Akhil obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Sociology. He has had 3 years of work experience, prior to joining the Just Transition Research Centre in 2021 as a Project Assistant.

Arundhati Pandey has a solid academic background and practical experience in the energy sector. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics (Honors) and a postgraduate degree in Energy Economics from Banaras Hindu University, where she completed a project on energy efficiency and sustainability in coal mining.
She has gained valuable experience through internships with public sector undertakings and multinational corporations, contributing to projects focused on the energy sector, coal industry dynamics, renewable energy, sustainable development, and human resources. This exposure has equipped her with expertise in energy transition, energy efficiency, and the evolving green economy.
With a skill set that includes advanced research methodologies, team management, effective communication, strategic networking, fieldwork, and comprehensive report writing, she is passionate about driving people-centric economic development with environmental sustainability.

Bodhika has a BA in Social Sciences from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and a Master's in Environment and Sustainable Development from The Bartlett, University College London (UCL). She has been part of OVERDUE's advocacy campaign in urban Africa, particularly Senegal and Tanzania. In the past, she has also been associated with TERI SRC for a BESCOM project (Govt. of Karnataka) and a Tata Tanishq project.

Her varied interests lie in gender, energy, WASH, and their intersections, and in achieving the SDGs through research, participatory processes, and advocacy.

Manisha holds a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. During her Master’s dissertation, she worked at IUCN India Country Office and completed her research thesis under the project “Himalayas For the Future”. She also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law and Policy from WWF India and National Law University, New Delhi.
She has worked with Policy Advocacy team of CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD) on the topic of Single Use Plastics as an Intern. After completing her master’s degree, she joined SunMoksha Power Private Limited, Bangalore as a Project Intern and continued her work on the “Himalayas For the Future” project. Her work was focused around modelling of various thematic areas using System Dynamics approach. Working in this project derived her interest in the social aspect of Environment Management. Her research interests include Environmental Sociology, Natural Resource Management, Just Transition, Forest Ecosystem, Indigenous communities and their livelihood, Human Wildlife Conflict and Climate Change.

Mayurakshi obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree in Sociology from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. She has worked as a guest lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Shri Shikshayatan College, Kolkata, teaching both Honours and General programme students. She cracked the National Eligibility Test in her first attempt, and is also a holder of the University Grants Commission Junior Research Fellowship. Currently, she is a first year PhD student at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Kanpur. Her area of interest lies in Environmental Sociology, Environmental Justice, Energy Transition, social mobility and migration.

Monalisa Singh has joined the JTRC at IIT Kanpur as a project scientist. She recently submitted her PhD thesis at IIT Tirupati, where her research centred on the economic analysis of household preferences for home appliances in India. Mrs. Singh specializes in energy, environmental and behavioural economics. Her research explores the intersections of economic development, energy consumption, and environmental sustainability.
Monalisa holds a postgraduate and M.Phil. in Economics from Ravenshaw University, Odisha. Her teaching experience and academic foundation have equipped her with robust analytical skills. She possesses expertise in Microsoft Excel and STATA.
Monalisa has authored publications addressing critical issues in growing appliance ownership and barriers to energy efficiency investment. Her research contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainable energy solutions.

I recently graduated with a Master of Arts in Political Science from St. Joseph's University, Bengaluru. My master's thesis focused on conflict-related sexual violence against males, where I explored gender biases and victim hierarchy within existing frameworks, while also critiquing policy gaps in UN definitions that impact male survivors. Alongside my academic work, I have gained valuable experience through internships with organizations like CRY - Child Rights and You, where I led community-based initiatives on cyber safety for children. My areas of interest include policy solutions and advocacy focused on social justice and human rights issues affecting marginalized groups.

Nandana has obtained her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Presidency University, Kolkata and master’s in sociology from South Asian University, New Delhi. She has qualified National Eligibility Test for Assistant Professor in January 2022. During her bachelor’s she has done an internship from Hope Foundation, Calcutta. Currently she is a doctoral candidate in Sociology at Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Kanpur. Her doctoral work at IIT Kanpur focuses on gender, justice and energy transition.

