PIDT

Governing Board Member

Dr. Aparna Dasgupta, Chairperson , PIDT is a Sanskrit scholar with a doctorate from the University of Bombay on Manusmriti. She has many publications to her credit including “Work Opportunities for Women in India – Vol I & II”, “Domestic Workers”, Äction Oriented Training Research & Implementation”. She has also translated many of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagores songs to Hindi and the “Tash ka Desh”- a Hindi translation of Rabindranath Tagores Bengali dance drama “Tasher Desh”. She served as Director, PIDT for over two decades in the tribal belt of Santhal Parganas leading to enormous work in Jharkhand and erstwhile Bihar in education and empowerment of women. She is well travelled and has presented a number of papers in different countries.

Prof. Buddhadeb Choudhury, has been the Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Calcutta University. He is a well known scholar of Social Anthropology and Human Rights with a Doctorate from Calcutta University. He has a number of publications to his credit including , “Tribal Development in India: Problems and Prospects”, “Tribal Transformation in India- 5 volumes”, “Bakreshwar Temple: Continuity and Change “, “Tribal Health- Socio cultural Dimensions”, “Forest and Forest Development in India”, Öur Land Our Life: Agarian Policy Crisis in Asia ”,”Faltering First Step: reasons for Disparity of Sex Ratio at Primary Education Level.” He is well travelled and has guided a large number of Researchers and doctoral students.

Dr. Kalpana Mohanty, hails from a family of freedom fighters and Nation Builders. She has a degrees in English Literature, Philosophy, Rural Development, Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies and completed her Doctoral studies from Gandhigram Rural University. She has worked with many reputed organizations including ASSEFA, Plan International, JNU, UNICEF, AVARD, SRCAE, Shanti Ashram. She has studied under great educationists like Shri. J. Krishnamurthi and Dr. M. Aram. She is widely travelled abroad and is an Interfaith leader and has a number of research papers and publications.

 

Mihir Kumar Sen, Treasurer PIDT ,born 1955, is the founder of Comunet Info-Systems Pvt. Ltd., executing Information and Communication Technology based projects for last 18 years. Formerly a banker with 20 years’ experience and has completed CAIIB. Mr. M. Sen is updated with IC technologies and visited many industrial units in Europe and China, as member of delegate teams. He has numerous trainings and certifications on Digital technologies to his credit and mentors startup companies in the development of innovative product and services. Mr. Mihir Sen is member of the Collegium formed by BOPT (ER) under Ministry of Human Resources, Govt. of India, advising activities of the General Attribute Development Programme (GADP) under National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS). He is socially minded and interested in ICT needs for the poor.

Ms. Yasmeen Sengupta, is the Pratinidhi or chief executive of the Bengal Branch of Kasturba Gandhi national memorial trust founded by Mahatma Gandhi for the development and empowerment of Rural women. Honorary General Secretary of Mahila Seva Samity a development and welfare organisation in south 24 parganas . Pioneered by Late Ashoka Gupta. The organisation runs an old age home and shelter and rehabilitation centres for women in distress, creches for children of rural working women, family counselling centre and several skill training programs. She is also the Hon. Secretary of Aiwc Buniadi Bidyapith , a govt aided primary higher secondary school which was initially built by members of Aiwc in Beleghata Kolkata. She is a self driven leader with a humane and holistic viewpoint having espoused the women’s viewpoint and hails from a well known family from Jharkhand.

Mr. Pramod Sharma, is a Firm believer in Gandhian ideas of Constructive Program based on voluntary efforts, individual and community action. Pramod Sharma is founder & coordinator of Yuvsatta (youth for peace-an NGO) working to promote youth leadership and transformative change by strengthening Peace Clubs in Schools and organizing international youth exchange programs and an annual Global Youth Peace Fest (GYPF). He had also edited two books on the theme of ‘Millenium without Violence’ and ‘Need for Afro-Asian Dialogue’. He had done M. Phil. from Department of Gandhian & Peace Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India and is having a soul satisfying experience of 34 years of active volunteer work.

Mr. Rajdeep Pathak, is personifies true Gandhian values of humility, integrity and courage of conviction. He has a Masters degree Program in Mass Communication and currently Executive at Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti in a managerial position . He has marvelous organisational skills & the ability to conduct mega events of National importance with finesse. He has a remarkable creative streak and is a promising writer who combines his command over language, personal experiences & a humane approach.

 

Cherukuri Indira Dasgupta, Hon. Secretary of PIDT is a development innovator, with many years of experience in design of sustainable societies at the grassroots of Rural India. She has earlier been the Research and Planning Co-ordinator for PIDT and has a deep interest in the processes of volunteering promotion, gender, early childhood and the subaltern perspective. She has been in the Executive committee of the Forum for Collective forms of Co-operation and on the Board of the International Association for Development and Training. Currently on the board of INHAF and GPF, she is well travelled both in India and abroad being a good facilitator and with many years of teaching experience.
She is an architect and urban planner and housing studies from the Asian Institute of Technology, having previously worked with ASAG,TARU, AICPL, and interned with Kanvinde and Assoc., S.K.Das and Assoc, HUDCO, Sumit Ghose and Assoc.all through with an interest in sustainable alternatives and the vernacular.
She has attended ad conducted numerous conferences and training programs. She has written many papers and co-edited various publications including Volunteering for Humanism in the New Millennium – conference proceedings “, Youth for Peace: Plurality and Equality: Social Responsibility of the Youth”, Acculturation of the Child to Schooling: A Multi-ethnic Study “, Water for Life”, Status of women in India – a call for action”. She has a strong faith in the holistic development paradigm and gendered perspectives.