Aliasgar Huseini Janjali
Chief Executive Officer
Aliasgar Huseini Janjali
A former Vice President, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Ali is a career finance professional having worked with some of the largest financial intermediaries in India. After spending more than 23 years in the financial sector, Ali switched over to the development sector in early 2015 by joining the Teach For India Fellowship in Mumbai. After completing 3 years of fellowship where he served as a full time class leader in a government school in Mumbai, he joined Sunbird Trust in July 2018. He served as a School Leader at Paangkriang Friendship Academy, a Sunbird Partner School, in the remote of Ijeirong in Manipur.
Overcoming challenges in a remote, conflict-affected rural community, he helped build up structures and processes in the then-fledgling organization.
Transitioning out for a brief period from Sunbird Trust in July 2019 for personal reasons, he returned to the organisation in July 2021 to assume the leadership role as Chief Operating Officer. During this period between Aug 2021 and Dec 2023, Ali oversaw all the critical aspects of the organisation right from the flagship programmes of Access to Education, Community & Stakeholder Outreach, Fund raising, Finance & Accounts and M&E.
Taking over as the Chief Executive Officer from January 2024, Ali now leads a team of dynamic education and social development specialists to build on the success of the first decade.
Apart from being a Hindi movie buff, Ali likes to read history in his free time.
A former Vice President, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Ali is a career finance professional having worked with some of the largest financial intermediaries in India. After spending more than 23 years in the financial sector, Ali switched over to the development sector in early 2015 by joining the Teach For India Fellowship in Mumbai. After completing 3 years of fellowship where he served as a full time class leader in a government school in Mumbai, he joined Sunbird Trust in July 2018. He served as a School Leader at Paangkriang Friendship Academy, a Sunbird Partner School, in the remote of Ijeirong in Manipur.
Overcoming challenges in a remote, conflict-affected rural community, he helped build up structures and processes in the then-fledgling organization.
Transitioning out for a brief period from Sunbird Trust in July 2019 for personal reasons, he returned to the organisation in July 2021 to assume the leadership role as Chief Operating Officer. During this period between Aug 2021 and Dec 2023, Ali oversaw all the critical aspects of the organisation right from the flagship programmes of Access to Education, Community & Stakeholder Outreach, Fund raising, Finance & Accounts and M&E.
Taking over as the Chief Executive Officer from January 2024, Ali now leads a team of dynamic education and social development specialists to build on the success of the first decade.
Apart from being a Hindi movie buff, Ali likes to read history in his free time.
Michelle Markos
Chief Operating Officer
Finance
Michelle Markos
Michelle originally hails from Kerala but has spent the last 13 years in multiple places across the country for work and studies including North East India working on what she is most passionate about – Education in remote and challenging areas.
She is a Teach For India Fellow and has completed her Masters in Education from Azim Premji University, Bangalore during which she interned with Sunbird Trust’s partner Ayang Trust in Majuli, Assam. She resonated strongly with Sunbird Trust’s vision of ‘Peace through Education’ and joined the organization in 2019 where she was an assistant school leader in partner Sungcham Friendship School at Puichi Village in Noney District of Manipur.
Michelle worked briefly with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh in Education before she joined back at Sunbird Trust as the People & Partnerships Lead. She lives in Imphal, Manipur and travels to all the sunbird project locations across North East. She is currently working as the COO looking into the operations across the organisation.
Ravi Kumar K
State Head (Assam & Nagaland)
Ravi Kumar K
Sunil Vijayan
Head Accounts
Sunil Vijayan
Sunil joined Sunbird Trust in January 2022 and was placed in Sunbird Trust’s Head Office, at Bangalore as the organization’s accountant. He has the challenging task of raising the accounting practices of a still fledgling but rapidly growing organization to best practices.
Sunil believes that an accountant who is loyal to his organization should be guided not by subjectivity, but strictly by rules, cold facts and scrupulous documentation.
Ajinkya Hande
Director of Community Development and Program Head, Arunachal Pradesh
Ajinkya Hande
Hailing from Mumbai, Ajinkya holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management (PGDBM) from NMIMS, along with dual graduate degrees in Commerce and Hotel Management. He has worn many hats in his decade long career – from mortgage underwriter to chef, and trek leader, before finding his calling in the social development sector.
