Advisory Panel
Know Our Advisors
Dr. Narayan AB Iyer
Dr. Narayan AB Iyer, Co-Founder and CEO of Indian Development Foundation (IDF).
Dr Narayan AB Iyer
Dr. Narayan Iyer is the CEO of AkshayaShakti – an NGO with a motto to Help, Heal, Educate and Empower.
Focus Areas are – AkshayaVidya for Education, AkshayaAahaar for Food, AkshayaAarogya for Health,
AkshayaSankalp for Leadership and AkshayaDhaaga for Skills. The flagship mission is AkshayaDhaaga – to create one million skills by 2030 across the nation.
He has 34+ years of work experience in the Social Development Sector. He joined as a volunteer in Indian Leprosy Foundation in 1991 and served as CEO from 2010 in the rechristened organization called Indian Development Foundation till October 2023.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Commerce and Sociology from Mumbai University and a Doctorate in Village Development Work from OICUM, Colombo. Over more than three decades of social service, he has designed various health, education, and development projects and scaled them up to national and international levels.
He is connected to various schools and colleges through social service work and has designed several projects for them. Widely travelled in India and abroad in connection with social projects promoting advocacy for the less privileged, he is a
Trustee of various leading leprosy organizations, including:
- Bombay Leprosy Project (BLP)
- The Society for the Eradication of Leprosy (SEL)
- Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh – Maharashtra (HKNS)
- Acworth Leprosy Hospital Research Rehabilitation and Education (ALH RRE) Society
- Maharashtra Lokahita Seva Mandal (MLSM)
- Indian Development Foundation (IDF)
He is also a member of the College Development Committees and IQAC in various colleges in Mumbai, such as Vivek College, Tolani College, Valia College, Rahul Tiwari College, and Kapila Khandvala College of Education.
He mentors several students and also serves as a Ph.D. guide.
Dr. A. P. Jayaraman
Former Sr. Nuclear Scientist (BARC) and Chairman, National Centre for Science Communicators.
Dr. A. P. Jayaraman
Dr. A. P. Jayaraman is the Chairman of the National Centre for Science Communicators and the President of STEAM Academy. He holds a Ph.D. in science, PGDMM in management, and a diploma in engineering. Retired as Sr. Nuclear Scientist from BARC after 40 years of service. Worked as Professor at Griffith University, Dean-Academic, SIMS, Palakkad, Kerala. He is a Trustee of the Indian Development Foundation and is engaged in interacting with Teachers and Students across the country on Next Generation Science Education and Analytical Thinking Skills. During the last two academic years, he reached out to over 100 schools and colleges, interacted with 7000 teachers, and addressed over 50000 students.
He is an adviser to the Labour India group of Publications Kerala on Science and technology and career guidance and travelled throughout the villages of Kerala meeting teachers and students in an intensive and extensive interactive education project.
He is a past Chairman of the Indian Institute of Materials Management and is guest faculty to numerous Management Institutes and B-schools.
He has delivered lectures and conducted workshops on Scientific Management and science education in the USA, UK, China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, Malaysia, and the Middle East.
He has won the International Copernicus Award from Poland for Science Popularization and numerous national and state awards in Science communication. He is the author of 20 science books, over 3000 science articles and has logged over 35000 Science and Technology Talk hours. His latest book is- We are 118- an autobiography of the chemical elements.
He is the founder secretary of the Kerala Science Writers Association in 1968 in Mumbai and has been actively engaged in the Peoples’ Science Movement in the country. Science storytelling is his passionate obsession.
Prof. S. Sivadas
Chief Editor, Labour India Publications, Kerala and Former Chairman, PG Board of Chemistry, M G Uty, Kerala.
Prof. S. Sivadas
Prof. S. Sivadas, is the Chief Editor, Labour India Publications, Kerala. He is formerly P. T. Bhaskara Panicker Emeritus Fellow for science writing and communication, Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment, Formerly Professor& Head of the Department of chemistry, C.M.S. College, Kottayam, Kerala. He is having 33 years of teaching experience at Postgraduate & undergraduate levels. Formerly Chairman of the Postgraduate Board of Chemistry, M G University, Kottayam. Formerly Kottayam district Secretary and Vice president of Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad, The People Science Movement of Kerala. Eminent writer, Educator, Editor, Environmentalist, Trainer, and motivator.
