Santosh Abraham - Managing Trustee

Santosh Abraham is a seasoned professional with over two decades of expertise in the development sector, focusing on youth, at-risk populations, inclusion, livelihoods, and employability. Known for his strategic foresight and collaborative approach, Santosh has consistently driven impactful change by building partnerships across diverse stakeholders. His extensive experience in government relations, policy advocacy, and multi-stakeholder engagement uniquely positions him to address systemic challenges effectively. A results-driven leader, Santosh excels in leveraging innovative solutions and partnerships to scale programs, ensuring both immediate and long-term sustainability.

Throughout his career, Santosh has built a reputation for fostering cross-sector collaborations and addressing socio-economic issues with precision and empathy. He has held prominent leadership roles in national and international NGOs, as well as in the social responsibility arm of the IT-BPM industry trade body, NASSCOM Foundation. His career spans strategy development, business development, project management, and government engagement, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of the development landscape and equipping him to lead transformative initiatives effectively.

With a Bachelor’s in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai, and a Master’s in Social Work (Medical and Psychiatric Social Work) from Madras Christian College (MCC), Santosh combines strong academic credentials with practical experience. His leadership, strategic insight, and unwavering commitment to social impact make him a pivotal figure in the development sector and an asset to any initiative or board he serves on.

Sushmita Singha - Trustee

Sushmita Singha is a distinguished social entrepreneur with a 35-year dedication to the development sector, primarily focusing on charitable work. She has significantly impacted water and sanitation initiatives through her leadership role at Sulabh International. Sushmita’s passion for social advancement is also evident in her establishment of the MA.My Anchor Foundation and the JAL Water Museum, both aimed at promoting sustainable development.

Her commitment extends to her trustee position with the Online Giving Foundation India, facilitating international funding for social causes. As a co-founder of the Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival, she has contributed to cultural philanthropy. Sushmita is also a life member of INTACH, advocating for heritage conservation.

Her international charitable efforts include projects with the Kabul Municipality, under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, and her involvement with the UN Task Force, where she helped shape the Millennium Development Goals.

Sushmita’s work in the nonprofit sector has been recognized with awards from Afghanistan for her environmental advocacy and from Sri Lanka for her contributions to public health and hygiene. Additionally, she is a published author and an academic, holding a postgraduate degree in English and further qualifications in urban planning and management.

Vijaya Balaji - Trustee

Vijaya’s foray into the Social Impact Ecosystem began when she set up the operations of toolbox INDIA. Foundation in 2011. As the CEO and Managing Director at toolbox INDIA, she has worked across several programs and initiatives that leverage skilled talent for deployment in the non-profit space, having delivered over 650+ projects at toolbox INDIA. She has served as an advisory member for India@75, is an ecosystem knowledge lead for the Better World Initiative Program at Genpact, and serves on the board of Apnalaya, which works to alleviate urban poverty.

As the founding partner at Social Lens Consulting, an impact-aligned consulting company, she has transformed the landscape of Capacity Strengthening and Organisation Development by conceptualising capacity-strengthening programs supporting 1000+ NPOS to date. Her work includes designing and developing methodologies and frameworks for Organisational Development and Impact measurement.

Vijaya collaborates with philanthropic capital providers and ecosystem builders to explore support measures and programs directed toward non-profit organisations for improved resilience and preparedness.

Payal Mittal - Trustee

More to come!