His forays into the North East started out with a volunteering opportunity to help an underserved school in Sikkim in 2016 as a teacher. Ajinkya went on to join the school full-time to lead and streamline their finance and operations, and thus began a long-term association with the NorthEast, its diverse communities, and vibrant, majestic mountains. He was an integral part of Sunbird Trust since the time he joined in 2018 as an Administrative Coordinator, until he transitioned out in 2022 as General Manager – Admin and Projects.
Ajinkya worked with a national non-profit as Program Manager in the Built Environment division, overseeing projects across India, before returning to Sunbird Trust in 2024 as Director of Community Development and Program Head, Arunachal Pradesh. Ajinkya is a certified mountaineer and loves a good expedition into the wilderness. An avid traveler, and a passionate rider, he can be found backpacking through new geographies globally, or riding his bike through the country whenever he gets the opportunity and time!
Amghali Achumi
Lead Teacher
Amghali Achumi
During this introspective period, Amghali’s commitment to fostering a sustainable and inclusive community solidified. This led her to embrace the Teach for India Fellowship, where she gained firsthand insights into educational disparities and the significance of equitable education at the grassroots level.
Driven by her purpose, Amghali embarked on a transformative internship with Sunbird Trust. Here, she found resonance between the organization’s mission and her own values, motivating her to become an integral part of Sunbird Trust.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Amghali is an avid reader and an enthusiastic explorer of various art forms.
Anjali Barla
Sponsorship Coordinator
Anjali Barla
Anjali Barla comes from the state of Assam and belongs to the Munda tribe (locally known as Adivasi in Assam). Being born and brought up in a small tea estate in Sonitpur district of Assam, Anjali closely noticed the hardships of women and children living in tea estates. After finishing her Masters from Bosco Institute, Jorhat in 2021, she started working with an NGO, to study women’s and children’s entitlements and benefits in her community, who lived in tea estates and villages in rural Assam.
Anjali loves playing basketball, kho-kho, kabaddi, and badminton; and enjoys listening to music. Anjali believes that self-realization and self-nourishment are the first steps to bring about a change and make a difference. She takes inspiration from her lived stories and experiences in the community to work for righteousness and growth.
Anjali Sharma
Lead Teacher
Anjali Sharma
Anjali Sharma, often affectionately called ‘Anji’ by her colleagues, is a dynamic and passionate educator with a diverse background. Born in Uttar Pradesh and raised across the coastal regions of India due to her upbringing in a Navy family, Anjali’s journey has been as varied as it has been inspiring. She holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Chemistry from KJ Somaiya College in Mumbai. Despite her initial ambivalence toward the subject, it was during her college years that Anjali discovered her true calling in education. This passion led her to pursue a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) from Kurukshetra University in 2021, solidifying her commitment to the field. In 2022, Anjali took her first major step into the world of teaching by joining Teach For India (TFI).
This experience deepened her understanding of the transformative power of education and ignited her dedication to making a difference in the lives of her students. Beyond her professional pursuits, Anjali is an avid traveler who delights in exploring new cafes, meeting diverse people, and soaking in the vibrant atmosphere of Marine Drive while listening to music. She has a keen interest in learning new languages, enjoys binge-watching series or movies, and finds exhilaration in swimming. Anjali Sharma is now poised to make a meaningful impact in education, bringing her unique blend of knowledge, enthusiasm, and love for teaching to inspire and uplift her students. 🌟
Anjali Yadav
Sponsorship Coordinator
Anjali Yadav
Hailing from a small village called Fatehganj in the Rohtas District of Bihar, Anjali spent a lot of time self-introspecting before taking the plunge of making a career in rural management. She decided that she wanted to connect with her rural roots and make an impact on the lives of the least fortunate communities.
Soon after her MBA, Anjali worked with Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (BRLPS) through her campus placements, wherein, she worked in various capacities on numerous government projects that included, inter alia, increasing livelihood opportunities of the community.
With a focus on becoming a CSR professional, Anjali decided to explore all the aspects available in the development sector, and later joined Sunbird Trust as Sponsorship Coordinator. At Sunbird Trust, Anjali looks into the day-to-day sponsorship process as well as explores potential future partnership opportunities for the organization.
In her spare time, Anjali loves travelling to uncharted territories and connecting with people from esoteric and varied cultures. She also likes to ride bikes, travels solo often and enjoys reading.