Nishi completed his M.Phil. in Sociology from Jadavpur University and obtained an M.A. in Sociology from Pondicherry University. The growing concerns of climate change in the world motivated Nishi to work on the policy framework of energy transition in India for his doctoral thesis at IIT Kanpur. He is interested in investigating the role of trade unions in coal-based power plants in India. In 2019, he presented a paper titled “Market-a space for social mobility and identity assertion for the women in Manipur” at the National Seminar on “Regimes of Gender in Contemporary Globalization” organised by the Department of Political science, Presidency University Kolkata. He is currently receiving a Junior Research Fellowship from the University Grants Commission for his doctoral research.

Neelam obtained Master’s and Bachelor's degrees in Library and Information Science from Chhatrapati Sahu Ji Maharaj University Kanpur. She also has an 'O' level certificate from NIELIT. Due to her keen interest and experience in official work. She joined JTRC IIT Kanpur as Deputy Project Manager. Her work experience spread across various sectors such as Cantonment Board School, P.K Kelkar Library IIT Kanpur, and Dean of Academic Affairs IIT Kanpur.

Poulami Ghosh recent graduated of the Master of Arts in Public Policy from Mount Carmel College Autonomous, Bangalore. Her master’s dissertation centered around an analysis of the Karnataka State Policy for Senior Citizens, 2003 with a special focus on Old Age Homes and Day Care Centres run by State Grants in Bengaluru Urban and Rural Districts to understand the impact of policy interventions on elders residing in old age homes. In addition to her academic pursuits, she has gained valuable experience through internships at policy think tanks, political consultancy firms, NGOs, and startups. Her interest area lies mostly around policy interventions within the social sector that address the needs and issues of marginalised sections of the society.

Pradip Swarnakar is trained as a sociologist and specializes in conducting quantitative and qualitative research on various social and environmental issues. During his doctoral research at IIT Kanpur, he had conducted extensive fieldwork in rural West Bengal to investigate people’s beliefs and practices concerning water scarcity and contamination. After completing his PhD, he joined the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Environment and Development at Bangalore to examine the socio-psychological impact of groundwater arsenic contamination. One year later, he moved to IIT Delhi to explore why and how information and communication technologies facilitate small and medium enterprises’ economic activities in Dharavi- Asia’s largest slum at Mumbai. In 2009, he joined the ABV-Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management Gwalior and taught undergraduate and postgraduate students in technical and management streams. During his tenure at IITM Gwalior, he observed that the Indian students spend considerable time on social media sites like Facebook to connect with their friends and family. This led him to explore how Indian students create and maintain social capital by using Facebook and other social media applications between 2010-2013. He conducted semi-structured interviews with nine hundred students from three centrally funded technical institutes in India to investigate it further. In 2012, he got involved with the climate policy network research group known as COMPON, conceived and led by Prof Jeffrey Broadbent of the University of Minnesota and spans across several countries. As a lead researcher of the project’s Indian team, Dr. Swarnakar interviewed around eighty climate policy actors in India to identify their collaboration network in the various policy processes. In 2017, he was awarded the Fulbright fellowship to conduct ethnographic fieldwork in San Joaquin Valley to investigate socio-cultural dimensions of drought management in California, which saw one of the worst draughts between 2011-2016. Employing the theoretical perspective of transition management and practice theory, his research highlighted the role of culture in transitioning to the new normal of water scarcity and unpredictability. In 2019, he collaborated with a team of researchers from the University of Technology, Sydney, to interview the residents of a small town of Bulga in New South Wales, Australia, intending to examine and foreground the plight and vulnerability of the indigenous communities of Australia imperilled by mining operations. At CEPRL, he is engaged in research on environmental justice issues like air pollution, forest rights, and just energy transitions, focusing on developing novel methodological and theoretical tools and delivering policy-relevant results.

Pritha obtained M.A in Sociology from the University of Kalyani, where she conducted a sociological study on the level of awareness about gender role stereotypes among married women. Her doctoral work at IIT Kanpur focuses on the role of science and the scientific community in India’s energy transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy. Before joining IIT Kanpur, Pritha’s work experience spanned across diverse areas, including the banking sector, welfare organisations, and teaching positions in schools and colleges.

Priyanka Thakur is a Research Associate at the Just Transition Research Centre (JTRC), IIT Kanpur. With a rich background in public health and leadership development, Priyanka brings a unique blend of expertise in organizational transformation and social equity. Prior to joining JTRC, she served as a Gandhi Fellow with the Piramal Foundation, where she led impactful initiatives in the health sector, focusing on district hospital improvements and bridging inequalities.

Priyanka holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Her academic rigor is further demonstrated by qualifying the National Eligibility Test (NET) for Assistant Professorship in January 2023. Her journey reflects a commitment to self-transformation and fostering sustainable growth within communities and institutions.

