Dr. Sandeep Ananthanarayanan, Chief Executive Officer, CITaG Indian Institute of Management Jammu, is an IIM Calcutta alumnus and a distinguished leader in global strategy and scaled investment funding projects with three decades of international experience. He has served in multiple top management positions including being the Group Chief Executive Officer for Apollo Hospitals Group and the Group Strategy Director for Marriott International. He has also led benchmark global and national projects, from leading Government-driven PPP projects, policy development and economic growth initiatives to setting up large-scale international infrastructure projects. He holds a Ph.D. in Business from University of Buckingham apart from having completed his Full-time Program in Management from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta. Dr. Sandeep is also a celebrated author and Board member at several national bodies.

Abhijeet Sharma holds a Master’s in Infrastructure Finance, Development and Management from National Institute of Construction Management and Research, Pune, and brings over a decade of consulting experience across India and abroad. Prior to joining CITaG IIM Jammu as a Specialist, he worked with leading firms such as Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers, advising on strategic projects in investment promotion, infrastructure planning, and public policy. His work spans major assignments including Reliance Jamnagar Refinery, Delhi-Meerut RRTS, Kanpur-Agra Metro, and development of industrial estates and sector-specific parks. He has played a pivotal role in initiatives like One District One Product (ODOP) and District as Export Hub, and contributed to drafting key industrial policies for Jammu & Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh. Known for his strong stakeholder engagement and policy insight, he focuses on driving sustainable economic development through evidence-based governance, contract optimization, and revival strategies. His passion lies in advancing inclusive growth and fostering long-term investment ecosystems in the UT of J&K.

Amir Waheed is an MBA-qualified professional with over 13 years of experience in the skilling and education sector, specializing in public policy design, large-scale programme implementation, and monitoring & evaluation frameworks. He brings deep expertise in developing national guidelines, strengthening institutional systems, and driving outcome-based skill development initiatives. He has worked within the government regulatory ecosystem with the National Council for Vocational Education & Training (NCVET) under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, contributing to the design and operationalization of national M&E frameworks, recognition guidelines for skill entities, and NEP 2020-aligned vocational education initiatives in schools. He combines strong policy-level experience with extensive on-ground implementation across multiple states, enabling practical and scalable solutions that bridge strategy and execution within the skilling ecosystem. He has led large-scale skilling projects across India and supported the development of training infrastructure nationwide, building institutional capacity and enabling high-impact skill delivery. Amir has previously held leadership and management roles with leading organizations including IL&FS, Pearson India, and Apollo Group, delivering impactful programmes across skills, education, and workforce development.

An Environmental Engineer with substantial experience engaging with leading multilateral development and climate finance institutions, including the World Bank, Green Climate Fund (GCF), KfW, and Agence Française de Développement (AFD). Has worked across a range of projects focused on climate mitigation and adaptation, contributing to the design, appraisal, and implementation of sustainability-oriented interventions. Brings a strong understanding of climate policy, environmental and social safeguards, and development finance, with a focus on statutory and regulatory compliance.

An experienced infrastructure and public sector advisory professional with strong expertise in bid process management, PPP structuring and transaction advisory for large scale government programmes. She has worked with leading organisations such as Ernst & Young, CBRE and Fluor Daniel, contributing to complex infrastructure assignments across policy implementation, programme management and investment facilitation. Her professional experience includes engagement with flagship initiatives such as the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, MSME industrial infrastructure development and tourism infrastructure projects, where she has led cross functional coordination and supported end to end project delivery from RFP preparation to contract negotiation. She holds a Master’s degree in Project Engineering and Management from the National Institute of Construction Management and Research, Pune and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University, Karnataka. Known for her structured approach, stakeholder engagement capabilities and analytical rigour, she is committed to advancing inclusive growth and strengthening long-term investment ecosystems, particularly in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. The Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, honoured her for leveraging the Gati Shakti Portal to strengthen technology enablement and infrastructure monitoring in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Dr. Purushottam Hendre is an Agriculture Professional with over 32 years of experience in farmer-centric and farmer driven approaches in taking the benefits of improved agricultural technology for the farmers. He has proven expertise in the use of innovative extension methodologies for rapid dissemination under diverse agro-climatic situations. Having acquired a PhD in Horticulture, he has spearheaded several R&D initiatives in association with Govt and International Development Agencies for innovative agricultural applications with high impact results in the most disadvantaged regions of Western Maharashtra. He has been associated with several Climate Resilient initiatives under ICAR-NICRA enabling the farmers for better climate adaptation of the resilient varieties and crops in the rainfed scarcity zone that have been replicated across similar agro-climatic zones in the country. He has been instrumental in Value Chain Development initiatives for the common farmers to improve their net incomes in different crops like pomegranate, drumstick, mango, onion. He has successfully handholded the trained graduates under the flagship ACABC program - an Agripreneurship initiative of MANAGE, with a success rate of over 50% leading to establishment of agribusiness centres in remote rural areas catering to the farmers. Before joining CITaG, IIM Jammu, he has worked in one of the pioneering KVK Ahmednagar as Scientist Horticulture and as Head and Senior Scientist for 29 years after which he made a short stint in Agriculture Insurance Company as Horticulture Expert.