Ashwi Ansh
Associate– Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
Ashwi Ansh
Ashwi Ansh hails from the city of waterfalls, Ranchi, Jharkhand. With a postgraduate degree in Rural Management, she is passionate changemaker dedicated to fostering positive transformations in communities. In her role as a Project Manager for social initiatives at Think and Learn Pvt Ltd, she collaborated with District Administration and Niti Aayog to uplift the educational standards in aspirational districts.
This experience honed her skills in driving impactful projects and reinforced her commitment to social betterment. Outside of her professional life, she find joy and peace in traveling, cooking, dancing, and sketching. These hobbies not only fuel her creativity but also offer diverse perspectives that enhance her approach to life. With a heart set on making a meaningful difference, she continuously seek opportunities to contribute to community development and strive to leave a lasting, positive impact wherever she go.
Ayushi Pandey
Assistant School Leader
Ayushi Pandey
Ayushi is interested in conflict management. She is experienced in working with women and children, especially in the fields of human rights, education, and livelihood.
Ayushi is particularly interested in the role that education plays in developing certain dispositions for peaceful living and wishes to learn more about that at Sunbird. Her other interests are literature, music, dance, cooking, and traveling. Ayushi is all set to work on the school systems at Sunbird Trust’s relatively new partner school at Kachai in Manipur.
Baruisalu
Junior Sponsorship Associate
Baruisalu
Baruisalu Onrwan hails from beautiful Makuilongdi village in Manipur. She recently completed her Masters in Political Science from St Joseph’s College Bangalore, under the sponsorship of Sunbird Trust.
Baruisalu finds immense joy in music, and one can usually find her singing her worries away. Sports also hold a special place in her heart and she indulges in sports whenever the opportunity presents itself. According to her, it helps her foster discipline and teamwork in her daily life.
Furthermore, the evergreen Baruisalu is captivated by the richness of diverse cultures and languages and believes that understanding and appreciating different cultures enhances her worldview and enables her to connect with people on a deeper level.
“As I continue to embark on this journey of self-discovery and personal growth, I am eager to contribute to causes that make a positive impact in society. Whether through my academic pursuits or exploration of different cultures, I aspire to inspire others and foster a sense of unity and understanding”, says Baruisa.
Bhanuj Trivedi
Lead Teacher
Bhanuj Trivedi
Bhanuj, originally from Mumbai, has spent the last six years deeply involved in education and sports. He began his career as an IT teacher, dedicating four years to this role before joining the Teach For India fellowship in 2022, driven by a strong desire to make a positive impact. Alongside his teaching experience, Bhanuj is a certified football coach, accredited by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), and has successfully led various sports initiatives throughout his career. Now a member of Sunbird, Bhanuj aims to continue his dedication to the education sector. He blends his expertise in education with his passion for sports to enrich students’ learning experiences and contribute meaningfully to the community.
Bruno Kachua
Community Development Co-ordinator
Bruno Kachua
After his post graduation, Bruno worked in different Non-Governmental organisations for 5 years interacting with rural communities in fields of Community Development and Skill Development related to Government projects. While working with the community, he used his spare time to take tuition classes for the village students. With this, he realized his potential as a teacher to ignite the minds of young children. He found much happiness in this as it not only helped his personal growth, but also helped him empower others.
Joining Sunbird Trust in January 2020, Bruno took on the responsibility of being a warden to the children at the Paangkriang Friendship School Hostel at Ijeirong. He also took on the responsibility of community outreach in and around the village. Doubling as the Sunbird Farm Manager, Bruno has endeared himself to his young wards at the school and hostel and to the village community with his infectious zeal and affable nature. He is an avid footballer and a drummer.
Chitra Suvarna
Manager – Fundraising and Donor Engagement
Chitra Suvarna
Even though Chitra grew up in Bangalore, she feels most at home in her hometown Mangalore, by the beach, with a good book in hand.After completing her under graduation, she took up the Teach for India (TFI) fellowship and taught English to 8th, 9th, and 10th graders in an Akanksha school in Pune. During her two years with TFI, she understood the importance of making students independent learners and that sustainability in education was the need of the hour. She joined Sunbird in August 2020 with the intention of exploring the education sector further.
Chitra never says no to doing something (responsibly) adventurous. A bibliophile, she loves indulging in high adrenaline activities, traveling to new places, understanding different cultures, and exploring various cuisines. All of these likings seem to have come together at the remote village of Aben, Tamenglong District where she served as an ASL for a year. She now works at the idyllic Kachai Village, located among verdant hills in the Ukhrul District of Manipur.
