Meet Our Team
Dedication | Expertise | Passion
Our team is woven from diverse fields and expertise, each thread contributing its unique hue to our collective vision of FOLK. We converge with a shared passion of conserving indigenous knowledge systems for a greater purpose.
Our Founders and Directors
Madhusudan Singh
Co-Founder and Director
Madhusudan is an experienced Climate Change Adaptation & Disaster Risk Reduction professional having years of global research and field experience with prestigious international organizations like the European Commission, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) India, and Global Heritage Fund, USA among others. He holds an M.Sc. degree in Disaster Management from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), India. He has experience of working with grass-root organizations in disaster-impacted regions of Nepal (earthquake, 2015), Odisha (Phailin Cyclone, 2014), and Kerala (floods, 2018) among others. He has also worked with geographically remote and vulnerable groups for community-based disaster risk reduction interventions. His work involved strategic planning and emergency response towards multiple fire, landslides, and cloudbursts incidents in difficult terrains of the Himalayan mountainous region. Madhusudan has also been part of the prestigious program, First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAC) at Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C., and The International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), Rome, Italy. He is a member of the FAC alumni network at ICCROM, Italy, and the Prince Clause Fund (PCF), Netherlands. He is a prolific writer and photographer who likes to capture the magic which encompasses everyday mundaneness, in his works.
Mohini Mehta
Co-Founder and Director
Mohini (she/her) is a doctoral scholar in Sociology at Uppsala University, Sweden. She holds an MA degree in Social Anthropology from Central European University (CEU), Hungary, and an MA in Social work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), India. She finished her undergraduate degree in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. Her academic work lies at the intersection of postcolonial feminism, identity politics and food studies. As a former social worker, she has worked in the rural hamlets of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, imparting life skill training to adolescents suited to their cultural context. She has previously been associated with the communications department of Magic Bus India Foundation (Noida, Uttar Pradesh), and has been an academic writing tutor at Ashoka University (Sonipat, Haryana). She has facilitated sessions on academic writing skills with students from University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). She has also been on board as the co-facilitator of the storytelling module for the fellowship program of Contree, a Jaipur based NGO. Mohini is a spoken word poet who writes and performs poetry on gastropolitics, feminism, sexuality, and subaltern sentiments. She is a bilingual translator and a professional storyteller. She documents her academic musing on food on instagram as @qissa_e_niwala
Associate Folks
Krishnapriya Panicker
Associate Folk
Krishnapriya is an experienced Archaeologist and a Heritage professional with a master's degree in Archaeology from Deccan Postgraduate and Research institute and M.M.S (Master’s in management studies) in Heritage Management from Centre for Heritage Management (CHM), Ahmedabad University. She has worked and has field experience in working with the Rakhigarhi Excavation Project, Rakhigarhi, Haryana in collaboration with Seoul National University. She has experience working with various cultural heritage organizations like INTACH, DRONAH, and National Monuments Authority, India. Krishnapriya had been part of an international program under IHEC (International Heritage Education center) for “Capacity Building for Heritage Conservation and Utilization and Sustainable Heritage Management” at the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage.As a researcher, she collaborates with projects working with independent curators, artists, and other professionals. She is also an aspiring film critic.
Shubham Srivastava
Associate Folk
Shubham brings in rich and diverse experience of development sector with reputed multi-lateral organization such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), British High Commission, People in Need etc. He holds an M.Sc. degree in Disaster Management from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), India. He carries proven experience in international programme management & Compliance, Development & Diplomacy, Research & Analysis, Portfolio Management, Stakeholder Management, and Corporate Social Responsibility. His thematic areas of work include Climate Change, Emerging Tech & Innovation, Future Mobility, Gender, Impact Investing, Disaster Response & Recovery, Reconstruction, Cash Transfers, and WASH.
Alireza Hosseini
Associate Folk
Alireza graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering in Iran. He completed his master’s degree in Earthquake Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran, focusing on base isolation systems. Later, he followed his research on structural design at Porto University in Portugal for two years. Meanwhile, he has studied resilience, seismic risks, and sustainability in buildings. This topic motivated him to continue studying in this field and work for sustainable and resilient housing. Accordingly, he started his Ph.D. in efficient and sustainable construction at the University of Cagliari, Italy. His research work involved how reinforced concrete (RC) shell systems can be constructed with fewer materials and waste, as concrete is the second most-consumed material in the world after water, also responsible for 4-8% of the world's CO2. Hence, any few percentages reduction of the material used in building constructions may lead to a considerable difference in waste and environmental impact.He was also part of a simulative "European Union Research Fundraising and Project Planning" titled "Sustainable renovation in low-income neighborhoods public open spaces.
