changing the world through conversations with young people
Samvada
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Anita Ratnam
Executive Director, Samvada
Samvada is a collective of individuals who complement each other through our diverse interests, temperaments, backgrounds, personalities, qualifications and skills. What binds us together is our common dream, our united vision for young people, our shared philosophy and a collective ownership of Samvada as an organization.
The founder of Mahiti in 1998, a company committed to creating high impact technology and communications solutions, that played a pivotal role in introducing NGOs to the world of websites. Sunil was elected an Ashoka fellow in 1999 to explore the democratic potential of the Internet' and was also granted a Sarai FLOSS fellowship in 2003.
From 2004-2008 Sunil had managed the International Open Source Network and coordinated ENRAP; an electronic network of International Fund for Agricultural Development projects in the Asia-Pacific.
He is currently involved in research and advocacy around issues of privacy and cyber snooping.
Raghav graduated from Istitute of Rural Mangement, Gujrat in 1984. Over the last three deacdes Raghav has meandered between the corporate world, academia and craft sector.
He is now trying to bring all his experiences and questions together as he persues a Phd at the Centre for Systems Thinking, University of Hull. Conversations with Raghav traverse philosophy, behavioural sciences adn questions about knowledge itself.
Raghav Rajagopalan
Mangement Trainer & Consultant
B N Jagadeesha
Advocate
Current Board of Trustees
Diviya Kapur
Advocate and Founder Literati
Diviya Kapur first got in touch with Samvada when she was a 2nd year student of National Law School over 20 years ago. The exposures and discussions at Samvada during her student years led her to legal practice focussing on women’s rights. Somewhere along the way wanderlust caught up with Diviya and she travelled around, even doing a stint as a tour guide.
She finally found her true vocation when she set up Literati. This is a unique book shop in North Goa where writers, artists, children, readers, activists gather around piles of books to discuss ideas, words and goings on in Goa.
Dominic D’Souza used to be a teacher of Social Work long ago and decided to throw that up and work with tribal communities in Andhra Pradesh. Along with his wife Nafisa, he moved to Eastern Andhra, set up 'Laya' and began working with tribal communities who were losing their lands to non- tribal’s .
In 1989 Anita Ratnam and Dominic together conceptualised and promoted the SMILE outreach network which later grew into National Youth Foundation (NYF), a coalition of 23 organisations working with youth indifferent parts of India.
Dominic brings to the Samvada governance process his long standing association with young people as a teacher and mentor and his leadership of organisations like IGSSS, Laya and NYF and ASPBAE ( Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education). He is sharp, funny, blunt, and compassionate and can talk with passion about a range of topics from mysticism to climate change!
Kavitha Krishnamoorthy
Kavitha began her career with 'YUVA' in Mumbai where she worked for several years as a member of the staff and later as a member of the governing board. She later moved to Bangalore and set up KiliKili to create public play spaces that can be used by all children, with or without disabilities.
After graduating from the Institute of Rural Management Anand, Anita Ratnam was among other pioneers in the 1980s who had the determination and tenacity to start organisations to address issues confronting Indian society. She founded and steered Samvada over the last 22 years and initiated work with young people way before, it became the 'in thing'.
From writing academic papers to columns for newspapers, travelling to Pakistan with a group of students from India to conducting discussions with young girls on the politics of marriage in Bangalore college, to writing short stories and research reports alongside innovative proposals and reports Anita has worn multiple hats - that of a scholar, writer, trainer, activist and mentor.
Anita brings to Samvada, her creativity, warmth and incisiveness.
As Executive Director of Samvada, she has, over the years brought together an interesting and diverse team, constantly reinvented the organisation to keep it relevant, nimble and responsive to the changing needs of young people in Indian society.
Byatha N Jagadeesha, is a different king of lawyer, someone who uses law to help poor under-trials languishing in jails, to fight for secularism and to advocate for social justice. Jagadeesh was a B.A student when he first came in touch with Samvada in 1997-98.
His exposure to Nagarahole and then to Narmada valley in the year 1999-2000 was a turning point as he decided to work full time for the Narmada Bachao Andolan for Two and half years.
He then came back to finish his LLB. After working with the Alternative Law Forum for Seven years, he decided to branch out on his own. Jagadeesh has always been supportive as well as critical about Samvada and brings a unique perspective to most of the challenges that Samvada faces