Dhondiram
Lead Teacher
Chitra Suvarna
Dhondiram Tone, hailing from the Sangli district of Maharashtra, has recently completed his MA in Education from Azim Premji University in Bengaluru. He is passionate about the education sector and is deeply committed to applying theoretical knowledge in practical settings. Dhondiram enjoys reading newspapers, running, and engaging in conversations with others. Known for his social nature, he thrives on interactions and is driven by his passion for working with schools.
Greeshma Mohan
Lead Teacher
Greeshma Mohan
Greeshma Mohan hails from Kerala, and has been born and brought up in God’s own country. Greeshma completed her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Kerala University, and went on to study Masters in Cognitive Science from IIT Gandhinagar. While working with a professor in IIT Gn, she slowly became aware of the educational gap in India and developed a keen interest in knowing how education exactly works in our diverse country.
She delved deep into this matter, when she applied for a Teach for India fellowship, to get a grassroot level knowledge on education structure in India. In the fellowship, she taught Government School students from classes 8 and 9 in Bangalore. This experience was a game changer for her and she decided to stay on in the education sector with a hope to create an impact, and thus joined Sunbird Trust.
When she is not with her students, Greeshma loves to discuss films, reads and draws.
Haobijam Abokson Singh
Project Engineer
Haobijam Abokson Singh
After completing his 12th grade, Abokson, a Sunbird Student Alumni from Manipur, pursued a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering at Dr. TTI, Karnataka, affiliated with VTU. Upon graduating, he began his career as a Graduate Engineer Trainee at Prestige Group. After a year of training, he was promoted to Site Engineer, a role he held for 2.5 years.
In addition to his engineering career, Abokson is deeply passionate about entrepreneurship. He dreams of founding his own organization one day, aiming to build a successful company that positively impacts people’s lives.
Harsha Kulkarni
Assistant School Leader
Harsha Kulkarni
Hailing from Pune, Harsha completed her master’s in physics wherein she received a scholarship from padmashree Lila Poonawala.With a strong desire to bring change in the education field, she applied for the teaching fellowship (during her master’s) at Science for All and was placed at low income schools in Pune. Prior joining Sunbird Trust, Harsha has worked for over 6+ years with various organizations. Harsha resonates to the vision of Sunbird Trust – Peace though education. She was awarded as a Peace Ambassador in United Kingdom and now looks forward to grow her knwloedge and share her learnings by working with the communities in North Eadt India. Astronomy, Solo traveling, Trekking, Storytelling are some of her hobbies.
K. Richard Luihing
Community Development Associate
K. Richard Luihing
Richard joined Sunbird Trust as an intern at the Langmei project in February 2022. He joined Sunbird Trust as an employee in April 2022 and is currently posted in Oinam Hill Village in Manipur as a Community Development Associate. Given the unfortunate history of the village commencing from the violence that erupted here in July 1987, his mandate is to partner with the local community in furthering peace and amity and helping build livelihoods.
Richard credits his fieldwork and internships to his overall grooming and people centric personality. He looks to completely immerse himself in his work and grow and flourish within Sunbird. In the future, he aspires to qualify for a Junior Research Fellowship.
Khangembam Malemthaba
Project Engineer
Khangembam Malemthaba
Graduating with distinction, he interned with Prestige Foundation, Bangalore, where he imbibed skills in construction supervision. Post this, he joined Sunbird Trust as an engineer-intern helping supervise the organisation’s construction projects in partner locations before joining the organisation in February 2022 as a Project Engineer.
Now a full-time employee of Sunbird Trust, Malem sees himself as a perfect example of a fruit-bearing tree that grew from the seed Sunbird Trust had sown a few years ago. Being brought up in challenging circumstances in a rural area, he seeks to use his knowledge, experience and work to make a difference for the lesser privileged. Malem is a football and sports enthusiast.
Kholi Anthony LP
Community Coordinator
Kholi Anthony LP
A “Sunbirder” since his college days, Kholi Anthony LP, hailing from remote Laii Village in Senapati District in Manipur, belongs to the Poumai Naga tribe.
Through the sponsorship programme of Sunbird Trust that serves underserved children of Northeast India, Anthony was admitted into the prestigious St. Joseph University, Bengaluru for his meritocracy. With a degree in Chemistry, Environmental Science and Botany from the Department of Life Science from the said university, Anthony interned at Sunbird Trust for a period of 19 months. During his 19-month long internship, he worked and received guidance under Soil Professor, David Gandhi, for eight months at Aben village in Tamenglong district of Manipur and then under team members Ringkila and Sunil for 13 months at Sunbird Trust’s Head Office in Bangalore.
