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Team

Satarupa Bhattacharya

Satarupa is Managing Editor at Citizen Matters. She has over 20 years of editorial and content experience across a variety of genres and formats. Apart from overall editorial oversight and participation in key editorial policy-making at Citizen Matters, she ideates, edits and occasionally writes stories for the publication.

Satarupa holds a Masters degree in Economics from Calcutta University and keenly follows social and development initiatives across cities in India. 

Outside of work, Satarupa loves good old classical fiction and dabbling in culinary experiments.

Sandhya Bhat

Sandhya is a Community Anchor at Citizen Matters with a keen interest in public policy with a degree in Arts and graduate certificates in Interior Design and Public Policy.

She is a former Joint Secretary and Governing Council Member of the Bangalore Apartment Federation and a current member of the Koramangala Warriors Group. Mostly known as Éclair’s mum. Occasionally tweets at @SandhyaTBhat 

Prachi Pinglay

Prachi Pinglay, the Consulting Editor for Citizen Matters Mumbai, is an independent journalist and a teacher based in Bengaluru, India. Previously based in Mumbai, she has reported political, social and cultural stories for publications such as Outlook, BBC News and The Hindu, from Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat. Agrarian crisis, women’s rights, environmental issues and culture have been recurring themes in her writing. She has contributed to Mongabay India, Mint Lounge and BBC World Service, under the byline Prachi Pinglay-Plumber. Trained in radio, she occasionally dabbles in teaching radio journalism, community radio projects and podcasting.

She has a masters from the University of Westminster and a PG diploma from the Asian College of Journalism. She completed her graduation in English Literature from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Her current hobbies include talking incessantly about her naughty son, enjoying the magnificent trees of Bengaluru and trying to watch films in an actual offline movie theatre.

Sravasti Datta

Sravasti Datta, the Consulting Editor for Citizen Matters Bengaluru, has over a decade’s experience in journalism. She has written articles across topics, including civic issues, art and culture, human interest, education, the environment, and more.

She has a Master’s degree in History from Calcutta University and specialised in broadcast journalism from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai.

Her interests include reading, writing, theatre, and learning more about nature and wildlife. 

Bhanu Sridharan

Bhanu is a Senior Reporter at Citizen Matters, Bengaluru. She has an undergraduate degree in communication studies and a Masters in Wildlife Biology. She previously worked as an independent environmental journalist.

Her work has been published in Mongabay India, the Wire, Caravan and Citizen Matters and republished in several other outlets. She is interested in issues of justice, equity, access to nature and how Bengaluru’s growth impacts nature and people.She lives in Bengaluru with her bird-crazy partner and a very hungry dog and cat.

Shobana Radhakrishnan

Shobana Radhakrishnan is a Senior Reporter at Citizen Matters. She worked with The New Indian Express as a Reporter in Madurai before this. Shobana holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from Pondicherry Central University. 

She is drawn to writing about people and tries to bring a multidisciplinary approach towards understanding their roots and culture. She can be found away from the digital world when she’s relaxing.

Harshitha-Padmavinod-Citizen-Matters

Harshitha Padmavinod

Harshitha Padmavinod is a Reporter at Citizen Matters, Bengaluru. Having been in the Humanities field for seven years, she has grown to draw her niche in writing extensively on geo-political issues, women’s rights, civic issues and environmental crises. She is also passionate about photography and is experimenting with different genres. 

She completed her Masters in Media and Communication Studies majoring in Multimedia Journalism from Christ (Deemed to be) University, Bengaluru. In her media experience, she has previously interned at The Hindu, The Logical Indian and Deccan Herald during her academic years. Literature, cooking and Rafi songs are where she finds her solace.

Sahana Charan

Sahana Charan is Consulting Editor, Citizen Matters Chennai. She has over 20 years of experience as a correspondent and independent writer with publications and digital platforms like The Hindu, Bangalore Mirror (TOI group), ParentCircle and Happiest Health. She has also worked with healthcare organisations and communication agencies as a content developer. As a journalist covering health and development issues, Sahana has done a series of investigative stories on female foeticide and PCPNDT Act, medical malpractices, healthcare access to the marginalised, disability and child rights, and the environment. She has also taught a course on Environmental Journalism at Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru.

She has a Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Mangalore University.Her interest lies in issues of public health and policy, social justice and girl-child empowerment. An avid baker, Sahana loves to read and travel.

Madhushree R profile pic

Madhushree Rao

Madhushree works as a Programme Associate at Oorvani Foundation. Before this, she worked as a Research Assistant at Dakshin Foundation and Azim Premji University. After completing her Masters in Development from Azim Premji University in 2017, she joined the non-profit sector and worked with a range of people including tribal farmers, SHG groups and women in sex work.

In her free time, Madhushree loves reading and exploring new and different restaurants, cooking and cuddling her two beautiful cats – Gucci and Misha. On days she’s feeling outdoorsy, she can be found cycling in her neighbourhood’s silent lanes.

Trustees

MEERA K

Meera is the Managing Trustee of Oorvani Foundation. She is passionate about cities, community media, urban issues and local governance and civic tech. She believes that the combination of in-depth local journalism and community engagement helps catalyse better cities. Meera is an Ashoka Fellow and was earlier a Knight Fellow at the International Centre for Journalists. In an earlier life, she was yet another manager at an IT firm, holding varied responsibilities in the product development space. She is active in community improvement initiatives and volunteers with projects related to transport, lake rejuvenation, organic kitchen gardening and solid waste management.

MEENAKSHI RAMESH

Meenakshi Ramesh joined Oorvani Foundation as a trustee in 2016. She is a long-time civic and community volunteer. She is an alumnus of IIM(A) and has led finance teams at Crisil as well as at Pratham, the Mumbai-based education non-profit. She is currently CEO of United Way’s Chennai chapter which works across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. She has volunteered for Chennai City Connect and is especially passionate about solid waste management and other issues. In addition, Meenakshi is an inveterate quizzer and was a semi-finalist on BBC Mastermind. She anchors the Chennai chapter of Citizen Matters.

ASHWIN MAHESH

Ashwin is an urbanist, journalist, politician and social technologist based in Bangalore. After his education in atmospheric science (PhD) and astronomy (MS), he worked as a climate scientist at NASA before switching to a career in governance reforms and urban development. He was a prominent member of the Loksatta movement working for administrative, electoral and governance reforms. In July 2016, when the party decided to quit electoral politics, he resigned his position, and began to work closely with the Aam Aadmi Party. He is a co-founder of the national public affairs magazine, India Together. He also founded the social technology firm, Mapunity, and is one of the co-founders of the electric vehicles-based transportation company, Lithium. He is also a founder member of Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC). Ashwin Mahesh was awarded the Ashoka Fellowship in 2009

ADVISORS

Harish Narasappa

V Ravichandar

Anupa Sahney

Mekin Maheswari

Uday Vijayan

Ashok G V