Formerly editor of Eureka, Sasthra Keralam & Bala Sasthram. Author of more than 180 books for children, Grownups, Teachers & Parents. Books on Science &Technology, Environment, Teaching, Learning, Science Communication & motivation, Parenting, Ecology, Literature. Has been actively engaged in creative science writing for the last five decades. The book on nature: Vayichalum Vayichalum Theeratha Pusthakam crossed the record sales of 1 lakh copies. A variety of books on Ecological Ethics like Keeyo Keeyo (a novel about a family of birds) Mathenmannira Case (a novel on the story of an earthworm, Mathew, who fought for agricultural workers’ pension) Noah’s story & its Secrets(Rediscovery of the ecological angle of the story) Kilimakalude Punniyavalan ( The Saint of Birds) (A novel based on the life of St. Francis of Assissi projecting his eco-spirituality) Ningalude Makkale Engine Midumidukkarakkam. (How to make your children superb)- a classic book on parenting much sought after even today.)
Awards and recognitions received by him are : 1973 Sri Padmanabha Swamy Award, 1986 Kairali Book trust Award, 1987 1991 1997 2000 Awards of Kerala Science and Technology Council 1990 NCSTC National Award,1991 IBBY Fellowship at Munich International Youth Library, 1994 Bhima Bala Sahitya Award, 1995 Science Literature Award of Kerala State Institute of Children’s Literature (KSICL), 1997 NCERT National Award for Children’s Literature, 1997 State bank of India Award, 1997 Kerala Sahitya Academy award for the best travelogue, 1997 Bhima Gold Medal, 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award of KSIC, 2007 Kerala Sahitya Academy’s First Children’s Literature Award, 2010 AWIC’s Lifetime Achievement Award, 2014 P.T.Bhaskara Panicker Emeritus Fellowship of Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment, 2015 Kendra Sahitya Academy Bala Sahitya Puraskar, 2015 Vasudeva Keerthi Puraskaram of Vadavathoor NSS Karayogam, 2015 K. Thayyattu Lifetime Achievement Award for Children’s Literature, 2016 N. Govindamenon Award for outstanding, contribution in the sphere of education and environment, receiving P.T.Bhaskara Panikcer Emeritus Fellowship of KSCSTE from the late Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.
Prof. (Dr). Mark Novacki
Professor at Singapore Management University and Founder, LogicMills.
Prof. (Dr). Mark Novacki
Mark hails from a small town in Western Massachusetts. He was a chess prodigy and for some years was one of the strongest chess players his age in the United States. At the age of 12, he worked with the marine biology group at Springfield College, for whom he wrote embarrassingly simple software to help with data analysis and taught laboratory techniques to postgraduate students. His first book (Programming with Paradox) was published at the age of 16. After starting his university career at the Wharton Business School, Mark decided to switch to the eminently more practical study of philosophy.
After completing a master’s degree at the National University of Singapore, Mark and his family relocated to Washington, DC, where he earned a doctorate at the Catholic University of America. He subsequently taught at George Washington University and Howard University. Living and working in DC was deeply satisfying, but the attraction of teaching at the newly-founded Singapore Management University proved too great to resist. Since returning to Singapore, Mark has happily taught, researched, and published in the humanities and social sciences.
Beginning in 2005, Mark has become increasingly involved with the Singapore educational system and as a consequence co-founded LogicMills, a school dedicated to teaching analytical and critical thinking skills through games. His empirical work has been in the social sciences, with research and popular publications in political science, developmental psychology, and the philosophy and practice of education. While with the civil service, Mark developed the three-year work plan and budget for iN.LAB, the Singapore government’s catalyst for EduTech. He is now focused on the growth and development of LogicMills, which he believes is the future of global education.
Email: mark@logicmills.com
Dr. Tushar Guha
Founder Chairman, NRITYANJALI GROUP and Chairman, Open Forum for Principals – India.
Dr. Tushar Guha
Dr. Tushar Guha is an eminent corporate trainer, psychologist, and educationist and the personality development pioneer in India. An Honours Graduate in English Literature, Masters Degree in Economics, Doctorate in Psychology, and Personality Development, Dr. Tushar Guha is also an entrepreneur with his own printing and publishing house.
Practicing Psychologist and Counselor, Dr. Tushar Guha was an External Examiner for Post Graduate students at the University of Mumbai and continues as a Ph.D. Guide – International University of Contemporary Studies, USA.
An exponent in Indian Classical Dance, Indian Folk Dance and Western Dance, he is an Actor, Singer, Dubbing Artiste, Music Composer and Director of Plays and a Poet. Dr. Tushar Guha received critical acclaim and has performed in more than 3500 shows all over the world.