Ratan Ranjan is a public policy strategist and development professional with over a decade of experience driving systemic socio-economic impact at the intersection of government, private sector, and international agencies. His career is defined by cross-sectoral experience with UNDP, CII, Swaniti Global and state governments of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. Recognized for academic excellence as an NIRDPR Bronze Medalist, he bridges rigorous research with grounded fieldwork to solve complex governance challenges.He specializes in comprehensive policy formulation, designing M&E frameworks, scalable entrepreneurship development, strategic CSR fund mobilization, and integrating SDGs into actionable public strategy.

Rohit Roshan has 15+ years’ experience in Urban Development, Digital Transformation and Smart City Mission, Govt. of India. He has worked as General Manager, Jammu Smart City and was previously assigned as Associate Director, Advisory at PricewaterhouseCoopers India. His responsibilities include policy formulation, mission-mode implementation, stakeholder management, project delivery, DPR & RFP development. Prior to joining PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rohit has had extensive industry experience across areas spanning project management, operations, RFQ and bidding, vendor management, city livability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He was associated with Larsen & Toubro, AECOM & Arcadis NV and has executed multiple domestic and overseas projects for domestic and international clients. Rohit has conducted multiple industry workshops on Smart Cities across Europe & South Asia and was recently awarded with SKOCH & CII-IUKAN excellence awards.

Sanjeev Ranjan is a Supply Chain Management and Public Procurement professional with over 15 years of experience in designing, implementing and managing strategic procurement framework and Public Private Partnership projects across diverse sectors including healthcare, infrastructure and urban services. He has proven expertise in aligning procurement practices with national laws and international guidelines. Adept at developing PPP policies, transaction structures, legal frameworks and managing the full project life cycle, Sanjeev has strong capabilities in market engagement, bidding document preparation, contract management and capacity building for public sector institutions. Experienced in working with government agencies, development agencies to foster sustainable partnerships that deliver improved public services and infrastructure outcomes, Sanjeev currently helms the procurement and PPP practice at CITaG IIM Jammu, while being committed to enhancing institutional procurement efficiency and enabling innovation through effective PPP mechanisms.

Tanveer Dar holds a PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, with substantive expertise in academic and policy research on food security, public health provisioning, access to health services, and the social determinants of health. He brings over thirteen years of experience in the social sector, working with government institutions and international development agencies across the intersecting domains of education, health, food security, and child protection, and has supported more than 50 strategic partnerships over the past decade. His core competencies include evidence-based programming, strategic planning, results-based project management, data analysis, policy research, and technical writing. He has worked in a leadership role with UNICEF in J&K, making significant contributions to strengthening child protection systems, scaling up mental health and learning interventions, conceptualizing multiple programmes, and contributing immensely to the development of UNICEF’s Action Plan for J&K. Previously, he has worked with the Office of the Supreme Court Commissioners on the Right to Food, conducting policy research and monitoring national food and social protection schemes. He has also led ActionAid’s J&K portfolio, including health and education programmes, and worked as State Project Manager with the Government of J&K in the Rural Livelihoods Mission, advancing youth skilling and employment outcomes. He has further contributed to high-level, government-led Review Missions in J&K, effectively bridging various critical implementation gaps.

Vihangam Agarwal, Specialist – IT Data Analytics and Monitoring & Evaluation at CITaG, IIM Jammu, is a data strategy and analytics leader with over 12 years of experience driving large-scale data transformation initiatives. He has previously worked as a Data Consultant with globally reputed organizations including McKinsey & Company and Harman Connected Services, delivering high-impact, data-driven solutions across complex business environments. A graduate in Computer Science & Engineering from Dev Bhoomi Institute of Technology, Dehradun (2012), Vihangam specializes in architecting scalable data ecosystems that enable strategic decision-making and institutional efficiency. He has led initiatives involving large data volumes, enterprise-grade data warehouse development, cross-platform data integration, and the design of robust data products that serve both operational and leadership needs. His cross-sector experience spans retail, banking, healthcare, insurance, and survey analytics, where he has partnered with senior stakeholders to translate business objectives into structured data frameworks and measurable outcomes. At CITaG, IIM Jammu, he focuses on strengthening institutional data systems, enhancing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and embedding analytics-led governance practices to support sustainable, long-term impact.