Dr. Purnabha Dasgupta, an esteemed scholar and researcher, is presently as a fellow at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur's Just Transition Research Centre. Dr. Dasgupta, who possesses a strong foundation in sustainability science, has contributed significantly to the field via his extensive research, leadership in action research initiatives in agriculture, water as well as energy, and diverse positions within academic and governmental organizations. In addition to being an alumnus of the US Department of States, he was a participant in the International Visiting Leadership Programme. In addition, he was honoured with the Impact Award by the United States Department of States for his groundbreaking work in this domain and honoured as the Honorary Ambassador to the State of Arkansas, United States of America by the then Governor of the state.
During his tenure at PRASARI (Civil Society Organization operational in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, and Meghalaya), Dr. Dasgupta served as a Programme Director, where he played a pivotal role in overseeing and directing the organization's initiatives. His work extended beyond the borders of PRASARI, as he held consultant scientist and adjunct faculty positions in RKMVERI, Calcutta University, the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, showcasing his versatility and expertise in diverse domains.
Dr. Dasgupta's academic journey is marked by excellence, having earned his PhD from the prestigious Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (NAAC A++). His doctoral research focused on sustainability science, earning him accolades as both his PhD and MSc theses were adjudged as excellent by RKMVERI.
In addition to his administrative roles, Dr. Purnabha Dasgupta has actively engaged in research, contributing significantly to the academic discourse. As a Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI in various social, interdisciplinary and action research projects undertaken by PRASARI, the Development Research Communication and Services Centre, IIIT, and RKMVERI he demonstrated leadership and a commitment to generating valuable insights for sustainable development.
His prolific publication record includes over 24 research articles, 5 book chapters, and 4 popular articles, reflecting the depth and breadth of his contributions to the scientific community. Dr. Dasgupta's dedication to advancing knowledge in sustainability science, coupled with his hands-on experience in the field, positions him as a prominent figure in the realm of research and academia.

Rachna Vaish has joined the JTRC at IIT Kanpur as a project scientist. She has recently submitted her Ph.D. thesis to the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology. Her research work was focused on analyzing the impact of renewable energy source integrations and increase in their penetration levels on power system fault diagnosis utilizing machine learning models. Her Ph.D. thesis title was “Performance Assessment of Machine Learning Models for Transmission Network Fault Diagnosis Amidst Ongoing Renewable Energy Source Integrations”. She obtained her B. Tech from Shambhunath Institute of Engineering & Technology, Prayagraj, in Electrical Engineering and M. Tech from Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology, Sultanpur, in Power Electronics & Drives. She possesses several soft skills such as C, C++, MATLAB, Python, Machine Learning, and Data Analysis. As a doctoral in electrical engineering, at JTRC-IIT Kanpur she aims to contribute to society by researching towards transitions faced due to renewable energy source integrations in energy market and suggesting policies suitable for sustainable development of Indian energy sector.

Rajshri obtained her B.A. (Hons.) in Sociology from Hindu College, Delhi University, and M.A. in Sociology from CSJM University, Kanpur. Currently she is a third-year doctoral candidate in Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Kanpur. Her broad research interests revolve around Environmental Sociology, Climate Change, Energy Transition, Energy Justice, and Social Stratification. In her thesis, she aims to explore the treatment of the structural inequalities and injustices in the process of energy transition towards renewable energy by conducting a comparative study between India and Australia. She holds a national-level Junior Research Fellowship funded by the University Grants Commission. She presented her work at the 'International Workshop on Socio-ecological relations of the energy transition in Australia, Germany, and India in 2019' and 'European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) General Conference 2020'. She has co-authored a paper with prof. Pradip Swarnakar titled ‘Beliefs and networks: Mapping the Indian climate policy discourse surrounding the Paris Climate Change Conference in 2015’ published in Environmental Communication.

Ramraja Patel recently graduated with a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Governance from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, specializing in Urbanization. His Master's dissertation focused on public health, specifically examining "Occupational Health Hazards of Bus and Truck Drivers: A Case Study of Drivers Operating on the Jhansi-Kanpur Highway." This research highlighted the occupational risks faced by drivers and contributed to a deeper understanding of labour health challenges within transport sectors. Throughout his academic journey, Ramraja gained practical insights through Rural Experiencing Learning and various internships, where he developed hands-on experience in policy implementation and community engagement. His primary interests recline in public policy, institutional frameworks (both public and private), and governance within the social and development sectors, where he aims to contribute to impactful policy interventions and sustainable development solutions.

