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KNOWLEDGE LINKS
Director, Programs
Satya carries around 25 years of extensive experience in program and project management in the urban and rural water and sanitation sector with focus on handholding at the state, district and community level for the implementation of community based initiatives in general and urban solid waste management and MHM in particular.
She recently designed and executed a community/citizen led intervention across 20 sectors in NOIDA for safe and sustainable waste management led by Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) with new COVID-19 protocols for social distancing, hand washing and sanitizing the RWA surroundings with community participation. (concluded in December 2020)
Helped the state governments of Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand prepare State level Guidelines and Implementation Strategy for Menstrual Health and Hygiene during 2018-19.
Led a team of multi-disciplinary team of professionals for capacity building and handholding to achieve open defecation free (ODF) results across most of the districts in the state of Chhattisgarh during 2013-18 on a series of projects supported by UNICEF.
Satya is also a disaster management and development professional, with 11 years of exclusive experience in community based disaster management (CBDM) trainingsand facilitation. Her other areas of specialisation include rural livelihoods and women empowerment, social developmentand community resilience.
D Satya Suya
D Satya Suya
Padmaja Nair is a senior Social Policy and Development Planner with over 30 years of experience across Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), urban poverty alleviation, and social protection. Her expertise lies in inclusive policy formulation, institutional strengthening, monitoring and evaluation, and gender-transformative program design with a focus on women, children, and vulnerable communities.
She has contributed to flagship initiatives such as the SWAJAL Programme, which laid the foundation for India’s subsequent national WASH missions, and has led multi-state and multi-country evaluations, policy reviews, and institutional assessments. Her work spans engagements with UNICEF, UNOPS, DFID, WaterAid, Save the Children, PRIA, and the World Bank, among others.
Padmaja has undertaken key assignments across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, the UK, and Finland, shaping sectoral learning agendas on gender integration, political economy of sanitation, and non-state actors’ roles. Her notable works include developing O&M strategies for Jal Jeevan Mission, conducting gender analysis for the sanitation ecosystem, leading inclusive sanitation policy design in Odisha, and evaluating civil society engagement in WASH governance.
A long-standing advocate for equity and accountability in service delivery, Padmaja integrates policy research with community-level realities to advance sustainable, gender-responsive, and inclusive development outcomes.
Padmaja Nair
Social Policy & Development Planning Specialist | WASH, Gender, and Urban Poverty Expert
Dr. Tripti Bahuguna
Public Health Specialist | Health Systems & Hospital Management Expert
Dr. Tripti Bahuguna is a senior Public Health Specialist with over 35 years of experience in the health sector, serving in various leadership roles within the Government of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Until April 2022, she held the position of Director General, Directorate of Medical Health and Family Welfare, Uttarakhand, where she led statewide health initiatives, institutional reforms, and pandemic response management.
As Director General, Dr. Bahuguna was responsible for the overall management and delivery of health services across Uttarakhand, including hospital administration, policy planning, human resource development, and program implementation. Under her leadership, the state achieved 100% COVID-19 vaccination coverage, established PSA oxygen plants in all health facilities, and implemented regular mock drills and ICU readiness protocols, significantly strengthening the state’s health resilience.
She played a pivotal role in advancing family planning goals, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, expanding institutional deliveries, and improving immunization coverage. Her contributions were instrumental in upgrading healthcare infrastructure, establishing new hospitals, modernizing existing facilities under IPHS norms, and strengthening blood bank networks across the state.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Bahuguna led Uttarakhand’s response from the front—overseeing emergency planning, procurement, and public-private coordination to mitigate the crisis. Her leadership was recognized with multiple commendations, including awards from the Chief Minister and the Secretary of Health, Government of Uttarakhand, for exceptional service as a Corona Warrior.
A trained pediatrician with deep experience in hospital management and public health strategy, Dr. Bahuguna combines clinical insight with policy-level expertise. She has led large teams, managed human resources, designed operational strategies, and guided institutional convergence with NGOs and private health providers.
Committed to advancing equitable and efficient health systems, Dr. Bahuguna continues to advocate for community-centered approaches, evidence-based planning, and capacity-building for sustainable healthcare delivery.
