The Swatantra Talim team consists of both adults as well as children. Anyone and everyone who contributes in whatever way is a part of the team such as the shopkeeper who sold material to us, a friend who drove miles to introduce us to the villagers, a neighbor who waited for long to give us our keys when we got late from our learning center, to a mother who cooks everyday and waits to eat till we come home and so on and so forth. The list is endless and so are our team members. We are happy to have people around us who become a part of this effort in whatever way they can. They are Swatantrites as we like to call them, and all of them bring in new colors and ideologies into our work. Be it through their time, efforts, stories, experiments our passion, our team truly is what makes us who we are.
Here is a sneak-peak into who we're lucky to call 'team':
Here is a sneak-peak into who we're lucky to call 'team':
Ridhi Aggarwal, Co-founder
A FabLearn Fellow 2020-22, Columbia University, USA and one of the Top 50 Emerging Women selected across the world in Vital Voices Global Partnership, USA and an M.A. in Elementary Education from Tata School of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Ridhi has 4 years of corporate and 2 years of teaching experience before Swatantra Talim. She now looks after our overall program. Ridhi’s focus points are strategy, curriculum, and training. A graduate from Lady Shri Ram College (Delhi University), Ridhi is a post-graduate in education and commerce from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and Delhi School of Economics.
She has been working in the field of alternative education in the interior villages of Uttar Pradesh, India since July 2013. Ridhi's focus points in the organization is towards strategy, curriculum, and building competencies of grass-root teachers through capacity building workshops. Before Swatantra Talim, she worked in corporates, NGOs, and schools like Times of India, Edelweiss Capital, Nalanda (Lucknow), and Sahyadri School (Krishnamurthi Foundation India). She is also an avid storyteller and an origami lover. Ridhi has been instrumental in co-creating maker-spaces in public, private schools and non-formal learning centers. She has presented a paper in FabLearn, Italy on “Culturally responsive maker-space learning model towards meaningful education for marginalized communities”.
A FabLearn Fellow 2020-22, Columbia University, USA and one of the Top 50 Emerging Women selected across the world in Vital Voices Global Partnership, USA and an M.A. in Elementary Education from Tata School of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Ridhi has 4 years of corporate and 2 years of teaching experience before Swatantra Talim. She now looks after our overall program. Ridhi’s focus points are strategy, curriculum, and training. A graduate from Lady Shri Ram College (Delhi University), Ridhi is a post-graduate in education and commerce from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and Delhi School of Economics.
She has been working in the field of alternative education in the interior villages of Uttar Pradesh, India since July 2013. Ridhi's focus points in the organization is towards strategy, curriculum, and building competencies of grass-root teachers through capacity building workshops. Before Swatantra Talim, she worked in corporates, NGOs, and schools like Times of India, Edelweiss Capital, Nalanda (Lucknow), and Sahyadri School (Krishnamurthi Foundation India). She is also an avid storyteller and an origami lover. Ridhi has been instrumental in co-creating maker-spaces in public, private schools and non-formal learning centers. She has presented a paper in FabLearn, Italy on “Culturally responsive maker-space learning model towards meaningful education for marginalized communities”.
Rahul Agarwal, Co-Founder
- Rahul, a qualified CA, is the other co-founder of Swatantra Talim. Actively engaged in monitoring and evaluation of our program by looking closely the gaps in terms of delivery, he has been instrumental in devising the organisation’s strategy, curriculum, implementation and performance monitoring. Currently pursuing a Masters in Design Education from Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore, he also holds an MA in Elementary Education from TISS, Mumbai.
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Vinod, Facilitation Lead (Rural)
Vinod ji was born and brought up in Uttar Pradesh. He currently resides in a village near Mahmudabad, Sitapur. Post his schooling and graduation, he knew he wanted to do something different, not something that most of the people in his village were doing, especially farming. The education sector always intrigued him and with so much youth in the village, he knew there was a lot of scope of growth always.
With experience in organizations like Eklavya and Manzil, and workshops like the Teacher Author workshop by Sheetal Paul. Vinod ji has only and only grown over the years is a rock-solid support system for us!
Vinod ji was born and brought up in Uttar Pradesh. He currently resides in a village near Mahmudabad, Sitapur. Post his schooling and graduation, he knew he wanted to do something different, not something that most of the people in his village were doing, especially farming. The education sector always intrigued him and with so much youth in the village, he knew there was a lot of scope of growth always.
With experience in organizations like Eklavya and Manzil, and workshops like the Teacher Author workshop by Sheetal Paul. Vinod ji has only and only grown over the years is a rock-solid support system for us!
Apurva Shah, Storytelling Lead
Having written and conceptualised many plays in Lucknow, Apurva is very experienced and keen to work in theatre and films. She has worked as an Assistant Director, Continuity Script Supervisor and Casting Director on films, series, short films and advertisements across Mumbai and Lucknow. Some of those are the recently released Gulaabo Sitaabo on Amazon Prime and A Suitable Boy on Netflix.
Children Theatre is something that is extremely close to her heart and she has been working in the sector for over ten years now. Apurva has also worked with different schools and NGOs and for different villages for conducting theatre workshops for children across the county. Her aim is to integrate theatre and storytelling with education for the greater good of art and society.
