Executive Director ICLEI South Asia
Emani Kumar is the Executive Director of ICLEI South Asia since its founding in 2005. Also the Deputy Secretary-General of ICLEI Global since 2013, he works with all the offices in Asia, ensuring cohesion in the implementation of ICLEI’s agendas and spearheads advocacy activities in the region. He also supports the Secretary-General in representing ICLEI at all international fora.
Director
Soumya Chaturvedula brings her training in Environmental Engineering and Environmental Management to the varied roles she has been playing in ICLEI South Asia since 2008. With design experience in water resource engineering and solid waste management, she is passionate about and works extensively with the sustainability team, supporting cities to tackle municipal waste, including plastic waste management. Experienced in climate action planning, with a focus on mitigation measures across sectors, she steers the development and implementation of cross-sector projects covering the fields of renewable energy, energy efficiency, air pollution abatement, and urban cooling. As the Deputy Director of ICLEI South Asia, she also provides strategic advice to multi-country development programs, the Government of India, various sub-national governments, and cities.
Associate Director
Bedoshruti Sadhukhan is leading the Sustainability Management team for the last 10 years. With a postgraduate degree in Environmental Management from the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, she has more than 18 years of experience in the field of environment and project management, especially on environmental justice, environmental impact assessment and public participation in decision making, climate resilience and sustainable development. She has worked on various issues including environmental management, climate resilience, water, solid waste, sanitation, and has gathered experience of working with municipalities in India, as well as South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka with commendable inter-country experiences. Along with advocacy and campaign on environmental issues, she had also worked on human rights issues such as housing rights and tribal rights. She associates closely with city local governments for technical implementation of project activities, providing technical inputs and trainings and documentation. She has also been involved in developing different IEC materials on environmental management, solid waste management, integrated climate adaptive water management, and urban resilience which are used for training and capacity building of local governments.
Associate Director
Divya Prakash Vyas, Associate Director at ICLEI South Asia, holds 19 years of expertise in Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Urban & Regional Land Use Planning. His extensive career spans roles at AECOM India Pvt. Ltd. as an Associate Director and at Oxford Policy Management (OPM) as a Senior Consultant focusing on Urban Policy and Planning. At C40 Cities, he advocated for climate action in cities like Amman, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, and more, fostering sustainable approaches by leveraging global city networks. He excels in managing diverse projects, collaborating with government agencies, and leading impactful business proposals.
Associate Director
Monalisa joined ICLEI in July 2015. She has a PhD. In Environmental Sciences (University of Delhi), a Masters degree in Environmental Biology (University of Delhi) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law and Policy (National Law University). She has been working for over 14 years in the fields of Biodiversity Conservation, Community Development, Enterprise Based Conservation and Restoration Ecology. She has worked across many states in India including Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Orissa, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala and Delhi. She has immense experience of working on issues related to biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas- a global biodiversity hotspot. She has worked with Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, University of Delhi; IUCN India and InsPIRE Network for Environment, prior to joining ICLEI. Currently, Monalisa is working on developing the biodiversity portfolio for ICLEI South Asia.
Associate Director
Executive Director ICLEI South Asia
Emani Kumar is the Executive Director of ICLEI South Asia since its founding in 2005. Also the Deputy Secretary-General of ICLEI Global since 2013, he works with all the offices in Asia, ensuring cohesion in the implementation of ICLEI’s agendas and spearheads advocacy activities in the region. He also supports the Secretary-General in representing ICLEI at all international fora.
Executive Assistant to ED
Sudha Venkataraman brings over 15 years of active experience in Administration, Human Resource Management, Accounts and Event Management, besides taking care of Travel arrangements of senior leadership in different organisations. Sudha has diverse working experience ranging from Corporate, Hotel Industry, Education Industry, International Organisations and NGO. She has excellent organising skills. Sudha joined ICLEI South Asia in November 2024. Prior to ICLEI South Asia she worked with UN-Habitat, Middlesex University London’s Regional Office for South Asia, New Delhi-based environment policy and advocacy organisation, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), International Forum for Environment and Environment and Technology.
Policy & Research Associate
Associate Director
Bedoshruti Sadhukhan is leading the Sustainability Management team for the last 10 years. With a postgraduate degree in Environmental Management from the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, she has more than 18 years of experience in the field of environment and project management, especially on environmental justice, environmental impact assessment and public participation in decision making, climate resilience and sustainable development. She has worked on various issues including environmental management, climate resilience, water, solid waste, sanitation, and has gathered experience of working with municipalities in India, as well as South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka with commendable inter-country experiences. Along with advocacy and campaign on environmental issues, she had also worked on human rights issues such as housing rights and tribal rights. She associates closely with city local governments for technical implementation of project activities, providing technical inputs and trainings and documentation. She has also been involved in developing different IEC materials on environmental management, solid waste management, integrated climate adaptive water management, and urban resilience which are used for training and capacity building of local governments.