Nisheeth Kumar is a founder member and Chief, Operations of Knowledge Links. He specialises in strategic policy advice, program/project management strategies, and large scale training and capacity building training interventions for good governance on the one hand and inclusive, resilient and sustainable development on the other. He is also a founder member of the Alliance for Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction (AADRR), the largest civil society network in India with more than 200 NGOs working on DRR and CCA initiatives on the ground in India.
He was appointed as one of the members of the Task Force, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), constituted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India (GOI) for providing strategic advice to the Central Government for effective roll out of JJM across the country. The Task Force submitted its report to Government of India in September 2020.
Nisheeth carries around 35 years of work experience both within and outside government, particularly in the development and disaster management sectors, with focus on policy, planning, strategy, training, capacity development and knowledge management issues across sectors with gender equity and justice, climate resilience and inclusive and sustainable development as his core concerns. Most of his work involves engaging with policy makers and decision makers within governments and development aid agencies, as also with the concerned communities on the ground, mainly in disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA) and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) domains.
Nisheeth Kumar
Chief Operations
Mohan Sajnani
Disaster Management Expert
Mr. Mohan P. Sajnani is a Senior National level Disaster Management Expert, worked with Disaster Management Division, MHA, closely associated withdrafting and enactment of Disaster Management Actand National Policy on Disaster Management.Chiefly involved in 17 States GoI UNDP DRM Programme, finalization of various National guidelines, review of SDMPs.
Extensive experience of 45 years in government, UN and consulting domains respectively. Expertise in Disaster Management Policy Planning and analyzing the institutional and legal framework.Associated with MHA for 15 years in capacity of Director Disaster Management, followed byAdvisor MHA. Also closely involved in strategy formulation of National DM framework, conceptualization and drafting of DM Act 2005, National DM Policy, School Safety and many other National Disaster Management Guidelines. Associated with UNDP- GOI DRM Program (2002-2008).
He has carried out the review of 13 State Disaster Management (DM) Plans,involved in the preparation of National School Safety, CBDM and various national guidelines. He has developed first Status Report for Disaster Management in India, 2004.
He was engaged in preparing comprehensive DM Plan of Greater Mumbaiand associated with preparation of two SOPs for nuclear emergenciesin consultation with Department of Atomic Energy located at Mumbai
Overall supervision of work plan of 29 ATIs including financial support and DM faculty structure and Associated with development of IDRN & IDKN in MHA, Associated with CBSE, UNDP as key resource person for development of training module for CBSE teachers, and also Imparted DM training on national perspectives to CBSE School Principals, teachers, educationists and officials
He has international experience and worked in countries like India Nepal and Bhutan.
Subir Pradhan has over 36 years of experience in WASH and community development, particularly in sustainable livelihoods and rural development projects in bilateral/multilateral projects/programs in India and other countries. He is an accomplished CLTS trainer and facilitator with experience of organizing a number of training of trainer programs in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Punjab, Jharkhand, West Bengal and MP. He has worked as a CLTS mentor for the CLTS field team of Knowledge Links working on the ground in Cooch Behar, Malda, Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas in West Bengal since 2015.
He designed and implemented sustainability strategies for creating ODF communities and Solid and Liquid Resource Management interventions besides capacity building of block and community level facilitators in three Projects in Coochbehar, Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal. He has carried out a series of community triggering exercises in SLRM and has provided hand holding support to the field facilitators on the ground.
He also organised various activities in schools and Anganwadi Centers on hand washing with soap amongst students and their parents. He designed and conducted a research project on ‘Hand washing with soap’ amongst schools students and their parents in Kolkata funded by Splash in 2019.
He has practical experience in the development and application of participatory approaches and methodology with an emphasis on participatory planning, monitoring and impact evaluation to empower poor communities. He has been involved in the application of PLA/PRA tools and techniques for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) on the ground, particularly for preparation of village action plans (VAPs) at the village and GP level.
