). He previously served as President of PHFI and was the head of Cardiology at AIIMS. He held the First Bernard Lown Visiting Professor of Cardiovascular Health position at Harvard School of Public Health and is an Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at Harvard.
Additionally, he is an Adjunct Professor at Emory University, Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney, and Adjunct Professor of Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania. Prof. Reddy received his medical degree from Osmania Medical College, MD and DM degrees from AIIMS, and an MSc in Epidemiology from McMaster University. He has conducted research on global studies of blood pressure, myocardial infarction risk factors, and coronary heart disease epidemiology. Known for his work in preventive cardiology, he advocates for cardiovascular health, tobacco control, nutrition, and chronic disease prevention. He has extensive publications, served on WHO panels, and was President of the World Heart Federation. Furthermore, Prof. Reddy’s leadership extends to the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, and Lancet Commissions on various health-related topics.
Professor K. Srinath Reddy
Honorary Distinguished Professor and Goodwill Ambassador of Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) for Public Health Partnerships
Convenor and Technical Advisor, Public Health Resource Network
Dr. Vandana Prasad is a community pediatrician and public health professional with over two decades experience in social sector. She has been the National Convenor, Secretary and Executive Director of Public Health Resource Network, Joint Convenor of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan and Steering Committee member of the Right to Food Campaign. Her experience and expertise are in the area of malnutrition, health systems strengthening, and child rights. Dr Prasad has been leading models for community-based-management of malnutrition and participatory learning and action with women’s groups in tribal/rural communities with the organisation.
Dr. Vandana Prasad
Advisor, Community Processes and CPHC National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC)
Country Representative India Country Office Engender Health
Dr. Ajay Khera is the Country Representative of Engender Health India, where he leads a diverse portfolio of programs on sexual and reproductive health, maternal and obstetric care, and health systems strengthening. He brings over 30 years of experience in adolescent and child health, obstetrics and gynecology, HIV/AIDS, and communicable diseases in India.
Prior to joining Engender Health, Dr. Khera served as Commissioner for Maternal and Child Health at the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, where he provided national leadership on maternal, child, and adolescent health policies and programs.
He holds an MD in Preventive and Social Medicine from Lady Hardinge Medical College and a Diploma in Gynecology and Obstetrics from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajaykhera/
https://mobile.x.com/ajay_ajaykhera
Dr. Ajay Kumar Khera
Country Representative India Country Office Engender Health
Director Institute of Health Management, Pachod (IHMP), Pune
Dr Ashok Dyalchand is the Founder Director, Institute of Health Management, Pachod in Aurangabad, Maharashtra among others. It is a public health research and training center with a branch in Pune. He specializes in the management of primary health care, reproductive and child health, adolescent health, HIV AIDS and community ophthalmology. For over two decades he has been involved in capacity building and training of health workers and officials from the NGO and Government sectors in community health and health management.
Institute of Health Management, Pachod (IHMP) has been working with unmarried adolescent girls with the aim of empowering them and delaying age at marriage since 1998. IHMP has been working with married adolescent girls since 2003 to delay first birth and address the burden of morbidity, which is a consequence of early motherhood. Since 2013, IHMP has adopted an integrated approach and is working with unmarried adolescent girls, married adolescent girls, boys and young men through a community based approach. The Institute has been invited by the Government to scale up its Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health model through the formal health infrastructure.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashok-dyalchand-4a160827/
Dr. Ashok Dyalchand
Director Institute of Health Management, Pachod (IHMP), Pune
Dr. Aparajita Gogoi serves as the Executive Director of the Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3), a nonprofit mobilizing women and girls to achieve gender equality. Since 1987, C3 has been working in India to support women and girls access rights and address equity by working on issues like girls’ education, delaying age at marriage, improving reproductive and maternal health and rights, and preventing gender-based violence. Dr. Aparajita Gogoi, is a passionate advocate and crusader for health and rights of women and young girls. Dr. Gogoi is also the National Coordinator of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood India, an alliance of over 1,800 organizations who work for women’s right to survive childbirth. She has also been involved in safe motherhood advocacy in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. The very successful “What Women Want” campaign was conceived and implemented in India under her leadership and she guides the global “What Women Want” campaign as the global co-chair. She has received recognition for her work in various forums, including by The Guardian which named her as one of the world’s 100 most inspiring women (2011). India Today, India’s top news magazine, featured her as an Unsung Hero in the Anniversary Issue in December 2019. She holds a PhD in International Politics from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and a Postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparajitagogoi/
Dr. Aparajita Gogoi
Executive Director, Center for Catalyzing Change, National Coordinator, White Ribbon Alliance India
Sr. Public Health and Nutrition expert Ex Sr. Technical Advisor Nutrition, Alive & Thrive South Asia
Dr. Sebanti Ghosh is a senior public health and nutrition expert with over 25 years of experience in nutrition; reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCH+A); gender; and reproductive health and rights. Until 2024, she headed Alive &Thrive’s program in India, providing overall technical and operational leadership to advance nutrition interventions at scale.