So far, Anthony has also presented two research papers – “Slash and Burnt Cultivation”, and “Water Snake” under the guidance Prof. Dr. Wilson of St. Joseph University. He has also written another research paper on “Microbial present on fruits and vegetables” under the tutelage of Prof. Nilam Mishram of the same varsity.
Currently designated as the Community Coordinator at partner location Ijeirong in Noney District, Anthony is highly skilled and has also completed a course on “traditional healing using plants” from the University of New Mexico. He is also well trained in rearing of goats, is good at T- budding and loves gardening. During his spare time, Anthony loves playing football and has represented his club, Netaji FC, Bengaluru, at the Karnataka State District League in 2019. Anthony also played for his university’s football team.
Khuraijam Banty Singh
Community Development Coordinator
Khuraijam Banty Singh
Banty joined Sunbird Trust in February 2022 as our Community Development Coordinator. His area of interest is in working with lesser privileged people and helping improve their socio-economic conditions and elevating the standard of living. He believes that enhanced and empowered community spaces help individuals and communities to grow, develop and feel empowered within themselves.
Banty seeks to give agency to the voiceless and marginalized people and is a strong supporter of women’s issues and rights and is a strong votary for women’s rightful shareholding in their communities.
Banty is a travel enthusiast, patient, empathetic, with good communication skills. Being culturally empathetic and tolerant, he easily builds rapport with people especially in Manipur, a melting pot of people of myriad cultures and traditions.
Lalcha
B.A. Honours
Lalcha
Lalcha is from Kangpokpi District, Manipur. He holds a B.A. Hons from DM College Imphal under Manipur University and Post Graduate Diploma in Development Leadership from Indian School of Development Management (ISDM), Noida. He has 5 years of experience in the development sector where he has worked with several organisations such as Integrated Rural Management Association (IRMA) Manipur, Seven Sister Development Assistance (SeSTA) Assam, Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) Manipur and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platform (C-CAMP) Manipur.
He loves Music and Sports and stands for Compassion, Equality through Equity and Humility for himself and others.
Meenatchi Prabhu
Assistant School Leader
Meenatchi Prabhu
From a small town in Tamil Nadu, Madurai, Meenatchi has always felt at home in the lap of mountains and nature. After completing her two-year fellowship with Teach For India, she went on to teach at a children’s community in Arunachal Pradesh, Jhamtse Gatsal. She taught there for three years where she worked on refining her idea of education and curriculum building through building experiential learning modules, working on sustainability initiatives like building cob houses, and starting a community newsletter called The Voice, with the children of the school. Following this, she completed her postgraduate in print journalism where she worked on capturing the stories of those who are largely underrepresented in popular media. Disillusioned with the state of the media in the country, she decided to go back to Jhamtse Gatsal as a social media & marketing head, and student engagement coordinator. In her one year in the
administration, she worked on establishing the Gap year programme, a one-year bridge course between Grade 12 and college. She also headed the community’s social media and marketing initiatives. She is now joining Sunbird as an Assistant School Leader in a remote village in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, called Pape Krung.
Meenatchi loves reading extensively and writing, be it short stories, novellas, or feature articles, and enjoys storytelling! The prospect of capturing the uniqueness of every individual in the form of words, art, music, or pictures excites her. She loves playing the ukulele and is happiest when surrounded by books, good music, and scintillating conversation. She enjoys the thrill of the unknown and loves a good challenge, be it an arduous trek or a complex math problem. She wants to start a community of her own someday; a creative, organic space that focuses on quality education, sustainable and mindful & peaceful living practices, and the power of collective action.
Mridhula Sasidharan
Lead Teacher
Mridhula Sasidharan
Mridhula was born and grew up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Growing up with people who are generally very understanding and accepting, she feels that allowed her to imbibe those qualities into her nature as well. She pursued Industrial Biotechnology and like most other ‘engineers’ she knew that was not her calling.College gave her the chance to learn German and that was where her journey with the language began. She also taught German after university.
She did her Teach For India fellowship from 2022-24 and she feels that helped her to find her niche and the field that she wanted to invest in and explore more about. She enjoys reading, listening to classical music and watching classical performances. She also enjoys walking long distances with her own thoughts accompanying her. She enjoy singing when no one is around and also love spending time with her family.