Country Representative, Bangladesh Operations
Jubaer joined ICLEI South Asia in 2015. He has expertise in urban resilience planning. He holds a Masters in Disaster Management from the University of Dhaka, Bachelor’s in Urban and Rural Planning from Khulna University, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Development Planning from National Academy for Planning and Development. He is also an Environmental Management System Internal Auditor (ISO 14001:2015), and has certifications on climate change and cities from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. Jubaer is a member of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) and has professional records in the field of urban planning, climate change and development research. He worked in both government and non-government organizations and has wide engagement with the local government institutions in Bangladesh. With more than 12 years of experience, he has conducted a number of development projects on climate change adaptation, renewable energy, and urban development plans along with national and international partners – UN-Habitat, European Union, Rockefeller Foundation, JICA, World Bank, RMMRU, DFID and the Local Government Engineering Department of the Government of Bangladesh. Currently, at ICLEI South Asia, he is managing the Bangladesh country office and coordinate projects based in various cities of Bangladesh.
Senior Manager
Rahul joined ICLEI in May 2012 and has a Masters degree in Environmental Management. Previously, he has worked as an Environment Auditor and audited top hotels situated nearby National parks of India. He assisted them to manage their Solid Waste, Energy and Water Consumption. He has also worked in water and air labs of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC, Govt. of NCT). Rahul has experience in the field of training and capacity building in the field of Sustainable Management and has a working knowledge of GIS. Currently, in ICLEI South Asia, he is involved in environmental sustainability projects focusing on environmental management, water, solid waste, and climate adaptation and also with CPHEEO Manual on Municipal Solid Waste Management, SUNYA- Towards zero waste and Realising DReAMS projects.
Manager
Sadeque Mahmud joined as a Consultant – VLR in Singra at ICLEI South Asia. He completed his graduation in Urban and Rural Planning from Khulna University and post-graduation in Governance and Development Studies from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. He is an Urban Planner by Profession. He has 12 years of work experience and has worked on urban local governance and livelihood support programs. He has also done program planning, management, training, monitoring and evaluation both nationally and internationally.
Senior Project Officer
Rahul Rathi Joined ICLEI South Asia on 17th June 2013. He has a background in Geography with a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning from CEPT University. Previously, he has worked on Arc GIS and Auto CAD. He has a good understanding of Urban and Regional Planning. He has worked on preparing Urban Development Plan for Kathmandu (Nepal) during his masters. He has completed his internship at PAS (Performance Assessment System) and during Internship of two months he worked for City Sanitation Plan in two cities of Gujarat. He represents ICLEI in Rajasthan and is presently involved in Integrated Urban Water Management (AdoptIUWM). He is working for Rajasthan cities, Kishangarh and Jaisalmer, and helps in organising workshops.
Senior Project Officer
Debojyoti joined ICLEI South Asia in September 2024. He is a planner with more than 6 years of experience mainly in the environment sector. He is a graduate in spatial planning and a post-graduate in environmental planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi. Prior to ICLEI, he worked in organisations such as IPE Global Ltd., GIZ and Wildlife Institute of India. He has experience in integrated coastal zone management, wetland management, capacity development, climate risk assessments, and multi-stakeholder engagement. He has worked in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Senior Project Officer
Satarupa Roy joined ICLEI South Asia in January 2025. She holds a Master’s in Urban Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from PIADS, Nagpur. She brings over six years of multidisciplinary experience in planning and architecture, specializing in sustainable urban environments. Her expertise spans climate resilience, urban governance, assessment frameworks, urban service delivery, digital initiatives, urban innovation, water-sensitive urban design, heritage conservation, and community participation. Before joining ICLEI South Asia, she contributed to transformative projects with organizations such as the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), where she served as an India Smart Cities Fellow (ISCF), the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) under the Water and Climate Vertical and various urban local bodies. She has several publications to her name, including a book chapter with the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI). She has also received numerous accolades during her academic and professional journey, including the Geospatial Data Stories Challenge Award. As a Senior Project Officer with ICLEI South Asia, she plays a key role in advancing sustainable urban development by leveraging her expertise in climate resilience, data-driven decision-making, digitalization, water-sensitive cities, nature-based solutions, disaster risk resilience, community-driven initiatives, and capacity building.
Project Officer
Damini has joined ICLEI South Asia with a dedication to contribute in urban development processes, centered around Climate Resilience and Adaptation. She brings expertise as an Urban and Environmental Planner, holding degrees from School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. In her previous role, she made significant contributions in areas such as Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Community Engagement, GIS mapping, Data Analysis, and Zonal Plan development. Her diverse skill sets and commitment to promote positive Environmental change make her an integral part of ICLEI South Asia.
Senior Project Officer
Project Officer
Animesh Biswas joined ICLEI South Asia as a Project Officer in October 2025. He holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering (2019) and brings over six years of professional experience in rural and urban development. His work has primarily focused on liquid and solid waste management, as well as water and sanitation projects. Prior to joining ICLEI, he worked with CSIR-NEERI on the National Mission for Clean Ganga project. He has also been associated with the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority and the Water Resources Investigation & Development Department, Government of West Bengal. Through these roles, he has developed strong expertise in infrastructure technical design, estimation, preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), community mobilization, stakeholder engagement, and on-ground project implementation. Animesh has worked across diverse geographies in India, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Nagpur, and Bihar, contributing to a wide range of development initiatives.