1963 – At 15 years of age, his passion for personality development and positive communication became obvious with his initiation of Nrityanjali – The Institute of Performing Arts, Education, Personality Development, and Management Services. Nrityanjali is a public charitable trust and has five divisions under it.
Since 1990 – A brilliant orator and a great presenter Dr. Tushar Guha is a Trainer and Consultant to numerous Corporate Houses, Management and other Educational institutions.
1993 – Dr. Tushar Guha was the Chairperson of the seven-day National Conference of Fine Arts, Education, and Personality Development (CONFEP 93).
1993 to 2003 – Expert Resource Person to the World Bank Aided District Primary Education Project (DPEP), Govt. of India.
2000 – Made history when he became the first Doctorate in Personality Development, in the world from the United States.
2006 to 2011 – Expert Resource Person and Member – Syllabus Committee on Personality Development to Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education.
2013 – Dr. Tushar Guha was the Chairperson for the Two days National Conference of Education & Social Sensitivity (NCESS) held at World Trade Centre.
2017 – Charushila Productions and New Bombay Design Company – Alumni FTII premiered the screening of the 90 minutes documentary film on the Life and Work of Dr. Tushar Guha titled ‘NIRJHAR’.
Special Awards & Recognitions:
Recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Avantika Lifetime achievement award, New Delhi for Excellence in Education. Recipient of Life Time Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to education, by the All India Achievers Foundation, New Delhi and many others.
A leader by actions, more than mere words, he was given a Certificate of Appreciation for Courage by the Bombay Police Commissioner in 1990 for defusing a crowd of 400 rioters single-handedly.
Included in the “International Who’s Who of Intellectuals” by International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England for achievement in the particular field and selfless service to society.
Authored number of books:
Perceptions of Personality in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarathi
Quote Unquote
Life is like that
Second Thought in English & Marathi
Reality Living
People Management
Specific research on and Expertise in:
Communication, Practical Dimension to Transactional Analysis, Human Relations, Emotion Management and Emotional Combinations, Meditation, Science of Mirror – Using Elements of Performing Arts, Conflict resolution, Effective Parenting, Study on Facial Contours for effective Counseling, and People Management.
Dr. Tushar Guha is an active social worker and works with numerous institutions for the poor, handicapped, homeless as well as Cancer and AIDS patients.
Mrs. Vijayasheela Sardesai
Former Chairperson, Maharashtra State Board of Sec. & Higher Sec. Education, Pune.
Mrs. Vijayasheela Sardesai
Mrs. Vijaysheela Sardesai, former Chairperson of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher education and Director School Education, Govt of Maharashtra.
She entered the state Education Cadre as an Education Officer-class I, through the Maharashtra State competitive Examination (MPSC).
She then completed her training in Education Administration in Mussoorie, under the World Bank project. With her dedication and hard work, she gradually climbed the steps of success. Till date she is remembered as a straightforward, honest and efficient officer.
A task master to the core, as a chairperson of the state board, she has done significant work. To name a few she was instrumental in initiating student beneficiary schemes, curriculum review and textbook development. She also played a crucial role in district project planning, evaluation and teacher training.
Under the UNDP project, she further enhanced her credentials by acquiring training in Television program, planning, production and monitoring at Bangkok and Malaysia. This training helped her in the use of Education Technology through television and distance.
She also has the credit of serving as Dy Director and Jt. Director in the World Bank sponsored, Govt of India programme on Universalisation of Elementary Education in the state of Maharashtra. Post retirement in 2010, she worked as Governor’s nominee on the staff selection committee of the Pune University.
She also was the consultant to UNICEF, for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan in Maharashtra for two years. Thereafter she took over as the Director of SVKM’s Teacher training centre for three years.
With a Master’s degree in Education from Nagpur University Mrs. Sardesai has been in the field of education for four decades, with rich experience in planning, programme implementation, programme evaluation, teacher training and research.
Mrs. Sardesai, believes in imparting child-centred education, which leads to all round development of the child.
Her mantra as an educationist is to put the child as the focus of all educational activities so that he may grow into an assured and confident person, who is able to evolve strategies and skills to deal with the ever-changing events. If the child is able to do this, it naturally follows that the joy of life will be his.
On the personal front, one can call her ‘a lover of music and sports’ She has represented her school in various events and won accolades for the same.