Nepuni
Sponsorship Co-ordinator
Nepuni
Nepuni Kayio was born in a family of cultivators with limited means. Belonging to the Mao Naga tribe and hailing from a quaint, little village called Shajouba, in Senapati district of Manipur, Kayio has always been inclined and motivated towards the idea, power and accessibility of universal education for every child.
Through benefactors, who helped him finance his education, Kayio earned a Bachelors’ degree in Physics from Don Bosco College, Maram, Manipur and went on to work as a Mathematics and Physics teacher in two different schools in Manipur.
As a teacher, Kayio was convinced that he was giving back to society by imparting education. After three years into the profession, he realized that his fellow people needed more than just a good teacher. So, Kayio took the plunge to change his course of action and pursue a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. His area of discipline provided him a clearer picture of the varied facets of developmental frameworks, and societal issues plaguing the society, especially in the tribal communities and the Northeast region at large.
Kayio aspires to be the voice of the voiceless, especially, the marginalized population and mentor children coming from lesser fortunate families. He dreams of becoming a scholar someday and strives towards making a better society through the powerful medium of education. Nepuni Kayio is currently the Sponsorship Coordinator at Sunbird Trust.
Nongmaithem Elza Devi
Assistant School Leader
Nongmaithem Elza Devi
Elza hails from Manipur and has done her Masters in Human Development and Childhood studies. She has taught in the Delhi University and during the last 4 years, she has been working as a pedagogue, a learning experience designer. She thrives on creativity and innovation, drawing inspiration from various imaginative sources, including her fascination with anime and its intricate storytelling.
She channels this inspiration into designing learning experiences that are engaging and visually captivating adventures for young learners. She’s constantly seeking opportunities to grow and excel, driven by a commitment to revolutionise the educational landscape.
Nikita Ann Paul
HR and People Practices Associate
Nikita Ann Paul
Nikita Ann Paul hails from Kochi, Kerala. She has a diverse educational background, having done her schooling in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Holding an MBA degree, she has a background in Consulting, Electronics and Communication Engineering, and People Management. From her early engineering days, she has actively participated in various NGO and CSR initiatives, demonstrating a commitment to social welfare.
Beginning her career at Infosys Ltd, she had the opportunity to take up leadership roles for projects with international clients. Seeking to enhance her expertise in people and performance management, she pursued MBA at TAPMI, Manipal, where she also spearheaded empowerment initiatives with the Social Endeavour Group.
Post her graduation, she transitioned to EY as a Cybersecurity Consultant. Recognizing her passion for people-centric roles and her drive to engage in positive societal change, she embraced the opportunity to join Sunbird Trust as a Human Resources and People Practices Associate. She is eager to bring her dedication, skills, and passion to Sunbird Trust and contribute to its noble mission. Furthermore, Nikita has a keen interest in art and craft, which she integrates into her personal and professional endeavors, adding a creative dimension to her contributions.
Parthona Phukan
Associate- Social Media & Communication
Parthona Phukan
Parthona Phukan is a development professional with a background in Mass Communication and Journalism. Initially starting her career in public relations, she quickly transitioned to journalism, where she found her true passion in storytelling.
This passion led her to the development sector, where she has spent the past year and a half working at the grassroots level, capturing stories that inspire change and contributing to community development. Parthona is driven by the belief that every narrative has the power to influence and transform.
Poungiale Newme
Community Programme Assosciate, SALT
Poungiale Newme
Poungiale is from Aben village, Tamenglong district, Manipur. She completed her Bachelor’s in Theology from Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Bangalore and subsequently worked as a teacher at New Mandeu in Manipur.
In 2018, she earned her Master’s in Divinity and then taught at a school in Mizoram for three years before pursuing a Master’s in Theology.
Poungiale possesses extensive knowledge in SALT farming, with her family managing the finest SALT farm in Aben village. With three years of teaching experience, she has a passion for education, though her interest leans more towards farming.
Her hobbies include singing, gardening, and playing volleyball.
Pratip Ganguly
Community Development Manager (SALT)
Pratip Ganguly
Pratip pursued civil engineering in Chennai and started working in the corporate sector soon after. It did not take him long to realise that the corporate sector wasn’t where he belonged, and he soon moved to pursue the Teach for India fellowship in Pune. He found out through the fellowship, that working with and for people gave him immense joy and satisfaction. While working outside the classroom, Pratip found his interest lies in working with the community. He started to believe the way forward is through engagement and empowerment of the community. He then joined Sunbird to work in the community engagement vertical. He spent three years in Singngat, Manipur leading and coordinating several community engagement interventions. Soon after, he moved to Azim Premji University, Bangalore to pursue his master’s in development. Pratip is extremely passionate about agricultural livelihoods and rural governance. He is excited to be back at Sunbird to work with hill farmers with Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) as one of the primary methods.