Project Associate
Associate Director
Monalisa joined ICLEI in July 2015. She has a PhD. In Environmental Sciences (University of Delhi), a Masters degree in Environmental Biology (University of Delhi) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law and Policy (National Law University). She has been working for over 14 years in the fields of Biodiversity Conservation, Community Development, Enterprise Based Conservation and Restoration Ecology. She has worked across many states in India including Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Orissa, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala and Delhi. She has immense experience of working on issues related to biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas- a global biodiversity hotspot. She has worked with Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, University of Delhi; IUCN India and InsPIRE Network for Environment, prior to joining ICLEI. Currently, Monalisa is working on developing the biodiversity portfolio for ICLEI South Asia.
Scientist
Alex joined ICLEI South Asia in May 2017. He holds a Doctoral degree in Environmental Studies – Landscape ecology from Cochin University of Science and Technology, and a Masters’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Calicut. He is also a recipient of a certificate of proficiency in Geoinformation Science and Technology from Mahatma Gandhi University. He has been working for over 10 years in the fields of Landscape Ecology, GIS and Remote Sensing, Biodiversity Conservation, Biocultural Restoration, and Extension & Training Activities. Prior to joining ICLEI South Asia, he has worked with the Forest Health and Extension & Training Division of Kerala Forest Research Institute, GIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Christ College Irinjalakkuda, and Dairy Chemistry Laboratory, Kerala Agriculture University. Currently, in ICLEI South Asia, he is a Scientist, working in Kochi on various biodiversity related projects.
Senior Project Officer
Shayeesh holds a Master’s Degree in Zoology from Goa University. He also has experience in the field of community engagement, biodiversity documentation, and environmental science research. Shayeesh has worked as a Research Assistant at Mineral Foundation of Goa under the project Development of a Sustainable Bird Tourism Model at Navelim Wetland (IBA), Goa and as an Administrative Office Assistant at Tripura Foundation Builds HoPE. He has engaged with students from more than 20 schools in Goa during his career to make them aware of nature, bird conservation, and community development. He joined ICLEI in 2018 as a City Associate in Goa.
Senior Project Officer
Dr. Rinku Singh joined ICLEI South Asia in June 2025. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. His research interests include ecosystem services, river ecology, biodiversity, trees outside forests, urban ecology, nature-based solutions, and sustainability science. As a Senior Project Officer with ICLEI South Asia, he works with the Biodiversity Team on projects focused on biodiversity conservation.
Project Associate
T Naveen Kumar joined ICLEI South Asia in May 2025. He holds a Master’s degree in Botany from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. Before joining ICLEI, he worked as a naturalist, which helped him deepen his connection with nature and field-based conservation. At ICLEI, he contributes to biodiversity and nature-based solution projects. He is passionate about nature, travelling, and working on initiatives that support sustainable ecosystems.
Director
Soumya Chaturvedula brings her training in Environmental Engineering and Environmental Management to the varied roles she has been playing in ICLEI South Asia since 2008. With design experience in water resource engineering and solid waste management, she is passionate about and works extensively with the sustainability team, supporting cities to tackle municipal waste, including plastic waste management. Experienced in climate action planning, with a focus on mitigation measures across sectors, she steers the development and implementation of cross-sector projects covering the fields of renewable energy, energy efficiency, air pollution abatement, and urban cooling. As the Deputy Director of ICLEI South Asia, she also provides strategic advice to multi-country development programs, the Government of India, various sub-national governments, and cities.
Program Coordinator
Nikhil joined ICLEI South Asia in November, 2013 and has a Master’s degree in Energy Technology from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand and a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has diverse experience of working in areas of energy and climate change with city governments, national and international organizations, technical experts and businesses. Nikhil is also a certified lead auditor for ISO 50001 Energy Management System. He is managing the execution of various projects and programmed as part of ICLEI’s Energy & Climate team.
Senior Manager
Anandhan joined ICLEI South Asia in 2012 as Senior Engineer in New Delhi. He holds B.Tech in Energy & Environmental Engineering from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He has around 8 years of professional experience in the areas of Climate Change Mitigation including Renewable energy and energy efficiency; GHG inventory and Low Emission Development Strategies. Previously he was working in the Climate Change & Sustainability Services team of Ernst & Young Private Limited,
Senior Manager
Ankit joined ICLEI South Asia in October 2014. He holds a master’s degree in Environmental Planning from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, and a post-graduation diploma in Environmental Law and Policy from National Law University, Delhi. Delhi. Currently overseeing Gujarat State Operations, Ankit manages various energy and climate change projects, including those addressing air pollution.
Senior Manager (Research & Advocacy)
Keshav joined ICLEI in 2011. He holds a Master’s in Environmental Studies from the School of Environment Studies (SES), University of Delhi and two Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Planning & Development and Environmental Law & Management and an Appreciation program in Sustainability Sciences. Keshav is a Climate Reality Leader trained by Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and has a four and a half years of experience in the Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Emissions Accounting, Urban Low Emission and Climate Resilience Development planning.