Subir Kumar Pradhan
Vice President
Dr. Sanjay Verma
Dr. Sanjay Verma Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist | Climate Change & Sustainable Development Expert . Dr. Sanjay Verma is an M&E Specialist with over 30 years of experience in research, data analysis, and policy advisory across water, sanitation, climate change, agriculture, forestry, and natural resource management. He has worked extensively with indigenous communities, developing adaptive strategies for climate resilience and sustainable development.
Dr. Verma has worked with global agencies like the World Bank, JICA, ADB, UNICEF, and UNDP. He has completed over 60 consultancy projects, focusing on institutional assessments, participatory monitoring, financial management, and governance models. He has also designed M&E systems, impact surveys, and social audit frameworks.
Dr. Verma has worked closely with community-based organizations and tribal communities like Buxa, Tharu, and Jaunsari. He has published nine research papers, including Community-Based Forest Management in India: Policy Transition and Sustainability Initiatives in the International Journal of Innovative Science.
Committed to addressing climate and governance challenges, Dr. Verma integrates research and policy for sustainable, community-led solutions.
Ajay Kumar Singh carries around 17 years of experience of working with top professionals and organisations in the field of accounting, auditing, financial management and administration besides procurement and delivery of services from and to vendors and organisations.
His special skills include: effective accounts keeping and financial management; working in diverse teams; and solving problems creatively as per emerging needs and challenges within the organisation.
His work experience includes managing finances and accounts on assignments commissioned by the World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP, National Institute of Disaster Management, NDMA-India, SAARC Disaster Management Centre (Gender Studies), Government of Combodia, Government of Indonesia, Government of Afganistan, Government of Srilanka, IDS Sussex (UK) and leading international NGOs like PLAN International Combodia, Plan International Indonesia, Practical Action Sri Lanka.
Ajay Kumar Singh
Account Officer
Ajmal Khan
Program Manager, WASH / Media Divisions
Ajmal Khan carries an experience of around 9 years in social and human development on community-based projects, particularly in the rural and urban water and sanitation sector at the State, District and Village levels across several states in India. He specializes in devising and implementing innovative community engagement strategies for participatory planning and management of community empowerment initiatives on the ground.
Ajmal is also a trained film editor and media manager. He carries extensive knowledge of the use of various computer applications for design of media products of a wide variety. He has edited many documentaries/films related to development sector, particularly in the rural and urban sanitation, across many Indian states including Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand, which have been extensively used by trainers and development practitioners in India and abroad.
He has been providing his professional services on a number of assignments for a range of national and international clients and programs including UNICEF, DFID, IDS, Sussex, UK, HCL Foundation, WSSCC, MDWS, Mission Nirmal Bangla, and “Swachh Bharat Mission”.
Nishi Kant Giri carries around 15 years of extensive experience as an expert community facilitator with specialization in training, capacity development and community organisation and mobilisation activities for community involvement in solid and liquid waste management (SLWM) on the ground.
He worked as one of the lead community facilitators for community led solid waste management across 20 Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in NOIDA during 2019-20. He has worked across Malda, Cooch Behar and Murshidabad districts in West Bengal during 2015-18.
He was engaged in building the capacities of Knowledge Links’ partner NGOs in Raygada district, Odisha to help create ODF villages. Apart from facilitating 5 day training workshops of Training for CLTS facilitators, he also provided hands-on technical support to the implementing partners’ team as part of the ongoing CLTS project in 6 select districts in Odisha with support from DFID. (completed in 2014)
He designed and conducted a five days’ CLTS training of facilitators for natural leaders working with Jan KalyanSamiti, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh on request of UNICEF, Raipur. (April, 2014).
He has worked as an individual CLTS consultant with the PHED, Janjgir-Champa district in Chhattisgarh.
As part of Knowledge Links’ CLTS implementation team working on the UNICEF Raipur supported CATS Pilot initiative in Chhuria block in Chhuria block of Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh and have been responsible leading Natural leaders to enable creation of ODF communities. (May, 2013- Feb, 2014)
He has contributed to the creation of ODF communities in Guna block of Guna district, while working with Knowledge Links’ team as cluster coordinator for the UNICEF, Bhopal supported CATS initiative there. (May,2011-June, 2012)
Nishikant Giri
Program Manager, Community Facilitation and Development