Prior to Alive & Thrive, Sebanti was the Senior Technical Advisor, RMNCH+A at John Snow Inc. She has held several leadership roles under the DFID-supported Health Sector Reforms Programme in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. Over her career, she has also worked as a technical expert and consultant with WHO, UN agencies, government bodies, and various NGOs, contributing to impactful public health initiatives across India.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebanti-ghosh-354754109/
Dr. Sebanti Ghosh
Sr. Public Health and Nutrition expert Ex Sr. Technical Advisor Nutrition, Alive & Thrive South Asia
Vice President (Research and Health Promotion)- Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
Prof. Monika Arora is a public health scientist working in the area of Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) prevention and control and adolescent health. She is the Vice President (Research and Health Promotion) at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). She is the President of the NCD Alliance (2023-25), was the founding Chairperson of the South East Asia NCD Alliance (2020-23), and a Founding GB member of the Healthy India Alliance. Her areas of research include: designing, implementing, and evaluating: Group Randomized Trials, Behavioural Research including mixed methods research, Policy Research, Implementation Research, Rapid Programme Review and Impact Evaluation of Policies and Programmes. She has served as a member of the Institutional Ethics Committee of PHFI from 2014 – 2021. She coordinates a multi-disciplinary research team at PHFI. She Chairs the Research Management Committee of PHFI and is also a Member Secretary of the External Research Advisory Council of PHFI.
She has published extensively in the area of NCD Prevention and Control and her research outcomes have successfully informed National Health Programmes in India and in South East Asia Region. She serves on National and International Expert Committees on NCD Prevention and Control, Tobacco Control, Ending Childhood Obesity, WHO Civil Society Working Group on NCDs and has been a Commissioner for the Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health.
She has been honoured with the Best Practices Award in Global Health in 2011 by the prestigious Global Health Council, for demonstrating best practice examples in the area of preventing NCDs among youth in community settings. She has also been awarded WHO Director General’s World No Tobacco Day Award in 2012, the Exceptional Women of Excellence 2018 Award by the Women Economic Forum (WEF) in April 2018 and Dr. Prem Menon outstanding service award in January 2018 by the World-India Diabetes Foundation (WIDF). She has recently been awarded Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine 2023 International Chapter Award for Northern Hemisphere recognizing her work in improving adolescent health in India and globally.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/monika-arora-91556750/
Prof.(Dr.) Monika Arora
Vice President (Research and Health Promotion)- Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
Dr. Sujeet Ranjan is the Chief Executive Officer of United Way Delhi, bringing over two decades of extensive experience in the public health and development sector. He has led large-scale programs, driven policy advocacy, and forged impactful partnerships across diverse organizations.
Prior to his current role, he served as Associate Director – Nutrition at Tata Trusts, where he headed the nutrition portfolio and steered critical interventions in improving nutritional outcomes. He has also held leadership positions as Executive Director at the Coalition for Food and Nutrition Security (CFNS), Director at CARE India, and Chief Operating Officer at Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad.
Dr. Ranjan is an alumnus of distinguished international leadership programs, having completed fellowships in visionary leadership at the Centre for African Family Studies (CAFS), Nairobi, Kenya, and with the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (NFPCB), Government of Indonesia, Jakarta.
His career reflects a deep commitment to advancing public health, nutrition security, and social development through evidence-based strategies and collaborative action.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sujeet-ranjan-phd/
https://x.com/sujeetranjan
Dr. Sujeet Ranjan,
Chief Executive Officer United Way Delhi
Senior Policy Advisor, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) India
Dr. Supreet Kaur heads the Program, Policy, and External Relations at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). A Public Health Nutritionist by training, Dr. Kaur earned a doctorate from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, for her research on childhood obesity and lifestyle diseases. With over 20 years of experience in research, nutrition surveys, and policymaking, she has expertise in large-scale food fortification, maternal and child nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and malnutrition.
Previously, Dr. Kaur served as Senior Technical Expert at NITI Aayog, the Government of India’s think tank, where she actively led the preparation of reports monitoring and evaluating India’s flagship National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan).