Raju Tondurolla
Sponsorship Manager
Raju Tondurolla
Raju Tondurolla, also known as Raaju Darshan, hails from Hyderabad. He grew up and completed his schooling in rural Telangana, in a place called Nizamabad. Fortunately, he completed his bachelor’s degree at Hindu College, the same institution where his favorite filmmaker studied. At Hindu College, he studied philosophy and literature. He then moved on to Azim Premji University for his master’s in Education (Language). Raju watches films a lot, listens to music, and about once a week, he enjoys reading a book. He also engages in photography and travel and even completed a Photo Trekker internship at IndiaHikes. Raju loves making his own coffee, living by the motto, “May your coffee kick in before reality does.” While he may look like a sleepless Batman, he does get his rest. Raju has joined us a Lead teacher in Arunachal Pradesh.
Ringkila J Tainamei
Sponsorship Manager
Ringkila J Tainamei
When her younger sister Suinila, an employee of Sunbird Trust revealed the impactful work of the organisation, Ringkila herself decided to join the organisation and was selected as the Executive Assistant to the CEO. Being from the North East herself, she felt that this would give her an opportunity to indirectly serve the lesser privileged people of her state. Ringkila’s work also includes mentoring of Sunbird Trust’s sponsored students in and around Bangalore.
In her free time, Ringkila creates exquisite arts, crafts, and apparel designs. Being an outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys traveling and exploring architectural beauty and scenic destinations.
Saniya Kirloskar
HEAD – Teacher Training & Skilling Academy
Saniya Kirloskar
Fueled by a passion for science education and a desire to empower students, Saniya’s journey began with a degree in Biotechnology and a master’s in Biodiversity. Her first steps were in a rural Maharashtra school, where she witnessed the power of science education firsthand.
Driven by a belief in understanding the educational landscape, she joined Teach For India in 2015. This fellowship led her to the mountains, where she worked with students in a government school near Rishikesh as part of a school development project run by the Simple Education Foundation.
The call of exploration took her to Sunbird Trust, where she led the Paangkriang Friendship School in Manipur. A believer in experiential learning, she redesigned the curriculum to integrate the region’s context, enriching student experiences seamlessly. The most personally rewarding program she initiated here was a well-equipped, contextualized science laboratory for the first-generation learners of the Naga community. During her second year, she collaborated with educators to design and deliver engaging art and theatre workshops for the students of Paangkriang Friendship School. Additionally, she led the development of a water harvesting system that has benefitted over 350 students.
Returning to Teach For India, she spent three years as a program manager and coach, supporting fellows in Pune’s government and underprivileged private schools. Throughout her career, she has actively sought ways to weave science, wildlife, and music appreciation into the classroom. Working in the field of education with diverse people has fostered kindness, and she continues to learn more about herself through this work.
Driven by her love of travel and connection with diverse cultures and nature, she is thrilled to be back at Sunbird Trust in a new role based in Arunachal Pradesh.
Sasmita Behera
Lead Teacher
Sasmita Behera
Sasmita Behera holds a Master’s degree in Information Technology. Her career in the education sector began in 2019 as a Computer teacher, later advancing to a professorship, and she completed a two-year fellowship with Teach For India. In addition to her dedication to education, Sasmita is multilingual, fluent in Hindi, Odia, Marathi, English, Gujarati, and Bengali. She has a strong passion for exploring diverse cultures. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys traveling and indulging in her passion for exploration.
Shanmukha Priya Chadarada
Manager – Fundraising and Donor Management
Shanmukha Priya Chadarada
With a Bachelor’s in Business Management and a Master’s in Social Work specializing in child rights and protection, Shanmukha has dedicated the past five years to transforming government schools into thriving centers of education. Her mission is to make learning engaging and accessible for all children, ensuring they have the opportunities they deserve. She has held various positions in Program Management, Communications, Fundraising, and Strategic Partnerships.