Rupam Roy recently assumed the role of Project Associate at the Just Transition Research Centre (JTRC), IIT Kanpur. Prior to this position, he served as a Research Intern at the Center for Natural Resource Management, Climate Change, and Disaster Mitigation (CNRM, CCDM), NIRD & PR, Hyderabad. Rupam holds a Master's degree in Agriculture and Rural Development, which he earned from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI) in Narendrapur. He also possesses a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Geography from Vidyasagar College, affiliated with the University of Calcutta. During his academic journey, Rupam conducted his M.Sc. thesis research on the topic of sustainable intensification (SI) technologies in the Coastal Sundarbans region of India. Using the Smallholder ADOPT model, he made ex-ante predictions regarding the adoption of these technologies and investigated differences in adoption patterns from a gender perspective. Rupam's research expertise extends to various research methodologies, and he is proficient in utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data analysis software to support his work.

Saakshi obtained her PhD from Kumaun University, Nainital. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from the University of Delhi. She was formerly associated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a Project Assistant in Plastic Waste Recycling Management project and with the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) hosted at GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment as a Senior Research Fellow. An interdisciplinary approach towards achieving just energy transitions from an economic and environmental standpoint is the focus of Saakshi’s research interests. Her doctoral work focuses on centralised and decentralised hydro electricity production and economic valuations of hybrid renewable energy technology mechanisms in remote Himalayan regions. Her work has been published in Current Science and Theoretical and Applied Economics. She has presented her work at the Indian Science Congress (2019 and 2020) and the Himalayan Researchers Consortium (2018 and 2019). Her work on renewable energy in the Indian Himalayan Region received the Best Presentation Award at the 4th Himalayan Researchers Consortium held at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. She is also a certified mountaineering instructor and a skiing enthusiast.

I'm Sakshi Sharma. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the prestigious St. Xavier's College, Ranchi, and a Master's degree in Economics with distinction from the University of Hyderabad. My academic journey has equipped me with a strong foundation in economic principles and research methods. I've also had the opportunity to apply my skills in a practical setting, having interned as a Research Analyst at a solar panel startup. My areas of interest lie at the intersection of economics, sociology, and psychology, where I explore how human behaviour and social structures influence economic outcomes. I'm excited to continue learning and growing in these fields.

Sayantan Das holds the position of responsibility of research associate at Just Transition Research Centre (JTRC). He holds a Master's degree in Agriculture and Rural Development from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Education and Research Institute (RKMVERI), conferred in 2023. His academic background stems from Anthropology, having pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Calcutta. With a focus on ethnography and qualitative research methodologies, he brings to the table a wealth of experience and expertise aimed at amplifying grassroots perspectives and fostering community participation in policy formulation processes. His prior experience includes a stint at the National Innovation Foundation, where he served as a scout, identifying grassroots innovations and indigenous traditional knowledge within West Bengal. He is passionate in addressing grassroots challenges and amplifying their voices within the discourse of climate change and just energy transition, his Master's thesis, "Climate Chronicles: Unveiling Sundarbans' Battle with Change", garnered acclaim for its exploration of community perceptions and responses to climate change, shedding light on resilience-building efforts amidst environmental challenges by deploying participatory and reflexive photography. His work provides invaluable insights into community preparedness and mindset in addressing climate change, contributing significantly to the discourse on sustainable development and environmental resilience.

Shilpi Sharma has joined JTRC, IIT Kanpur, bringing with her a diverse range of experiences across various sectors. She completed her post-graduation in Development Studies from IIT Guwahati and earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Raipur Institute of Technology, Chhattisgarh. Her career began as a Lecturer in the Computer Science Department at an engineering college in Mumbai, after which she transitioned to the IT sector, where she worked as a QA Consultant and later advanced to the role of Senior Process Associate.

With over 8 years of experience in Academia, Industry, and the Social Sector, Shilpi has developed expertise in Research, Project Management, Business development, Cross-functional team building, Client partnerships, and Stakeholder collaboration. In her recent roles, she has worked with various organizations in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), Governance and Law research, and Public Policy, with a focus on Women workforce participation, SHG (Self Help Groups) livelihood promotion, and promoting Millet’s as a climate-resilient and sustainable crop under government supervision.