Arushi Jamwal is a social development professional with experience in gender, public health, government programme implementation, and institutional management in Jammu & Kashmir. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Jammu and has served as Project Coordinator with a Vihaan Care and Support Centre for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, supporting community outreach, service delivery, and rights-based public health interventions. She has served as Gender Specialist at the District Social Welfare Office, Jammu, contributing to gender mainstreaming and district-level implementation of women-centric welfare schemes. She also served as State Mission Coordinator J&K at the Directorate of Mission Shakti, Social Welfare Department overseeing the implementation and monitoring of six sub-schemes focused on women’s safety, protection, and empowerment, while facilitating inter-departmental coordination in line with state and national guidelines. She has also held the position of Assistant Manager at Small Business Development Units at IIM Jammu, supporting institutional programme management and administrative processes. In addition, she served as Marketing Coordinator at Samast Eco Alternative Pvt.Ltd, leading coordination between sales and production teams to streamline operations and enhance organizational efficiency. Her professional experience reflects a strong understanding of public systems, programme execution, gender-responsive governance, and cross-functional coordination across government, institutional, and private-sector settings.

Bridging technology and governance, Faheem Ahmad combines a B.Tech in Information Technology from Kamala Nehru Institute of Technology (KNIT), Sultanpur and Post Graduation in Sociology with a vast experience in the electoral process and good governance. From leading welfare evaluations at I-PAC, Kolkata and driving West Bengal’s "Duare Sarkar" to advancing UNDP poverty reduction and SDGs, he specializes in evidence-based advisory. He transforms complex data into systemic service delivery, ensuring that modern technical infrastructure effectively serves social policy and public welfare.

University Gold Medalist Dr. Hena Sharma is currently working as Young Professional at CITaG, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu. She completed her Bachelors of Engineering in Electronics and Communication and MBA (Business Economics) from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, where she was the University topper. Her areas of specialisation are Human Resource Management and Marketing Management. She received her Doctoral degree in Management from The Business School, University of Jammu. She has worked as an Assistant Professor in various Institutions of J&K. Before joining CITaG, she worked as a Consultant (Institutional Development/ Academics) in the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme-III, a World Bank assisted project of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India.

Master's degree in Economics with experience as a Research Associate at IIM Jammu. Proficient in socio-economic research, participatory surveys, value chain analysis, and SWOT evaluations for sustainable community development. Collaborated directly with governmental authorities, local stakeholders, and communities to formulate implementable livelihood strategies. Acknowledged for proficient report writing, resource mapping, and efficient coordination in multi-village development initiatives.

Mrinalika Charak is currently serving as a Young Professional at CITaG IIM Jammu where she contributes to policy innovation and governance reform initiatives. She previously worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supporting SDG-aligned development planning and facilitating cross-sectoral stakeholder consultations. Mrinalika holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Jammu. Her research experience includes mapping the Health Department’s budget to the 17 SDGs using 100+ indicators under the benchmarked UNDP project, as well as supporting startup incubation for social impact. She has facilitated workshops on SDGs, stakeholder engagement, and policy alignment, and participated in a national conference on sustainable marketing practices, reflecting her commitment to inclusive and transformative development.

Dr Ridhima Chauhan is an accomplished healthcare professional and administrator. With a Master’s in Hospital and Health Management from The IIHMR University, Jaipur and a background in Dental Surgery, she possesses a specialized skill set in hospital management, policy review, and governance project execution. Her extensive career includes pivotal roles with the National Health Mission, Government of Gujarat, where she led state-level quality improvement initiatives and facilitated prestigious NABH and LaQshya accreditations. She has also worked with the TCI Foundation for Covid-19 vaccination coverage in Jammu and Udhampur districts. A dedicated and inquisitive professional, she has demonstrated significant expertise in data-driven monitoring, inter-departmental coordination, and healthcare crisis management, particularly through her surveillance work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Sushma Kaushal earned her Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship from The Business School, University of Jammu, after completing her MBA from the University of Jammu. Before joining CITaG, IIM Jammu, Dr. Sushma served as a Programme Manager at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon and has been an Academic Associate at Indian Institute of Management Amritsar. She specialises in Entrepreneurial Competencies and Environmental Contingencies for Business Development, as well as understanding the role of MSMEs, which drives her to develop nationally relevant knowledge output to contribute towards economic development.