Manager
Gaurav has over a decade of diverse experience in the energy sector, and his expertise spans across solar (both photovoltaics & thermal), wind, energy storage, power sector analysis, data analytics, and Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning. He holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and an Executive MBA in Energy Sector Management (Gold Medallist) from Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU). Before joining ICLEI South Asia, Gaurav has worked at RTI International and GERMI.
Manager
Souhardo joined ICLEI South Asia in September 2016. Before this he had worked with WRI India and IIM Ahmedabad. He has almost three years of work experience in the field of urban development. His expertise also includes environment planning, logistics management, and land management. He is a Master of Planning graduate from CEPT University Ahmedabad, and a Master of Science graduate from Presidency University, Kolkata. He has several publications to his name including a World Bank and an IIM paper.
Manager
Radha Priya joined ICLEI South Asia in March 2025 as a Manager for Tamil Nadu Operations in the Energy & Climate team. She holds a PhD (UGC, Anna University) and a postdoctoral degree (SERB-DST, University of Madras) in Science and Humanities. She also has a master’s degree in environmental science from Anna University. Previously, she worked with GIZ India and has over 13 years of experience in climate change adaptation, nature-based solutions, integrated climate-resilient water security management,
Assistant Manager
Anuradha joined ICLEI South Asia in 2019. She has double master’s degrees: one in Planning (M. Plan) with specialisation in Environmental Planning from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, and the other in Science (M. Sc.) in Geography from the University of Calcutta. She has diverse experience in the field of on-site sanitation, municipal service delivery, and community development.
Deputy Manager
Bhupandra Salodia joined ICLEI South Asia in April 2017 and is presently involved with the CapaCITIES project in Udaipur. He is an architect and has a post-graduation degree in Urban and Regional Planning (2012-2014) from CEPT University, Ahmedabad. He has a diverse experience of 7 years in the Urban Planning and Architecture domain. Previously, he worked as an urban planner in a Delhi-based firm- Mosaic. He has worked on projects that developed the Tourism Master Plan of Chilika Lake and its Catchment in Odisha, the Tourism Master Plan of Tehri in Uttrakhand.
Manager
Shardul Venegurkar is a mechanical engineer from Pune. Before joining ICLEI South Asia in March 2017, Shardul worked with Orange County Foundation, Pune. He has over four years of work experience in the renewable energy sector and is familiar with environmental technologies like solar PV, solar thermal, small scale wind turbines, GHG inventories, green building certification for residential buildings, lime plaster, rainwater harvesting, sewage water treatment plant, waste composts, and more.
Senior Project Officer
Nagendran Nagarajan joined ICLEI South Asia in 2010. He holds a Master’s in Spatial Information Technology – Department of School of Earth and Atmospheric Science from the University of Madras and He holds a Master’s in Environmental Science in Bharathiyar University also Post Graduate in Disaster Management in IGNOU. He has around 12 years of professional experience in the areas of Remote Sensing and GIS, Municipal GIS, Town Planning, Climate Change and Mitigation, Non-Motorised Transport Planning, Master Plan for Solid Waste Management.
Senior Project Officer
Mohammed Maaz Ali joined ICLEI South Asia in March 2022. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada, followed by an M. Tech in Urban Planning from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur. Ali started his career as a Nodal Officer at Kakinada Smart City Corporation Limited, Andhra Pradesh where he carried out various initiatives under the Smart Cities Mission.
Deputy Manager
Senthil Kumar Arumugam joined ICLEI South Asia in 2019. He holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Technology from the Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands, and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical with Specialisation in Energy Engineering from VIT University, Vellore, India. He has versatile project experience in various energy technologies and specialised in low-grade heat recovery for his master thesis research.
Senior Engineer
Prateek joined ICLEI South Asia in June 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Power Engineering from the National Power Training Institute, New Delhi, and a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani. Prateek carries a varied experience from the power sector to sustainable energy and climate change.
Senior Project Officer
Ramya MA joined ICLEI in 2024 as a senior project officer with the Energy and Climate team. She holds a bachelor’s in chemical engineering from Anna University, Chennai and a master’s in environmental management and planning from Lund university, Sweden. Having previously worked with WRI India, She comes with over 4 years of experience working on training, development and implementation of climate action plans and capacity building programs for leaders at the subnational level.
Senior Project Officer
Ritu joined ICLEI South Asia in September 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan (2015), and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from N.I.T Surat (2021). With over four years of experience in the urban development sector, Ritu brings a multidisciplinary approach to sustainable urban development, combining her architectural expertise with urban planning. She has worked on urban resilience projects focused on community engagement, nature-based solutions,
Technical Lead
Dipak joined ICLEI South Asia in August 2021. Prior to this, he interned at the Narayanganj City Corporation where his key responsibilities were to monitor air quality and develop planning strategies for reducing carbon emissions. He has also worked as a Monitoring & Evaluation Officer in Practical Action where he assisted in the project “Improved Cok Stoves (ICS) in Bagerhat district”. He has also worked in an action research project on urban agriculture, mitigating the urban heat island effect and improving the quality of life of urban poor supported by the Food
Senior Project Officer
Vasavi joined ICLEI South Asia in February 2022. Prior to this, she worked as an Assistant Professor at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Vijayawada. She was also associated with the Administrative Staff College of India as a Senior Research Associate under the WASH project. Vasavi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Planning followed by a Master’s degree in Transportation and Infrastructure Planning from SPA, Vijayawada. Currently, at ICLEI South Asia, she is part of the Energy and Climate team.
