Ms. Andrea Wojnar,Resident Representative,UNFPA India
Andrea Wojnar has spent the last 36 years leading and administering development and humanitarian operations from grassroots to international levels. Driven by the power of data, she is passionate about using evidence-based results to conduct public advocacy and high-level policy dialogue to influence decision-makers on the necessity of gender equality for sustainable development. Prior to her appointment to UNFPA India, Andrea served as UNFPA Mozambique Representative and UNFPA Senegal Representative/ Country Director for The Gambia. Before joining the United Nations, she led development and humanitarian programmes from grassroots to national levels for the US Peace Corps, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the American Red Cross Society in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. A US national, Ms. Wojnar holds Masters of Arts Degrees in Management from McGill University (Montreal – with studies at INSEAD France, Lancaster University UK, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, LG Institute Seoul, and JAIST Kanazawa) and Social Change & Development/Economics from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies (Washington D.C.), and is a Bachelor’s degree with Honours graduate from Wesleyan University, (CT, USA). She is extremely passionate about and committed to working towards ensuring Rights and Choices for all.
Prof. Amitabh Kundu, Professor of Emeritus.
Dr. Amitabh Kundu is an eminent economist and social scientist in India. Currently, he is working as a Distinguished Fellow at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries. He was the Regional Advisor on Poverty at UNESCWA, Beirut in 2017 and a Consultant to the Government of Sri Lanka in 2016. He has served on several high-level committees and task forces constituted by the government of India focusing on issues related to urbanization, regional planning, poverty alleviation, and social inclusion. Dr. Kundu has served as a professor and researcher at various esteemed institutions in India and abroad. He has held positions at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the Delhi School of Economics, and the Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), among others. He has authored numerous research papers, articles, and books on topics related to urbanization, migration, poverty, and regional development. His research work has provided valuable insights into the socio-economic challenges faced by urban areas, particularly in the context of India. Dr. Kundu has been actively involved in advising government bodies and policymakers on urban development and social policy issues. His work has contributed significantly to the understanding of urban and regional development challenges, poverty dynamics, and social inclusion in India. His research and policy recommendations have influenced academic discourse, government policies, and development programs in the country. He has been actively engaged in international collaborations and has been associated with research institutions and universities across the globe. His expertise has been sought by organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank, and various Indian government ministries.Top of Form.
Dr. R Balakrishnan,Chief Advisor,Office of the Chief Minister, Odisha
Dr. R. Balakrishnan is a multifaceted individual, distinguished as a bureaucrat, accomplished author, and poet. In his thirty-four years of civil service with the Government of Odisha and the Government of India, Dr. Balakrishnan held several notable positions. He retired as the additional chief secretary and development commissioner in 2018. Earlier, he held the assignment of Deputy Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India twice. He also served as the Chief Vigilance Officer, Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, Chennai. Currently, he is the Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister’s Office and Chief Advisor (Special Initiatives) Government of Odisha.
Dr. Muniraju S.B, Deputy Adviser, NITI Ayog
Dr. Muniraju is currently serving as a Deputy Adviser in the NITI Ayog. He is a dedicated & talented professional with 15+ years of experience in Social Research & Administration. He is a committed Social Scientist with vast experience at National and State Governments as well as National and State Level Institutes viz., Institute for Social & Economic Change, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Department of Labour, Govt. of Karnataka, National Commission for Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Labour and Employment and Planning Commission, Govt. of India. He is actively involved in formulation of social & public policy, program management & program implementation for inclusive and sustainable growth. He also headed a State Centre for skill development of disadvantaged. He worked on program management, program execution, monitoring and evaluation of programmes for the most deserving & disadvantaged.
Surendra Nath Tripathi, Director General of the Indian Institute of Public Administration.
Surendra Nath Tripathi is a distinguished IAS officer with over 30 years of experience in government. He is a visionary leader and a committed public servant who has made significant contributions to the government’s work in areas such as digitalization, rural development, and public administration. Adept at transforming complex problems into innovative solutions, he has held a variety of important positions in the government, including Secretary of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Director General of the Indian Institute of Public Administration. In these roles, he has helmed the digitization of government processes and information, promoted entrepreneurship and economic development, and streamlined the administrative process.
some of his most notable achievements:
- Led the digitization of all government orders and information in Odisha, making it more accessible to the public.
- Spearheaded wide-ranging reforms in the Tool Room concept, which helped to promote entrepreneurship and economic development.
- Played a key role in the development of e-Office at IIPA, which has streamlined the administrative process.
- Reoriented TeamIIPA towards digital and online training during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that public servants could continue to learn and develop even during the lockdown.
Dr. Mohammad Nadeem Noor, State Head, UNFPA Odisha
Dr. Mohammad Nadeem Noor is known across the nation for his persuasive advocacy on public policy, renowned for global socio-political acumen and praised for intellectual acuity and innovative leadership. Dr. Noor has been awarded Ph.D. in Gender, Body and Sexuality from the University of Manchester. He has over 16 years of diverse experience in managing UN offices including UNFPA, UNDP and UNICEF in different states and UTs like UP, Bihar, Odisha and Delhi. He is responsible for conceiving, designing and preparing the Vulnerability Index of women for the Government of India’s High-Level Committee on Status of Women. He has also conceived, designed and executed Census of Delhi covering 5.5 million households for unified delivery of gender-based welfare entitlements through a biometric system, which later on scaled up as the Aadhar Scheme under UID. He has also been bestowed with Special Recognition and appreciation from UNDP HQ and other Organisations for his meticulous administration.
Shri Jagadananda, Convener, Odisha Development Initiative & Co-founder, CYSD
Shri Jagadananda is the co-founder and mentor of the Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD), an autonomous development organization working with the tribal and rural poor in Odisha. He has served in various government and non-government positions, including as the State Information Commissioner of Odisha, and a Member of the State Planning Board of Odisha. Presently, he is a Member of the Standing Committee (CSOs) at the NITI Aayog on Institutionalizing Partnership between Civil Society and the Government. He has held the offices as Chairperson, Voluntary Action Network India (VANI), the largest national network of social development agencies in India; Chair of Credibility Alliance, a national forum for promotion of accountability norms for Civil Society Organizations and the Chair of Sa-Dhan, a national network of Community Development Micro Finance Institutions with membership spread across the country. He was instrumental in the formation of the National Social Watch, a civil society initiative that monitors the implementation of social development programs in India. As the Convenor of Odisha Development Initiative, he has facilitated organization of three editions of Odisha Vikash Conclave, a multi stakeholder platform in the state. He was offered a senior visiting fellowship at CIVICUS-World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and worked on the issues of legitimacy, transparency and accountability within civil society at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Cambridge, USA. His publication ‘Civil Society Legitimacy and Accountability’ is widely available in French, Spanish, Arabic and English languages.
