Our Strong Pillars

Mohammad Saif is the founder & CEO of the Welfare Association of Youth, an NGO established in 2014 while he was a student at Fergusson College, Pune. He comes from Pusad, a town located in the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, which has a significant socio-cultural influence on the entire state. However, the town also has a highly

sensitive communal environment.

Mohammad Saif observed the mistreatment of marginalized communities and developed an interest in understanding the systemic challenges they face. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Fergusson College and a postgraduate degree in Development Management from ISDM Noida.

Mohammad Saif is a dedicated individual who has actively participated in various community projects. His most notable project, AASRA, operates primarily in the slums of Pune, aiming to improve the lives of people from marginalized communities. He is passionate about empowering these communities and increasing their representation in the system. He aspires to further channel his efforts to pave the way for the voice of the unheard to be heard and not be deliberately silenced or ignored.

Tara Kinra is originally from the US where she obtained her MD and trained as a pediatrician, Tara has enjoyed the adventure of returning to her Indian roots since coming to work in Pune in 2018 for developing holistic health initiatives with community collaboration. In 2019 she volunteered with Aasra for community asset mapping in Ishrat Baug and found interacting with the kids to be an excellent place to practice the Hindi she was learning.

Post-COVID, from 2021-2023 she completed a Masters in Public Health from MIT-World Peace University in Kothrud, Pune to gain a public health perspective in the Indian context. Tara is passionate about preventative health education and empowering patients and families. Recently she has been leading in planning and training for pilot start-ups of group antenatal and postnatal care for mothers and children while practicing part time in outpatient pediatric departments.

Priyanka Khandelwal is a highly qualified professional with a diverse background in psychology, social work, counseling, and marketing. Holding a Master's in Psychology, Social Work, Integrative Counseling, and an MBA in Marketing, she has cultivated a rich skill set.

Transitioning from corporate roles to an adept psychological counselor, Priyanka's commitment to personal growth is evident in her therapeutic practices catering to individuals from diverse backgrounds. Embracing a humanistic therapy approach, she creates a safe space for clients, believing in their potential for positive change with support and self-belief.

In her counseling role, Priyanka prioritizes empowering clients, fostering efficacy, appreciation, and empowerment. Rooted in psychology, social work, counseling, and marketing, she is dedicated to facilitating meaningful changes in the lives of those she serves.

Aleeza Shaikh is currently working with Cisco Systems as a Customer Project Manager and has also had prior work experience at Cisco Systems as a Software Engineer. She has completed her MBA from IIM Udaipur, and holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from the University of Pune.

Aleeza has multiple certifications to her credit, to name a few – Project Management Professional (PMP®) by PMI, Certified Scrum Master (CSM®) by Scrum Alliance, Certified for ITIL® Foundation in ITIL Service Management (ITIL v4) by Axelos, Certified SAFe® 5 Agilist by Scaled Agile (SA), as well as a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).

Personally she takes keen interest in giving back to society- uplifting fellow citizens through education and empowering them towards a better future.

Aviansh Koul, a native of Pampore in Kashmir, holds a bachelor's degree from Fergusson College, Pune, and a master's in Sociology from Pune University. His academic background laid the groundwork for a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sparked a deep commitment to fostering positive societal change. Passionate about social transformation, he devoted three years to an NGO, focusing on improving the academic prospects of underprivileged students. His efforts were dedicated to underprivileged children, particularly those forced to leave school due to

economic hardships. Through his work, he played a pivotal role in creating educational opportunities, helping these children reclaim their right to education and a brighter future.

Currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Symbiosis International University, Pune, Aviansh's research revolves around uplifting

marginalized communities by enhancing their access to quality education.

Rukaiya Khan is a committed development professional and Senior Manager for the Lighthouse Program at Lighthouse Communities Foundation (LCF), Hyderabad. With extensive experience in youth empowerment, skill development, and community engagement, she leads initiatives that support young people aged 18–30 in building leadership, workplace readiness, and life skills for sustainable livelihoods.

Over the years, she has held key roles within LCF including Program Lead for the Lighthouse Program in Hyderabad, Lead for the Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) initiative in Odisha where she mentored young community leaders, and Team Lead Manager overseeing program implementation in Pune. Earlier, as a Centre Head at LCF, she managed center operations and youth development programs, while her prior work with Magic Bus India Foundation and the Gokhale Institute strengthened her expertise in adolescent development, research, and data analysis.

With a Master’s degree in Social Work and strong capabilities in program design, team leadership, documentation, and partnerships, Rukaiya brings a thoughtful and impact-driven approach to advancing youth livelihoods and community development.

Shreya Humnabadkar is a Learning and Development professional with an experience spanning over 4 years, specialising in content curation and development. With an educational background in English, Gender Studies and Mass Communication, she has applied herself to working with renowned organisations, such as EMRC Pondicherry and Haqdarshak. Having worked in projects to drive adoption of alternative training methodologies for rural and peri-urban children, women, and entrepreneurs, Shreya is passionate to drive e-learning and tech-integrated training as a game-changer for vernacular self-paced learning and upskilling. She has additionally contributed to various roles related to editing, proofreading, translation and advertising. 

Preeti Joshi, a Consultant with M.Sc. in Computer Science and an M.A. in Sociology, blending analytical expertise with social insight. Also Design data-informed, inclusive strategies that strengthen institutions and enhance program effectiveness across diverse development contexts.