An eminent member of various national-level nutrition technical groups, Dr. Kaur has provided evidence-based support to numerous government and development partner stakeholders. Passionate and committed to improving outcomes for India’s most vulnerable populations, she has authored numerous publications in peer-reviewed national and international journals.
https://x.com/drsupreet
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-supreet-kaur-99021225/
Dr. Supreet Kaur,
Senior Policy Advisor, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) India
(PhD Nutrition) Senior Health, Nutrition & Population Specialist The World Bank
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepika-nayar-chaudhery-13304b35/
Dr. Deepika Nayar Chaudhery brings over two decades of experience in maternal and child nutrition and health across South Asia, working in diverse contexts to improve outcomes for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. She is currently Senior Health, Nutrition & Population Specialist at The World Bank in New Delhi, where she leads and supports large-scale public health programs, policy dialogue, and technical assistance to governments.
Previously, as Deputy Regional Director at Nutrition International (Asia), Dr. Chaudhery oversaw programs in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, working closely with national governments to design and deliver impactful health and nutrition interventions. She has also served as Nutrition Specialist at CARE India and Nutrition Project Officer at UNICEF, supporting state governments in India to strengthen delivery of nutrition and reproductive and child health services.
She holds a PhD in Nutrition from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, and has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. Her expertise spans maternal and child nutrition, program design and management, and building high-performing teams to deliver effective public health programs at scale.
Dr. Deepika Nayar Chaudhery
(PhD Nutrition) Senior Health, Nutrition & Population Specialist The World Bank
Senior Fellow, Health Initiative Observer Research Foundation
Dr. Shoba Suri is a Senior Fellow with the Health Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), based in New Delhi. A nutritionist with over 30 years of experience in community and clinical research, she holds a doctorate in Nutrition and Physiology from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
Dr. Suri has extensive expertise in nutrition, healthcare, infant and young child feeding (IYCF), policy advocacy, and program assessment. She is a trained IYCF counselling specialist and has contributed to advancing evidence-based practices through her work with reputed organizations, including the Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI).
She has authored over 40 research publications in scientific journals and books and has travelled widely in the course of her research and advocacy work. Dr. Suri’s career reflects her deep commitment to improving nutrition and health outcomes through research, policy, and capacity building.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shoba-suri-463170136/
https://x.com/shoba_suri
Dr. Shoba Suri
Senior Fellow, Health Initiative Observer Research Foundation
Dr Shweta Khandelwal, a trained and experienced researcher working in the public health and nutrition space in India for the last 2 decades, has joined as a Senior Advisor, Nutrition at Jhpiego India country office (Delhi) recently. Until April 2023, she was the Head, Nutrition Research at the Public Health Foundation of India, where she served for more than 15 years. Shweta is an invited Adjunct faculty for many colleges all over India (TIFR, TNAU, Ambedkar University, SVT College etc), where she teaches maternal child nutrition, nutrition policy, nutrition epidemiology especially in relation to the rising overweight-obesity, diet related non-communicable diseases and their risk factors among the Indian population. She has served on expert government panels on topics like oils and fats, sustainable healthy diets and combating high fat, sugar and salt in Indian population etc. As an inaugural cohort member of the Women Lift Health fellowship, Shweta is a sincere advocate for gender equity and women empowerment especially in nutrition. Shweta strives to push for holistic, multi-sectoral and integrated interventions and solutions when it comes to PHN. She is an invited speaker in the area of food environment, food systems, climate change, anemia and nutrition security. In addition to more than 105 peer reviewed articles in scholarly journals, she has contributed to more than 200 media pieces including 70 op-eds in leading international and national print and online platforms. Shweta has also won several prestigious awards, fellowships and grants in the area of nutrition.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shweta-khandelwal-a20571147/
https://x.com/shwetaPHN
Dr Shweta Khandelwal
Senior Advisor, Nutrition JHPIEGO India Country office
Board Member, Pravah; Executive Committee Member, White Ribbon Alliance India; International Technical Review Panel Member, AmplifyChange
Ms. Renuka Motihar is an independent senior consultant with over three decades of experience in social development across India and Asia. Her expertise spans young people’s health and development, reproductive and adolescent health, gender equality, leadership, and program strategy. She has worked with UN agencies, foundations, and nonprofits on program design, evaluation, and knowledge building. Renuka serves on the Board of Pravah, the Executive Committee of the White Ribbon Alliance India, and is a member of the International Technical Review Panel of AmplifyChange.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/renuka-motihar-7401b46/
Ms. Renuka Motihar
Board Member, Pravah; Executive Committee Member, White Ribbon Alliance India; International Technical Review Panel Member, AmplifyChange
Nutrition Man of India & Chief Advisor and Mentor, Nutrition Board of Sukarya
Fondly known as the ‘Nutrition Man of India’, Mr. Basanta Kumar Kar is a globally acclaimed development professional and transformational leader with decades of experience in advancing nutrition, health, food security, and livelihoods across South and Southeast Asia. He has led and managed large-scale national and regional programs, influenced public policy, and championed the rights of women and children through his strategic vision and collaborative approach.