Shilpi is also passionate about communication and knowledge-sharing. She hosts a video podcast where she invites experts from diverse backgrounds including Authors, Researchers, Government Bureaucrats, Social entrepreneurs, and Social Sector Professionals to share their experiences and insights. Through this platform, she hopes to contribute to fostering togetherness and learning in an interconnected world.

Shivangi Seth holds a Master’s degree in Climate Science and Policy from TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi. She completed her mathematics and statistics graduation from Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur. Shivangi has been associated with TERI School of Advanced Studies and Kalam Foundation to carry out research activities focusing on spatiotemporal data analysis and NGO survey and analysis. She has completed internships with ESPL, Gurgaon, where she was a part of the desk review team for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Gold Standard for Global Goals (GS4GG) and Verified Carbon Standard (VERRA) projects. In her master’s thesis, she explored the scope of deriving “carbon mitigation benefits'' from electric vehicles in India and identified challenges and solutions for their growth and adoption in India. As a young explorer and researcher, she aims to contribute to society by pursuing climate and energy policy research for a sustainable future. As a Programme Lead at JTRC IIT Kanpur, she is responsible for leading research activities of the centre’s climate policy and just transition projects.

Dr. Subhra Halder has recently joined the JTRC at IIT Kanpur as a Post-Doctoral Fellow. She holds a Ph.D. in Science from Jadavpur University, where her research focused on the seasonal variation and management of irrigation water, specifically within West Bengal. Dr. Halder's expertise lies in urban ecology, flood risk management, water resource assessment, sustainable development, and the application of advanced GIS and remote sensing techniques.
Dr. Halder's academic journey includes a strong background in geography, with a P.G. Diploma in Applied Remote Sensing and GIS (Geoinformatics) and an M.Sc. in Geography from the University of Calcutta. Her research interests are diverse and interdisciplinary, encompassing regional climate modeling at the urban scale, remote sensing for environmental monitoring, land use change impacts on ecological balance, and the effects of climate change on hydrological systems.
With a robust skill set in tools such as R Studio, Python, Microsoft PowerBI Desktop, and various data visualization and geospatial analysis software, Dr. Halder has contributed to numerous significant studies. Her published works address topics like ecological quality assessment, sustainable flood hazard mapping, groundwater sustainability amidst urban expansion, and the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting for agricultural development.

Vaijayanti Burman completed her graduation and post-graduation in sociology from Presidency University, Kolkata and M.Phil. in sociology from Jadavpur University. Subsequently, she joined the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta as a Trainee Teaching Associate. Her postgraduate and M.Phil. dissertation topic was Portrayal of Mother-Child Relationship: A Sociological Study of Paintings through which she has tried to dispel and dissipate the societal myth of sublimity and romanticism in the mother-child relationship. She has also presented a paper titled “Hearing the Unheard: The Shabars of West Bengal” in 44th AISC, 2018. At CEPRL, she works as a project associate and manages communications and other research activities for multiple projects.

Mr. Vishal obtained his Master's Degree in Commerce from DAV College, Kanpur. He has worked in various FMCG and manufacturing Industries such as Rahman Industries Ltd, RSPL, Ananda Dairy Products and Sukbhir Agro Energy Ltd etc. Thus, He bears more than 9 years of experience in the fields of Accounts & Taxation. He Joined IIT Kanpur as Assistant Project Manager in 2020 where he handled the Receipt Unit of Institute Accounts and assisted in Bank Reconciliation as well as in making various Payment Vouchers. Recently in Sep 2023, he joined Just Transition Research Centre, IIT Kanpur as Deputy Project Manager to handle its accounting activities.

Avinash Ranjan is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in Just Transition Research Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. He received his PhD degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad on Political Ecology of Drinking Water Accessibility: A Comparative Study of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India. After completing his PhD, he joined K L University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh as an Assistant Professor of Geography and then he moved to Kolkata and Joined Amity University. So far, he has published 9 research articles in reputed national and international journals and have presented his work in various seminars, conferences and in invited lectures. He has experience of conducting field survey in states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Andaman and Nicobar Island. He has also qualified NET-JRF examination in Geography and environmental sciences conducted by University Grant Commission (UGC). Avinash obtained his Postgraduate degree in Geography from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Moreover, he also holds a certificate in Geoinformatics and have practical expertise in Remote Sensing and GIS. Apart from these, he is experienced in organizing workshops, lecture series and other academic events.