Outside of work, she is a travel enthusiast, cooking wizard, and passionate organic farmer. Despite growing up in the bustling city of Hyderabad, she chose a life filled with the charm of rural simplicity by marrying into a village family in Coastal Andhra. Now, she grows her own food, with veggies so fresh they practically jump onto her plates, and she also shares her home with buffaloes and hens. Her daughter, Bhoomi (which means earth), is her little eco-warrior, equally happy helping in the garden and playing with mud.
Professionally, she is driven by a passion for education reform and child protection. She believes in the power of community and sustainable living and brings this ethos into her work, aiming to create environments where children can thrive. In a nutshell, she blends city life with country living, creating a unique mix of professional dedication and personal quirks. Spending time with her, people might just gain a fresh perspective or at least a really good tomato!
Siam Paite
Program Coordinator (Sports & Music)
Siam Paite
Hailing from Tamenglong District of Manipur, Siam is a self-trained musician. He joined the Paangkriang Friendship School as a Sports and Music teacher and also taught students in Classes IX and X. He has recently completed advanced Audio Mixing training and has helped produce masterful music videos for Sunbird Trust.
Sam is an ardent sportsman having represented Manipur state in badminton and football at the Junior level. He is much loved especially by the hostel students of the hostel at Paangkriang Friendship School for who he is a sports and music teacher. After the raising of the Furtado – Sunbird Trust Music Academy at Ijeirong, Siam is now majorly involved in teaching music to the school children while steadfastly improving his own skills. He aspires to help Sunbird harness the vast musical talent of the youth around Ijeirong by raising a recording studio. Siam’s major desire is to be a leader and changemaker wherever he is positioned.
Sofia Malik
Lead Teacher
Sofia Malik
Sofia Malik has completed her graduation and master’s degree from Delhi University, Kirorimal College. She spent two years as a fellow with Teach For India (TFI) and then served as the HR lead for a year on the Be The Change Project, known as “Dil Se Kelo.”
In her free time, Sofia enjoys painting, writing poetry, and reading books. She has a passion for advertisements, particularly appreciating the creativity in product packaging and taglines.
Sonali Uppar
Lead Teacher
Sonali Uppar
Sonali hails from Pune, Maharashtra and has been actively involved in the field of education for the past seven years. Her journey began as a personal tutor, where she had the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of individual students. She then broadened her horizons by organizing and conducting various programs, including a Young Scientists Program, robotics workshops, and summer camps. These experiences not only enriched her teaching skills but also deepened her understanding of diverse learning needs.
Sonali’s dedication to education led her to become a 21er TFI alum, further honing her skills and expertise as an educator. With a strong desire to make a difference, Sonali chose to become a lead teacher to extend her impact beyond the confines of her own classroom. Her approach to education is characterized by values such as persistence and open-mindedness, which she applies to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment.
Beyond her professional achievements, Sonali possesses a cheerful and compassionate personality, making it easy for her to connect with others. She finds joy in reading books, listening to music, and traveling. With her extensive experience, passion for education, and personal qualities, Sonali will undoubtedly bring a fresh perspective and innovative ideas to our team. Her commitment to student growth and development aligns perfectly with our organisation’s mission.
Srinivasan
Finance and Administration
Srinivasan
Srinivasan is a native of Tamil Nadu, now settled in Bangalore and working in Finance and Administration in the social sector for the last 18 years. He started as an Accountant with Navjeevan Seva mandal, an NGO working to eliminate poverty from underprivileged community and later joined World Vision India as Finance Officer for more than 9 years. Post World vision, he joined Development Focus a Bangalore based NGO as Senior Finance and Administrative officer and Association People with Disability (APD) and TIDE as Senior Manager, Finance and Compliance. He’s also worked with Caritas India & AFWA.
Srinivasan believes that an Accounts Associate who is loyal to this organization should uphold the all systems from time to time.
Srinivasan holds a BCom & an MBA in Finance and ICWAI. Reading books and traveling are two of his favourite hobbies.
Vishwas Patel
Manager – M&E
Vishwas Patel
A keen student of social issues and development policy, Vishwas pursued a master’s in public policy and governance at Azim Premji University. He is trained in the methods of quantitative and qualitative social research and has conducted qualitative research on M&E practices in India, besides helping develop an M&E system for an education nonprofit. At Sunbird Trust, he aims to develop robust monitoring and evaluation systems and practices.
A believer in continuous learning, Vishwas holds dear the value that general literature adds by distilling knowledge from different disciplines. He likes to complement the reading with traveling to appreciate the lives lived in different cultures.