Mr. Kar brings his proven expertise in organizational transformation and technical advisory, with experience supporting countries including South Africa and Nigeria. He has served on numerous boards, governance structures, and policy bodies, earning a reputation for building impactful cross-border partnerships.
For his pioneering work in poverty eradication and innovations in the social sector, Mr. Kar has received several prestigious honors, including the Global Nutrition Leadership Award (2019), Hero of the Decade – Banega Swachh and Swasth India (2019), Transform Nutrition Champion Award for India and Bangladesh (2016), and the Odisha Living Legend Award (2016). He was also recognized by the Government of India for his significant contribution to the POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/basanta-kumar-kar-6757339/
https://twitter.com/basantak
Mr. Basanta Kumar Kar
Nutrition Man of India & Chief Advisor and Mentor, Nutrition Board of Sukarya
Founder and CEO of Untaboo
Ms. Anju Kish is a pioneering voice in the field of Safety and Sex Education in India, leading a movement to break taboos and spark open conversations—both at home and in schools. As the Founder and CEO of Untaboo, she has been at the forefront of transforming mindsets and empowering young people and parents alike.
A double graduate in Law and Mass Communication, Ms. Kish is a Certified Sexuality Educator, a four-time TEDx speaker, and author of the award-winning children’s book How I Got My Belly Button. She is also the producer of Growing Up, India’s only play on puberty and safety, and has taken her message to global audiences through stand-up comedy, blogs, and columns—using humor to tackle a sensitive topic.
Her thought leadership extends to her roles as a blogger, expert columnist for Tweak India, Global Ambassador of Parenting 2.0, and Advisory Board Member of SOBA, NMIMS. Recognized as a Woman of Substance by TOI &SheFest, Ms. Kish continues to inspire action and awareness to ensure children and adolescents grow up informed, safe, and confident.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjukish/
Ms. Anju Kish
Founder and CEO of Untaboo
Nutrition Specialist United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Ms. Preetu Mishra is a seasoned public health and nutrition professional, currently serving as Nutrition Specialist at UNICEF. She brings extensive experience in designing, implementing, and scaling up nutrition programs that address maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, food security, and health systems strengthening.
At UNICEF, Ms. Mishra works closely with governments and development partners to advance evidence-based nutrition interventions and policies, with a strong focus on improving outcomes for vulnerable populations. Her expertise spans program management, technical assistance, capacity building, and advocacy for sustainable solutions to malnutrition.
She is widely recognized for her commitment to fostering multisectoral collaboration and for her ability to translate research and policy into impactful action on the ground.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/preetu-mishra-179326138/
Ms. Preetu Mishra
Nutrition Specialist United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Vice President – Impact and Influence EMpower –The Emerging Markets Foundation
Nisha is the Vice President – Impact and Influence. She is passionate about amplifying the voices of girls, financial inclusion, and gender equity. Her role focuses on driving EMpower’s ambitions to better capture and communicate learnings, expertise and lessons learned by EMpower, grantee partners and youth protagonists, in the 15 countries where EMpower works; in order to influence broader change in programming and philanthropy. In her role, she works to build collaborations to influence the sector through building evidence, co-learning and sharing.
In her time at EMpower, which began in 2012 – she has been the Country Director of EMpower, the Director of the Adolescent Girls and Gender Initiatives where she worked collaboratively with the global programme team in centering the voice, choice and wisdom of girls and the Senior Programme Officer for India and Regional Advisor, Asia with responsibility for developing and managing grantee partnerships and collaboratively conceiving and operationalising programmatic initiatives such as the Adolescent Girls Learning Community and the Girls Advisory Council.
Nisha began her career working at Deutsche Bank and Barclays in London where she managed relationships with regulators and exchanges. Nisha is a TedX speaker – where she shared her passion about enabling girls’ voices to be heard.