Barsha has her PhD from the Department of Management Studies and Industrial Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad. Her research area of interest includes Energy Economics, Econometrics, Energy Transitions, Energy Finance, and Sustainable Development. She has completed her Masters in Applied Economics from Pondicherry Central University, India and M.Phil. in Developmental Economics from Ravenshaw University, India. She has participated in various research methodology workshops as well as conferences. Additionally, she has already published research papers related to the Energy Economics area in reputed research journals. Her thesis mainly focuses on evaluating the potential of energy diversity strategy to mitigate carbon emissions.

Ejaaz completed his Mechanical engineering graduation from Visvesvaraya Technological University and holds a Master’s degree in Ecology, Environment and Sustainable Development from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. He has worked with Eco Energime Engineers LLP on accelerating the transition for Resource Efficiency, Waste Management and Circular Economy and has held internship positions at TERI, Aaranyak and ASTEC (Assam Science Technology and Environment Council). He has worked on themes related to developing alternatives for single-use plastic, Human-Wildlife conflict, and wetland restoration. In his master’s thesis, he explored the efficacy and community management of Power Fences as a Conflict Mitigation Measure in Manas National Park. His research interests include Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Energy Transition, Resource Efficiency, Human-Wildlife Conflict and Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

Jayanta Tarafder, associate with JTRC, IIT Kanpur as Assistant Project Manager. He completed his Master's Degree in History from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal. He has also completed a short-term course on Rural Development which was conducted by NIRD and the State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development. He has enormous potential in field-based research works and data management.

Jhumur holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Amrita University, Coimbatore and Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Calcutta University. She has experience in working at the community level for various projects in Jharkhand.  In her previous projects, she has worked to facilitate smooth functioning of the rural health care systems through interventions based on Information technology. Her multidisciplinary education and experiences drive her interest towards climate change, energy and the related policy. She is interested in understanding the scope of energy transition from coal to alternative energy and the possible behavioral, financial, and occupational challenges resulting from such transition for communities dependent on the coal industry.

Kushal has a Master's Degree in Ecology, Environment, and Sustainable Development from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. He also completed his Bachelor's Degree in Social Sciences from the same institute. Kushal has worked as a Vidhushi Fellow with Drishtee Foundation, focusing on community development, sustainable livelihoods, and micro-enterprise development. He has also interned at Snehalaya (Centre for Child Rights), Ashadeep (A Mental Health Society), and Aaranyak. For his master's thesis, Kushal conducted an Impact Assessment of Alternative Livelihoods: Piggery Intervention at Bhuyapara, Manas National Park. Kushal's research interests include climate change mitigation and adaptation, energy transition, waste management, and sustainable livelihoods. With an interdisciplinary background, Kushal is keen to utilize his passion for environmental stewardship as an intern at JTRC.

Meghna is a fourth year undergraduate, currently pursuing her degree in Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kanpur. Having done multiple case study competitions focused on sustainable development and winning a couple, she is now trying to streamline her passion into organised research by working as an intern at JTRC. Her interests include sustainable development, climate change and social equality.

Mudit Kumar Singh completed his MBA from the University of Allahabad and PhD from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad. He is a 2017-18 batch Fulbright alumnus and currently affiliated with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur as Postdoctoral Fellow. He is also affiliated with Duke University as Visiting Research Fellow. He has been doing research, advocacy, and teaching for the past twelve years in India. His recent studies apply a mix-method approach to explore linkages between social capital, social networks, and public participation in the context of small groups, local governance, and public policy. He has published in the International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy and Women’s Studies International Forum and has written multiple project and policy reports.

Neha has 6 years of rich experience working in GIS and Remote Sensing. She leads GIS efforts at Just Transition Research Centre, IITK. In the past, she worked with both government bodies like Forest Survey of India, Housing & Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) as well as the fast-paced organisations like Vasudha Foundation. She’s passionate about sustainable development and environmental protection and has deep expertise in GIS softwares such as ArcGIS, QGIS, and ERDAS Imagine for spatial analysis using high resolution satellite data, land cover mapping, database creation and surveying.
She studied Remote Sensing and GIS Applications in Marine Sciences from Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, IIRS, ISRO where she published a research paper in the Journal of Indian Society of Remote Sensing titled “Trophic State Analysis of Nainital Lake using Landsat 7 ETM+ data”. She completed her Masters in Geography from Punjabi University, Patiala.