Senior Project Officer
Kishan joined ICLEI South Asia in December 2021. He has completed his Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from the L.J. College of Engineering and Master’s in Planning with a specialization in Urban Infrastructure from CEPT University, Ahmedabad. He has diverse work experience as a site engineer in monitoring the execution of work. He has also worked as an intern for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) projects in Patan, Gujarat. Presently at ICLEI South Asia, he is looking at the projects related to energy and climate.
Senior Project Officer
Sahil Patel has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in planning, with specialisation in Urban Infrastructure, from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Before joining ICLEI South Asia in December 2022, he worked with an infrastructure design consultancy firm in Gandhinagar, where he gained multidisciplinary work experience in projects related to transport planning. He also interned with the Centre for Environment Education and the Centre for Water and Sanitation, CEPT University, under the Water4Change programme.
Senior Project Officer
Devas joined ICLEI South Asia in February 2022. He has completed his Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Gujarat Power Engineering and Research Institute, followed by a Master’s degree in Planning (specialisation in Urban Infrastructure) from CEPT University, Ahmedabad. Post his education, Devas was associated with the Commissionerate of Rural Development, Government of Gujarat, where he worked on schemes.
Senior Project Officer
Raga joined ICLEI South Asia in January 2025. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from SASTRA University (2017) and a Master’s degree in Urban Management from Erasmus University Rotterdam (2022), specializing in Infrastructure for Smart Cities. She began her career as a WASH professional, focusing on sanitation, decentralized water treatment, and waterbody restoration projects.
Project Officer
Satya joined ICLEI South Asia in May 2023. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, and went on to pursue a Master’s degree in City Planning from IIT Kharagpur. His career began as an urban planner in consultancy services. Prior to joining ICLEI South Asia, he has worked at the All India Institute of Local Self Government in Hyderabad. Currently, he is focused on energy and climate projects at ICLEI South Asia.
Project Officer
Shubh Lalit Dhadiwal is currently working as a Project Officer – Energy and Climate at ICLEI South Asia. Since joining the organisation in July 2023, Shubh has played a key role in various climate and sustainability-focused initiatives, contributing significantly to technical research, data analysis, and climate action planning. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Planning from the College of Engineering, Pune, and a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal.
Project Officer
Chimmiri Sai Rashmi joined ICLEI South Asia in October 2024. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, and a master’s degree in Urban Planning from the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology, Ahmedabad. Before joining ICLEI South Asia, she gained valuable experience in urban development, capacity building, and community engagement through her work with the Urban Management Centre in Ahmedabad and the Indian Institute for Human Settlements in Bangalore.
City Project Associate
Dechen became a part of ICLEI South Asia in November 2023. Holding a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Delhi Technological University, she brings valuable expertise to her role. Before joining ICLEI South Asia, she gained practical experience through an internship with the Public Works Department under the Government of Delhi. Furthermore, Dechen has contributed to the field by publishing a research paper titled “Study of Traffic Flow for Estimation of Level of Service.”
City Project Associate
Dhyey became a part of ICLEI South Asia in February 2024. He is a graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from CEPT University, Ahmedabad. His prior experience includes working with architectural and urban transit planning firms, focusing on urban design and development projects in Gujarat and Delhi. During his postgraduate internship, he contributed to the development of a Heat Action Plan for AUDA, Ahmedabad. He has joined the Energy and Climate Team at ICLEI South Asia.
City Project Associate
Gayatri Bhadra joined ICLEI South Asia in June 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Odisha University of Technology & Research and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from the CEPT University. Prior to joining ICLEI South Asia, she gained valuable experience in real-estate and architectural design through various internships. As a Project Associate at ICLEI South Asia, she plays a key role in advancing energy and climate initiatives, leveraging her expertise in sustainable development and her strong commitment to environmentally responsible urban planning.
Social Media and Communications Expert
Biodiversity and Wetlands Restoration Expert
Dr. P. Thirumurugan is a climate scientist and geospatial expert with over 10 years of experience in climate resilience, wetland restoration, and environmental modeling. He currently works as a Biodiversity & Wetlands Restoration Expert with ICLEI South Asia / Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, supporting urban climate vulnerability assessments, urban heat island mapping, emission reduction planning, and ecosystem-based adaptation. His work has contributed to major policy and planning processes including TN-SAPCC 2.0, Urban Heat Island Guidelines, carbon project planning, and state-level wetland management frameworks. He holds a Ph.D. in Climate Science from Anna University, Chennai, and an M.Tech in Remote Sensing & GIS, with a strong academic foundation in flood hazard mapping, hydrological modeling, and climate risk assessment. Dr. Thirumurugan has previously worked at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (MoEFCC), leading coastal ecosystem mapping, blue carbon assessments, and mangrove and seagrass studies using high-resolution Earth Observation data. His expertise includes GIS, remote sensing, hydrological and urban climate modeling, and the application of satellite platforms such as Sentinel, Landsat, and LiDAR to support climate-resilient planning and nature-based solutions
Climate Change Expert
I hold a PhD in Climate Science from the Centre for Climate and Disaster Management, Anna University, where my research focused on the impact of short-lived climate forcers on health and temperature variations in Chennai city. With nearly ten years of professional experience in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and policy development, I bring both scientific expertise and practical field understanding to my work. Currently, I serve as a Climate Change Expert with the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC) Project Management Unit, supported by ICLEI South Asia. My work focuses on advancing decarbonisation and climate-resilient development strategies for the state, providing technical support to energy and mitigation initiatives that drive Tamil Nadu’s sustainable growth. I am engaged in the Cool Coalition initiative, implementing passive cooling systems in affordable housing and green school projects to enhance thermal comfort for vulnerable communities. I have also contributed to the preparation of the Tamil Nadu Net Zero Action Plan, offering climate science insights and sectoral analysis to guide the state’s transition toward a net-zero future.
