Team
AshokaX Team
Meet Our Team
Rudrangshu Mukherjee is an internationally renowned historian and author and the founding Vice-Chancellor of Ashoka University. He was previously Editor, Editorial Pages of The Telegraph, Kolkata and has taught History at the University of Calcutta and held visiting appointments at Princeton University, the University of Manchester and University of California.
His works on the Revolt of 1857, beginning with Awadh in Revolt, 1857-58: A Study of Popular Resistance, and including his recent A Begum & A Rani: Hazrat Mahal and Lakshmibai in 1857 have become the standard references in the field. He has also authored and edited several books including The Penguin Gandhi Reader, New Delhi: The Making of a Capital, Great Speeches of Modern India, Nehru & Bose: Parallel Lives and most recently Tagore & Gandhi : Walking Alone, Walking Together.
Contacts:
Harshit Godha
Deputy Director & Head, AshokaX
Pavan is an empirically informed senior advisor in the policy space, and a dedicated teacher, who believes in democratising education, and demystifying complex ideas, and communicating them effectively to management and policy students. Substantively, he pursues two streams of professional work and scholarship – law/policy, and applied behaviour science.
He currently serves as the Director of the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change at Ashoka University, and also works closely with Niti Aayog. He has led the initiative to set up India’s first Nudge Unit, the Behavioral Insights Unit of India, which is an embedded team out of Niti. He has also helped set up a Behavioral Insights Units for the states of Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. His main work focuses on development related issues in education, health, nutrition, and gender. Additionally, Pavan takes immense pride in cooking rural Telangana food, and believes that the green chilly is good for the soul, and builds character!
He has a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the University of Oxford, a Masters (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School, and a highly subsidised and inexpensive Bachelor’s in Mathematics from the finest public institution in the world – Osmania University!
Abhishek Vaidyanath
Deputy Manager, AshokaX
Charu Seth is a Senior Manager at AshokaX, where she shapes the Climate Corps Fellowship in India by leading operations, communications, and designing learning experiences for fellows. Her work focuses on enabling fellows to build the knowledge and skills needed to engage with climate-related challenges. Previously, she worked across academia, research, and science communication, contributing to program design and stakeholder engagement. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from St. Stephen’s College and a Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences from TIFR, Mumbai, and outside of work, she enjoys simplifying complex ideas and expressing them through creative formats, including poetry and creative writing.
Charu Seth
Senior Manager, AshokaX
Paridhi Mishra is the Program Head for Climate Corps Fellowship in India at AshokaX, where she works to strengthen the climate workforce by growing the fellowship, building cross-sector partnerships, and convening leaders across the sustainability ecosystem. Her work is rooted in the belief that India’s green transition depends on the people shaping it. Previously, she worked on product strategy and climate-focused fundraising at a cleantech startup and with the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation on the Swachh Bharat Mission. She holds a dual degree from IIT-BHU, and outside of work, she is a Kathak student and is deeply interested in behavioural science and neurobiology.
Paridhi Mishra
Deputy Director, AshokaX & Program Head, Climate Corps Fellowship
At AshokaX and through the Climate Corps programme, Pubarun works on designing media-led climate education systems and developing scalable storytelling frameworks that translate grassroots realities into policy and institutional narratives.
Pubarun Basu
Deputy Manager, AshokaX
Ragini works at the intersection of digital learning design, programme strategy, and faculty collaboration. She focuses on the often-overlooked details that shape how learning is experienced, and works with faculty and teams as a thought partner to create meaningful experiences.
Her journey began at Srishti School of Art and Design, where an early interest in design grew into a search for purpose. She went on to work in the social sector at Quest Alliance, focusing on career development for adolescents, and later pursued a Master’s in Education, Technology and Innovation at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She then spent four years consulting through her independent practice, working across age-groups, sectors and geographies, including Southeast Asia, the USA, and Africa.
Today, she brings these experiences together to help lifelong learners and working professionals grow in their careers and lives.
Ragini Lall
Assistant Director, AshokaX
Richa Sharma is a Manager at AshokaX, where she leads fellow recruitment and network engagement for the Climate Corps Fellowship in India, while supporting partnerships and high-impact climate projects. Her work is shaped by an interest in how public systems and policy translate into meaningful, on-ground impact. Previously, she worked with Khushi Baby as a Policy and Advocacy Officer and as a Gandhi Fellow in rural Rajasthan, engaging with communities and government stakeholders across education and health systems. She holds a B.A. (Hons.) in Political Science from Miranda House and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Erfurt, and outside of work, she enjoys cinema, painting, and reading.
Richa Sharma
Manager, AshokaX
Sid Roy is a marketing professional with expertise in digital marketing, content marketing, and marketing technology (martech). He works at the intersection of strategy and execution, helping organisations build strong digital presence, drive audience engagement, and deliver measurable growth.
With hands-on experience across performance marketing, SEO, social media, and content ecosystems, Sid focuses on leveraging data and martech tools to optimise campaigns and enhance user journeys. He is particularly interested in scaling digital platforms, building brand narratives, and using technology to enable smarter marketing decisions.
Siddhartha Roy
Senior Manager, AshokaX
Yuvika Rajput
Manager, AshokaX
Zainab Rizvi is a Program Coordinator at AshokaX, where she supports the Climate Corps Fellowship in India across program coordination, partnerships, and communications, with a focus on strengthening engagement and shaping narratives within the climate space. Her work is shaped by an interest in how storytelling can enable more inclusive participation in climate action. Previously, she worked in business development at a visa and consular services provider, focusing on market research and expansion. She holds a Master’s in International Relations from Queen Mary University of London, and outside of work, she runs an online platform on global feminist issues and enjoys engaging with conversations on gender, history, and politics.
Zainab Rizwi
Program Cordinator, AshokaX