Pragya Saini completed her under graduation from Gargi College, Delhi University with a Bachelor of Political Science and Economics. She has participated in various case study competitions and earned recognition from the Ambassador of Chile for her work in renewable energy start-ups, environment & sustainability. Committed to social causes, Pragya actively supports NGOs like the Spirit of Youth Foundation and the Amitasha Project. As a past research intern at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, she reviewed numerous journal articles and Papers in the area of IP & Sustainability and also learned the role of data analysis in evidence-based Policy research, implementation, and evaluation using tools like SPSS. Pragya's optimism and hard work drive her passion to contribute for just transition, energy, climate change policy, and sustainable development.

Prakhar is currently pursuing his M.Tech. in Sustainable Energy Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, prior to this he completed his B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from Dumka Engineering College, Dumka. At IIT Kanpur, he has been awarded ‘Academic Excellence Award’ for his outstanding performance during the academic year 2021-2022. His master's thesis is focused on the development of Uttar Pradesh's power sector on the pathways of Gujarat. This involves projecting electricity demand and supply for both the states and developing norms to reduce GHG emissions and power outages.
In terms of professional experience, he worked as a Research Intern at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), Delhi where he conducted a critical analysis of DisComs' power procurement strategies and analyzed the data for long and short-term power procurement across various parameters like fuel source, ownership, costs, availability. His interest lies in data analysis particularly focused on Power Sector of India.

Pradhuman earned his B.Tech. degree in mechanical engineering from Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi. His passion for sustainable energy solutions led him to pursue an M.Tech. degree in sustainable energy engineering at IIT Kanpur. His research interest is sustainable energy transition policy. He has knowledge of Python and libraries like Pandas and Numpy, which enables him to handle and analyse large data sets with ease.

After completing his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Mumbai university, Rahul decided to pursue a master's degree in technology from the Sustainable Energy Engineering department at IIT Kanpur. He was inspired to do so by the ever-increasing pace of technological development and the growing emphasis on renewable energy sources. He is currently working under guidance of Prof. Pradip Swarnakar on the topic of “Solar-Wind hybrid plant compatibility in India”. He had also worked as intern in electricity and fuel division at ‘The Energy and Research Institute’ where he worked on development of machine learning model for predicting load demand.

Riti Chatterjee has her PhD degree in department of Agricultural Extension on Social-ecology of Conservation Agriculture at farm level from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (BCKV), West Bengal and worked as Senior Research Fellow under Centre for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology (CAAST) on Conservation Agriculture project under ICAR-NAHEP-BCKV. She also visited The Ohio State University, Ohio, USA in 2020 as a short-term Visiting Scholar. So far she has attended 19 National and International Conferences, workshops and given oral and poster presentations with 5 best paper awards, and published 18 research papers on various national and international journals. She has already co-authored 7 books and 5 book chapters. She has qualified the National Eligibility Test for Assistant Professor conducted by UGC in her maiden attempt in May, 2017 and also the National Eligibility Test with ARS-Preliminary examination conducted by Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board (ASRB) in May, 2018. Riti obtained her M.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences as the First Class First with OGPA 9.15, being the Gold-medallist. She has been awarded the best master’s thesis award jointly by BHU and RASSA.

Rima Ghosh, associate with Just Transition Research Centre, IIT Kanpur as Assistant Project Manager. She is also a member of CSDS-Lokniti, New Delhi. She is a Social Scientist in the academic field and her keen interest is analysis the mood of public perception in the context of Gender, social class, and behavioral attitude of the mass culture. She has potential experience in various survey research works, and data analysis. She completed her Masters degree from the University of Kalyani, and achieved M.Phil. degree from Centre for Women's Studies, University of Kalyani, West Bengal. She is also trained in quantitative data analysis through R and SPSS from Summer School, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS).

Sapna Bisht is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Just Transition Research Centre at IIT Kanpur. She holds a PhD in Environmental Science from Kurukshetra University, Haryana, India. Her research interests include renewable energy, energy and environmental interfacing areas, emission inventories from different energy sources, modeling, alternative fuel sources, climate variability, policy, and planning.

Previously, Sapna worked as a senior scientific officer at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), a CGIAR center based in Hyderabad, India. She was also a part of several projects while working as a research scholar at G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development (MOEF&CC), Almora, Uttarakhand, India. She has wide experience in working with rural communities, sustainable watershed development programs, environmental monitoring, and the use of digital platforms for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) as a consultant in NABCONS (NABARD Consultancy Services), AECOM-India, and NGOs.