Senior Project Officer
Senior Project Officer
Project Officer
Ronak Parmar joined ICLEI South Asia in January 2026 as a Project Officer , holding a Master of Planning (Urban Planning) from Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) Jaipur and a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from BVM Engineering College. Specializing in the intersection of urban governance and climate finance, Ronak provides technical assistance to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to mainstream climate resilience into municipal budgetary frameworks. His expertise includes the financial structuring of climate-resilient projects for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mobilization and the development of digital governance portals for resource tracking. With his proficiency in GIS-based spatial analytics and quantitative research using SPSS, SmartPLS, and STELLA he has previously contributed to socio-economic assessments of government schemes such as DAY-NULM (AMRUT Center) and Smart Cities Mission; and comprehensive master plans including Tourism Master Plan and Eco-Sensitive Zone Master Plan.
Project Associate
Communications Expert
Project Officer
Nisha Jyoti joined ICLEI South Asia in February 2026 as a Project Officer in the Energy & Climate team. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from A.P.I.E.D. and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from CEPT University. Prior to this role, she worked at INI Design Studio, where she gained multidisciplinary experience in tourism planning and urban development projects. Her work included contributions to the Dharoi Master Plan (Gujarat Tourism) and the Botad River Revitalization Project (GUDC). She also interned with UNEP at Ahmedabad University, where she contributed to UN-funded initiatives such as the MOEFCC BTR-1 Project and the Net Zero Transport Project in Rajkot. Her work involved data analysis, GIS mapping, and stakeholder engagement. At ICLEI South Asia, she currently supports the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation on UDY-related initiatives and the Urban Challenge Fund. Her professional interests focus on smart cities, urban regeneration, and climate-responsive planning. Her academic achievements include completing the Winter School program at the School of Architecture, Planning, and Policy Development (SAPPK), Institute Teknologi Bandung. She also designed the cover page for the UN-funded MOEFCC BTR-1 Project under the guidance of Darshini Mahadevia. Additionally, she served as Head Volunteer for GSAC (2024–2025), organized by the Centre for Water and Sanitation (CWAS) in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Associate Director
Divya Prakash Vyas, Associate Director at ICLEI South Asia, holds 19 years of expertise in Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Urban & Regional Land Use Planning. His extensive career spans roles at AECOM India Pvt. Ltd. as an Associate Director and at Oxford Policy Management (OPM) as a Senior Consultant focusing on Urban Policy and Planning. At C40 Cities, he advocated for climate action in cities like Amman, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, and more, fostering sustainable approaches by leveraging global city networks. He excels in managing diverse projects, collaborating with government agencies, and leading impactful business proposals.
Assistant Program Coordinator
Avantika holds a postgraduate degree in Planning with a specialization in Environment Planning from the School of Planning Architecture, New Delhi, and a Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, from Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar. She brings in the experience of more than 12 years in the field of Urban Planning, Mobility, Governance, Policy, and Reform. She has primarily been involved in infrastructure development works being undertaken as a part of national government initiatives such as Smart Cities Mission, AMRUT, JNNURM, etc. She has also worked on projects funded by various multilateral and bilaterals such as the Asian Development Bank, European Union, Bernard van Leer Foundation, World Bank, DFID, IFC, etc. She has been involved in various projects such as developing spaces for young children and their caregivers, providing technical assistance under mobility and built environment in various smart cities, developing action plans and strategies for gender-sensitive transport, streamlining rag pickers within city governments, providing assistance to city governments on different service sector issues, preparing city development plans, smart city proposals, institutional development studies for city governments, etc.
State Program Manager
Senior Manager
Vijay joined ICLEI South Asia in August 2013. He is a Civil Engineer with Master’s degree in infrastructure planning from Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University, Ahmedabad. Vijay has over 2 years of experience in the field of urban development and management, and has worked on infrastructure and management aspects of various projects in more than 15 cities, which includes Freight management, Infrastructure improvement, pedestrian infrastructure for heritage area, City Development Plan, Circulation plan, Management plan, Financial feasibilities, Road network geometrics, Traffic impact assessment and decongestion and Urban Green Growth. Currently, at ICLEI South Asia, he assists the Urban team on all urban development and infrastructure activities.