She holds a PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology – Delhi in Sociology. Her Doctoral research focused on the role that Non-Traditional Livelihoods plays in advancing the project of gender equity. She holds an MSc. in Gender, Development and Globalisation from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA (Hons.) from McGill University in Montreal, in International Politics and Women’s Studies.
Nisha has always been a fierce champion for girls and finds her deepest satisfaction and joy from interactions about their dreams for the future. She loves quoting her favorite feminists and never fails to find an opportune moment to do so.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nisha-dhawan-ph-d-8068382/
Ms. Nisha Dhawan
Vice President – Impact and Influence EMpower –The Emerging Markets Foundation
(Retd.) Director Digital Health, India & South Asia PATH
Col. Sameer Kanwar (Retd.) is the Director of Digital Health for India & South Asia at PATH, where he leads initiatives to advance digital health solutions and strengthen health systems across the region. He brings over 31 years of diverse experience spanning the social sector, digital health, ICT, system integration, project management, and operations in IT and telecom infrastructure.
Before joining PATH in 2022, he served as Director of Information Communication Technology for the Uttar Pradesh Technical Support Unit (University of Manitoba), and earlier as Head of the National Nutrition Resource Centre at the Ministry of Women and Child Development. A veteran of the Indian Army, he has also contributed extensively to training, leadership development, and talent management.
Col. Kanwar’s expertise lies in designing, implementing, and managing large-scale, technology-driven programs that bridge health, nutrition, and development goals.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sameer-kanwar-ba733462/
Col. Sameer Kanwar (Retd.)
Director Digital Health, India & South Asia PATH
Sr. Consultant Psychiatrist &Incharge Inst. of Mental Health & Life Skills Promotion, New Delhi, Program Director - Expressions India, The Life Skills National School & University Mental Health & Wellness Program
Dr. Jitendra Nagpal (MD, DNB) is a leading psychiatrist and educator, serving as Program Director of Expressions India – The National Life Skills, Values, Community & School Wellness Program. Under his leadership, the program has conducted over 6,500 workshops, training sessions, and community seminars, sensitizing and empowering children, adolescents, parents, educators, and communities on mental health, life skills, and well-being.
Expressions India is a sought-after resource for technical expertise in advocacy, research, training, and enrichment by schools, higher education institutions, and community organizations across India. Dr. Nagpal has also led numerous corporate workshops on Work-Life Balance, bringing his expertise into workplace mental health and resilience.
In addition, he serves as Senior Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of the Institute of Mental Health and Life Skills Promotion & Institute of Child Development and Adolescent Health at MoolchandMedcity, New Delhi, where he continues to advance clinical care and capacity-building in mental health.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jitendra-nagpal-237794360/
Dr. Jitendra Nagpal
Sr. Consultant Psychiatrist &Incharge Inst. of Mental Health & Life Skills Promotion, New Delhi, Program Director – Expressions India, The Life Skills National School & University Mental Health & Wellness Program
Chairperson, Centre for Gender Studies, Institute for Human Development, New Delhi and Former Professor, Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.
Professor Aasha Kapur Mehta is former Professor of Economics, Indian Institute of Public Administration. She worked at IIPA for 32 years. Prior to this she taught at Kamala Nehru College, Delhi University. She studied at Delhi School of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Iowa State University, USA. She received the Fulbright Scholarship, the McNamara fellowship, Phi Kappa Phi (for overall excellence in academics), Gamma Sigma Delta (for excellence in agricultural economics), was recognised as an Associate of the University of Birmingham and was nominated for the Gender Economist, Skoch Development Challenger award.
She was invited as an expert to assist NITI Aayog in formulating the Rural Economy chapter for the Vision, Strategy and Action Plan document. She was a Member of the Core Group of the Ad-hoc Task Force appointed by the Cabinet Secretariat for reviewing the performance targets of Government Ministries/Departments included in their Results-Framework Documents for several years. In addition to serving as Member, Group of Feminist Economists constituted by Planning Commission to review the Sectoral Reports of Working Groups and Steering Committees for the Eleventh and Twelfth Plans, she was a Member of Working Groups, and chaired the Subgroup on “Gender Mainstreaming and Effective Accountability Mechanisms” for the Twelfth Plan and the Subgroup on Gender and Agriculture for the Eleventh Plan. She has also invited to serve on several Committees constituted by Ministries such as MoRD, MoPR, MWCD and MoSPI.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aasha2010/
Professor Aasha Kapur Mehta
Chairperson, Centre for Gender Studies, Institute for Human Development, New Delhi and Former Professor, Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.