Satwik has completed his B.Com and M.Com (Marketing) from CSJM University.  He has been associated with IIT Kanpur for the last 3 years where he as a research and project assistant worked with Prof. Deep Mukherjee on several projects which revolve around topics like socio-economic impacts of power plants, customer support for EVs, etc. His work involved data collection, organization and coding. Currently, he is working as an Assistant Project Manager CEPRL where his work involves data coding and cleaning.

Shashikala Patel is an impact-driven individual, willing to create a visible change in society by designing & implementing robust sustainable solutions to socio-economic challenges. Her interest lies in public policy and actively participates in policy-related hackathons and competitions. She has done internships in research & consulting organizations and has assisted in impact evaluations, program evaluations, and Monitoring & Evaluation systems development. She loves to be in the field and has worked on grass root level to understand the challenges faced in surveys & data collection. She is currently pursuing Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering at IIT Kanpur.

Srijony is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Cognitive Science from IIT Delhi. She has a bachelor’s degree in microbiology prior to this. Her interests span from Decision making, behavioural economics, and consumer behaviour to advertising research and policy making. She has a keen interest in environmental law and the subsequent behavioural change it demands on a large scale to implement humanitarian and environmentally conscious actions from the general public. She is eager to know the real-life applications of behavioural economics and decision making in terms of policies and laws that are brought forward by the government. Her training in cognitive science gives her a holistic idea of how such factors combine to put forward a better brighter future for our country in terms of renewable energy and public perception of climate change.

Snehal completed his B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from SRM Institute of Science and Technology. During his undergraduate program, he successfully executed a noteworthy project focused on a solar parabolic dish collector with a spiral receiver, highlighting his expertise in renewable energy systems.

Snehal is pursuing an M.Tech. degree with a thesis on Wind Power prediction for off-shore wind turbines. He possesses a strong skill set in machine learning, SQL, PowerBI, Excel, and visualization tools, enabling him to develop data-driven solutions for optimizing renewable energy technologies.

Specialization in data driven decision making, Analytics adoption for busniess related problem solving. Mainly involved in Energy analytics and policy.
Thesis work : Demand forecasting of coal in Indian context using statistical modelling

Dr. Zainab Siddiqui is a distinguished scholar holding a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. Her scholarly journey includes significant research endeavors encompassing the assessment of trace metal contamination and associated health risks across diverse environmental media, chemical speciation studies of suspended particulate matter, and pioneering projects like Soil Washing utilizing a Bench-Scale Model. With a Master's degree in Environmental Engineering and a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology. She possesses a multifaceted skill set ranging from environmental management to biogeochemistry. Her academic prowess is underscored by the publication of 15 research papers in esteemed peer-reviewed journals and active participation in national and international conferences. Proficient in Python and R languages, she demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of analytical tools such as SPSS and ArcGIS. She is also a Chief Founder of the Jan Esteem Foundation (NGO) dedicated to environmental awareness and sustainable practices.

Zeenat earned her MTech in Renewable Energy Engineering from TERI School of Advanced Studies. She completed her Masters thesis on "Sustainable Energy Transition in J&K” where she tried assessed cost effectiveness of decentralized bioenergy solution and analysed delivery models socially innovated by energy enterprises for commercial viability and sustainability purposes. She has more than five years of research experience in diverse sustainability-related sectors including, sustainable biofuels and bioenergy, energy security, Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) and waste management. She has previously worked with World Bioenergy Association (Stockholm, Sweden), FORCE Group (New Delhi) and EcoPeace Resource Management Foundation (J&K). Her industrial expertise lies in execution and management of environmental CSR projects mainly those related to WASH and development of IEC (Information, Education and Communication) tools for sustainable solid waste management (Rural and Urban). She worked as a Project Coordinator for “Swachh Delhi Swast Delhi “project run by WaterAid where she was responsible for planning and execution of WASH activities in 20 slums in New Delhi, aimed towards the development of sustainable slum communities. She has supported prototype development for social entrepreneurs from Brown University ‘Flow Solutions’ – to provide a sustainable flowing water solution for slums. The Jammu and Kashmir Government has awarded her for her efforts on Solid Waste Management in Kashmir (2018). Her Interests areas are Energy Transition, Bioenergy, and Energy Policy. She has hands-on experience in OPENLCA, Python, mathematical modeling, GAMS.