Policy Specialist
Zahir Abbas has joined ICLEI South Asia in Dec 2025 as a Policy Expert with the Meghalaya Technical Support Unit under the Meghalaya Early Childhood Mission. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work and brings over two decades of experience in multi-stakeholder programme management, policy engagement, and cross-sectoral partnerships. Prior to joining ICLEI, he served as Regional Consultant for the North Eastern States with UNICEF Assam, providing technical support across Health, Early Childhood Development, WASH, Climate Resilience, Disaster Management, and Social Safeguards. His work strongly aligns with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through his extensive experience,he has developed a deep commitment to evidence-based policymaking, system strengthening, and community-centric development. At ICLEI South Asia, he contributes to strengthening policy frameworks and fostering sustainable, resilient outcomes for children and communities in Meghalaya.
SBCC Expert
Noor Parvin Aboobacker joined ICLEI South Asia in December 2025. Noor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Subsequently, she received two Master’s degrees, one in Comparative Social Policy from the University of Oxford and another in Public Administration from Cornell University. As a Social Behaviour Change Communication and Capacity Building Expert based in Meghalaya with ICLEI South Asia, she will help in integrating Social Behaviour Change Communication for promoting behaviours on Early Child Development and Parental Wellbeing through products and activities in the selected communities. Simultaneously, developing mechanisms to improve audience engagement in advancing the uptake of positive behaviours towards sustaining the health and well-being of the population.
Junior Transport Planner
GIS Expert
Pitchaporn joined ICLEI South Asia in November 2025 as a GIS Expert in Urban team. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering from King Mongkut's University of Technology (KMUTT), Thailand and has three years of experience working in international organization as API Platform Analyst. Driven by a strong interest in addressing social and environmental challenges, she pursued a Master's degree in Geoinformatics at the faculty of geo-information science and earth observation (ITC), University of Twente, The Netherlands. This experience was eye-opening and reinforced her passion for leveraging technology to support policy decision-making and help the community grow in a sustainable way. She looks forward to applying and further developing her expertise in GIS data analysis and urban planning to support communities with ICLEI South Asia.
Knowledge Management Expert
Manager
Yougal Tak is an Architect and Infrastructure Planner, who has over seven years of experience in traffic and transport planning as well as transport research. He completed his post gradation from the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University, Ahmedabad in 2010. Prior to joining ICLEI- SA as Assistant Manager, he was associated with the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), a one of its kind state government department under the Urban Development Department (UDD), in Bengaluru, Karnataka and has been involved in projects ranging from Smart City Proposals, feasibility of BRTS in tier I & tier II towns, preparation of On- Street Parking Management Systems, to planning, designing and implementing bus priority lanes. He is currently based out of Udaipur, Rajasthan where works with the local corporation and other concerned stakeholders on the projects, Supporting Smart Urban Mobility and Built Environment in Indian Cities and CapaCITIES.
Assistant Manager
Amar Kulkarni joined ICLEI South Asia in April 2019. He has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Pune and a master’s degree in Urban Management from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany. He has worked professionally as well as volunteered in the field of architecture, urban development, and environmental conservation in the past. He is passionate about environmental conservation and sustainable development. At ICLEI, he is working on the EcoLogistics project in Panaji.
Early Childhood Development Specialist, Urban95, Udaipur
Om Prakash joined ICLEI South Asia in 2021 as ECCD Specialist. Hailing from Udaipur, Rajasthan, Om brings in robust contextual thematic expertise to his projects. He has more than 13 years of extensive field experience on child holistic development and age appropriate pedagogy design for children. His unique blend of communication, community management and networking skills have resulted in project successes that have been appreciated at various national and state level platforms. Om has wide experience of working with children and youth, and strengthening government’s existing structures. He is a national level trainer on Early Childhood Care and Development, Sustainable Menstrual Health Management, Life Skills to name a few. He has upskilled more than 9000+ individuals (youth, women, Anganwadi workers). Om has received two national level fellowships: Youth Ki Awaaz and Safe Access Fellowship; mentored 50+ National and International fellows and interns of reputed Universities and Institutions.
Senior Project Officer
Manasa Garikaparthi is an urban design and social development professional, dedicated to fostering people-centric urban planning that promotes environmentally sustainable and socially equitable development. With a passion for addressing the complexities of social, cultural, and ecological systems in cities, she is committed to creating innovative solutions that shape resilient urban environments. Manasa holds a degree in Urban Design from SPA Delhi (2018) and an MSc in City Design and Social Sciences from the London School of Economics (2024), funded by a Commonwealth Scholarship. Over the years, she has contributed to strategic urban planning initiatives, including smart city projects, city decongestion strategies, comprehensive mobility plans, streetscape designs, transit-oriented development and water-sensitive urbanism. Her professional experience includes working with renowned organizations such as Prior + Partners (London), Aecom (Gurgaon) and Oasis Design Inc. (Delhi). Manasa has also represented India in prestigious forums, including the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) Young Planning Professional workshops in Qatar and Spain, and the EU +CityxChange Sustainable Energy in Cities initiative in Norway.