Having written and conceptualised many plays in Lucknow, Apurva is very experienced and keen to work in theatre and films. She has worked as an Assistant Director, Continuity Script Supervisor and Casting Director on films, series, short films and advertisements across Mumbai and Lucknow. Some of those are the recently released Gulaabo Sitaabo on Amazon Prime and A Suitable Boy on Netflix.
Children Theatre is something that is extremely close to her heart and she has been working in the sector for over ten years now. Apurva has also worked with different schools and NGOs and for different villages for conducting theatre workshops for children across the county. Her aim is to integrate theatre and storytelling with education for the greater good of art and society.
Alisha Asif, Outreach and Communications Lead
After being a journalist for two years, Alisha made a sly switch in her career in 2015 and got into the social sector, with an interest in Youth, Mental Health, and Gender. She has been working with women, youth, and children across UP, Bihar, and Haryana over the years, in various capacities (sometimes as a life skills facilitator, marketing manager and sometimes for non-profits in their communication team as a writer). With a Bachelor's in Journalism and a Master’s in Social Work, she has worked as a freelancer, taking writing projects on social and developmental issues. Coming from brave, Punjabi-Muslim parentage, she is a hoarder of free speech, love, and human rights and doesn’t see her identity independent of those, ever, personally or professionally.
After being a journalist for two years, Alisha made a sly switch in her career in 2015 and got into the social sector, with an interest in Youth, Mental Health, and Gender. She has been working with women, youth, and children across UP, Bihar, and Haryana over the years, in various capacities (sometimes as a life skills facilitator, marketing manager and sometimes for non-profits in their communication team as a writer). With a Bachelor's in Journalism and a Master’s in Social Work, she has worked as a freelancer, taking writing projects on social and developmental issues. Coming from brave, Punjabi-Muslim parentage, she is a hoarder of free speech, love, and human rights and doesn’t see her identity independent of those, ever, personally or professionally.
Akshita Kaushik, Program Manager
Akshita works with Swatantra Talim as our Program Manager. Her background in Environmental Science and love for birds led her to different places, however her calling was working with kids and communities. Not only does she look after our Khoj Yaan program, but also helps us in organisation building. From being part of our stories, lesson plans, their conception, to their overall execution and management, Akshita has been a gifted leader. She is sincere, and has the grit and gumption that it takes to make a program, an organisation and any tasks she puts her hands on succesfull. She engages in learning, growing, and creating alongside children and our team, turning everyday moments into opportunities for discovery and joy!
Akshita works with Swatantra Talim as our Program Manager. Her background in Environmental Science and love for birds led her to different places, however her calling was working with kids and communities. Not only does she look after our Khoj Yaan program, but also helps us in organisation building. From being part of our stories, lesson plans, their conception, to their overall execution and management, Akshita has been a gifted leader. She is sincere, and has the grit and gumption that it takes to make a program, an organisation and any tasks she puts her hands on succesfull. She engages in learning, growing, and creating alongside children and our team, turning everyday moments into opportunities for discovery and joy!
Saumya Sahay, Design Consultant
Saumya is a communication designer, exploring the intersections of art, design, and social science. Her journey with Swatantra Talim begin as an intern when our work began for Bulbule 2023. She helped us with her design skills in ways small and big and soon her role evolved into that of a consultant for graphic design. Most of her illustrations for us are inspired by observing children and their activities. Saumya has a background and some experience in Branding & Packaging, Research, Culture Studies and Campaign Design. She also loves capturing the simplicities and subtilties of the world through films, photography and art.
Saumya is a communication designer, exploring the intersections of art, design, and social science. Her journey with Swatantra Talim begin as an intern when our work began for Bulbule 2023. She helped us with her design skills in ways small and big and soon her role evolved into that of a consultant for graphic design. Most of her illustrations for us are inspired by observing children and their activities. Saumya has a background and some experience in Branding & Packaging, Research, Culture Studies and Campaign Design. She also loves capturing the simplicities and subtilties of the world through films, photography and art.
Kuldeep Kannojiya, Lead Facilitator
Kuldeep began his journey with us as a student. He then over the years became a volunteer, then a team member and a teacher. He also developed and honed his theatre skills while working with children and found deep love for arts, especially theatre, along with his graduation in Journalism and Mass Communication from National College, Lucknow.
Team Members | Youth Leaders
While our core team holds fort in their own ways, our youth leaders make our program what it is! Most of them began with us as students, and then became volunteers and then youth leaders and now help us run the organisation. From facilitation sessions, doing the background work, from planning and decor to execution- they are with us in it all! And, beyond the phenomenal work that they do with us, they are warriors and leaders in their spaces as well. Here is a special shout-out to them! :)
Kuldeep began his journey with us as a student. He then over the years became a volunteer, then a team member and a teacher. He also developed and honed his theatre skills while working with children and found deep love for arts, especially theatre, along with his graduation in Journalism and Mass Communication from National College, Lucknow.
Team Members | Youth Leaders
While our core team holds fort in their own ways, our youth leaders make our program what it is! Most of them began with us as students, and then became volunteers and then youth leaders and now help us run the organisation. From facilitation sessions, doing the background work, from planning and decor to execution- they are with us in it all! And, beyond the phenomenal work that they do with us, they are warriors and leaders in their spaces as well. Here is a special shout-out to them! :)