Mridula Sharma
Associate Folk
Mridula is a licensed clinical psychologist and hails from Himachal Pradesh. Her educational background includes M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology, and MA in Psychology (Majoring in Clinical Psychology, Counseling and Organizational Psychology). She is expert in psychosocial first aid (PFA) and providing mental health support to community during crisis and emergencies. She has dedicated her career to helping individuals overcome psychological and emotional challenges with evidence-based therapies, personalized treatment plans and psychometric assessments through individual sessions, seminars and workshops. Mridula strives to create a safe and non-judgmental space for her clients to explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. She has almost 5 years of experience with the mental health and technology sector with startup TickTalkTo, which is aimed at providing therapeutic services online at an individual level, to various educational institutions and corporates, and improving efficiency of the mental health professionals with another startup solution PsyPack.
Dr. Priyanka Pandit
Associate Folk
Dr. Priyanka Pandit, a Deputy Director in the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Himachal Pradesh. She hails from culturally rich land of Kashmir. She has played a significant role in implementing various Health schemes initiated by both the Center and State Governments, resulting in remarkable improvements in the overall health outcomes of the State. Dr. Pandit has been instrumental in designing and enhancing health policies at the governmental level, with a focus on uplifting the health and well-being of the general population. Her vision for the future revolves around achieving Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that every member of society has access to high-quality healthcare without facing financial hardships. She holds a Master's degree in Health Administration from the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences. She will be actively contributing to community-level health programs within the FOLK.
Kranti Yadav
Assoicate Folk
Kranti Yadav graduated from Lady Shri College for Women and pursued her MA in Social Work at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She has been dedicated towards working with grassroot communities with, particularly focusing on child rights. She has worked in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh with Pratham Council for Vulnerable Children. She presently works with Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation and focuses on programmatic implementation, community work and strategic intragency partnerships. Off late she has been a part of the HR Training and Capacity team where she focuses on the policy of the organisation, induction and refresher's course for associates. An avid traveler, she pens down her musing and thoughts about the world around her on her blog 'khyal kagaz par'.
Our Team
Sanchita Biswas
Project Associate
A native of Kolkata, West Bengal and born and brought up in Delhi, Sanchita has a nuanced and multifaceted understanding of the discipline of Geography. She received her undergraduate degree in Geography from Kamala Nehru College for Women at the University of Delhi, and then went on to earn her master's degree in Disaster Management at Punjab University, Chandigarh. Through the course of her higher education, she has worked with a number of reputable organisations, including the District Disaster Management Authority (Solan), Muskurahat Foundation, and Heritage Xperential Learning. She is also currently working as an young professional in National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home affairs, Government of India. Apart from her academic competency, she has 14 years of expertise in Odissi classical dance. Her interest in the field of disaster management lies in bringing forth the social repercussions of disasters, and utilising local knowledge to develop resilient communities.
Lalita Waldia
Program Officer
Lalita Waldia, originally from the picturesque region of Uttarakhand, boasts a distinguished educational background, having obtained a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from DIT University and a Master's degree in Development Studies from the prestigious IIT in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Additionally, she holds a diploma in Youth Leadership and Social Change from TISS in Mumbai. Over the span of three years, Lalita has immersed herself in the Western Himalayan region, exploring a wide array of crucial subjects, including traditional knowledge systems, forest rights, entrepreneurship, and tourism. Her true passion is deeply rooted in the rich tradition of Himalayan crafts and architecture, subjects she has meticulously documented throughout her academic pursuits and her valuable contributions to the National Mission On Himalayan Studies. Her dedication and expertise have earned her well-deserved recognition through numerous international publications. Lalita's journey serves as a powerful testament to her unwavering commitment to preserving and promoting the remarkable heritage and traditional wisdom of the Himalayan region.
Samanata
Intern
Samanata Kumar, an emerging professional in design and documentation, bridges the gap between vernacular architecture, cultural heritage, and captivating storytelling. Driven by a passion for heritage preservation, she is pursuing a Master's in Management Studies in Heritage Management from Centre for Heritage Management, Ahmedabad University, while contributing to diverse projects. Her journey began with Bachelor's in Interior Design, followed by impactful internships at Violaceous Labs, Rethinking the Future, and FOLK. She honed her research, writing, and editing skills, shaping publications and projects. As Editor and Content Strategist at Interior Exterior Group Magazine, she collaborated with renowned architects and designers, leaving her mark on project selection, thematic direction, and even visual identity. Samanata's commitment extends beyond professional pursuits. Her internship work at FOLK involves disaster risk assessments, school safety training, and understanding heritage management plans when it comes to disasters, directly impacting communities.