Project Officer
Varsha holds a master’s degree in Infrastructure Planning from Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, and a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Punjab technical University. Before joining ICLEI South Asia in October 2023, she was associated with the Rural Development Department of Himachal Pradesh as a Spatial Planning Specialist and with WASH Institute as a Liquid Waste Management Technical Coordinator in the State of Punjab & Haryana.
Project Associate
Arun Thakur is a transport planner with a master’s degree in Transport Planning and a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Before joining ICLEI South Asia, he gained experience with organizations such as RTC Engineering Consultants India Private Limited, Hyderabad, where he contributed to Traffic Impact Study projects based in the UAE. Prior to RTC, he was part of the team at the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), Faridabad, working on Road Safety Audits and Traffic Management projects.
District Coordinator
District Manager
Transport Planner
District Coordinator
Associate Director
Knowledge Management Expert
Shinjini joined ICLEI South Asia in February 2025. She is an architect and urban designer with over five years of experience in the development sector. Her work has focused on employing a multi-disciplinary approach, spanning policy, planning, and design, to address cross-sectoral challenges, particularly those related to climate change and associated urban transitions. Prior to this, she worked as Project Officer (Transport) for the UrbanShift PMU at NIUA, where she contributed to the adoption of low-emission, climate-resilient, and nature-positive solutions. Additionally, she has collaborated with multiple central and state government agencies on diverse urban projects, policies and research, both domestically and internationally. Shinjini has provided technical support in formulating the U20 White Paper for Reinventing Frameworks for Urban Planning and Governance as part of the core research team under India’s G20 presidency. She was part of the US/ICOMOS International Exchange Programme where she conducted research under the guidance of the SDG Working Group and University of Virginia, Monticello. She was engaged as an external juror for mid-semester and end-semester evaluations at The Design Village and was Session Co-chair for Climate Resilient Urban Planning as part of the 60th ISOCARP World Planning Congress.
Communications Manager
Consultant
Senior Graphics Designer
Sayantan Ghosh is an artist and graphic designer with a postgraduate degree in painting and eight years of professional experience. His practice bridges traditional art and digital media, spanning publishing, logo and cover design, product design, and short animation. He specializes in creating visual narratives and design solutions that connect meaningfully with real-world contexts.
Manager - Human Resources
Simran Kaur joined ICLEI South Asia in July 2025. She holds an MBA in Human Resource Management and brings over 13 years of comprehensive experience across international and diplomatic organisations. Prior to joining ICLEI South Asia, she held HR roles at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, USAID, the High Commission of Canada, and Larsen & Toubro. Over the years, she has managed core HR functions including talent acquisition, employee onboarding, performance management, compensation and benefits, HR compliance, and policy development. As Human Resources Manager at ICLEI South Asia, she will manage HR operations and is committed to building structured, people-first systems that support ICLEI’s mission and regional teams. She is known for her clarity in communication and ability to implement simple and effective HR solutions that align with organisational needs.
Accounts Manager
Siba has a Bachelors’s degree in Commerce (Accounting Hons.) from Utkal University, Orissa. He joined ICLEI – South Asia in May 2009 as an Account and Administrative officer. He has worked with Indiabulls (HO) & in Unicon Investment Solutions (HO) as an accounts executive where his responsibilities included stocks and books debt audit of various companies on behalf of Syndicate Bank, OBC, Vijaya Bank through a CA Firm. He has worked on various accounting software such as LD, Focus, Tally, Busy, etc.
Account Assistant
Khyati joined ICLEI South Asia in March 2025 as an Account Assistant. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Lakshmibai College, Delhi University. Khyati has extensive experience in accounting, financial systems, and company secretarial work. She is proficient in various accounting software, including Tally and Busy. At ICLEI South Asia, she is responsible for the financial and administrative operations, which include maintaining financial records, assisting with budgets, and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and donor regulations.
Senior Accounts Officer
Manager - Admin, IT & Membership
Sasi joined ICLEI South Asia in February 2012. He has prior experience in the designing of print publications such as newsletters, brochures, annual reports, posters, calendars, and other print collaterals, training manuals, and policy briefs. He has worked on various design software like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Illustrator, etc. He has previously worked with Winrock International India and Development Alternatives.
Administrative Officer
Ritwick Boyi joined ICLEI South Asia’s Hyderabad office in November 2011. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science (Computers) from Osmania University in Hyderabad and is pursuing a Master’s in Business Management. He was earlier associated with ISB, Hyderabad. Currently, at ICLEI South Asia, Ritwick manages the Hyderabad office activities and supports the team in managing daily operations. He also assists with the facilitation of ICLEI South Asia’s operations.
Office and Field Assistant
Manoj has been with ICLEI South Asia since the beginning of May 2008. He provides support to all office activities and assists with the facilitation of ICLEI South Asia’s operations.
Office and Field Assistant
Mukund joined ICLEI South Asia in 2010. He provides support to all office activities and assists with the facilitation of ICLEI South Asia’s operations.
Office Assistant
Shankar joined ICLEI South Asia in 2010. He supports all office activities and is involved in assisting ICLEI South Asia with its daily endeavours. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology.
Office Assistant
Ariful joined ICLEI South Asia in September 2020. Currently he is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh and supports all office activities at the ICLEI Bangladesh Country Office. He is good team player and has interest in traveling.