Colonel P M Jha (Retd.)
Managing TrusteeColonel Jha completed his medical training from Ranchi Medical College and joined the Indian Army in 1984. During his tenure he served across multiple locations in the country, including the Northern, North-Eastern and the Western border regions; as well as in the Middle-East, on deputation. Throughout his career, he also continued to provide voluntary medical services to unreached communities of North Bihar.
After 31 years of distinguished service in the Armed Forces, his passion for and understanding of public health in rural India, especially Bihar, led him to co-found Aripana Foundation, where he presently serves as the Managing Trustee and the Director of its Public Health vertical.
Avinash Kumar
TrusteeAvinash leads Education and Communication at Wipro Foundation, The Education program he leads at Wipro partners with a network of 140+ educational civil society organizations, and supports them in building deeper capacities to work on school education reform in a sustained manner. He also oversees
Avinash has a Masters degree in Education from Azim Premji University and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University. He serves as a Trustee of Aripana Foundation and an advisor on its program strategy.
Jamuna Inamdar
Program DirectorJamuna has over 15 years of experience working with various NGOs. She started her career as a Program Officer, Training and Development, at Railway Children, a UK based NGO, engaging with street children and their caregiving staff at various locations across India. Thereafter, as part of Azim Premji Foundation, she facilitated education leadership & management programmes for state and district level government education functionaries as well as teachers, in the states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. Jamuna is a co-founder of Aripana Foundation, where she presently serves as Program Director of the Education and Arts & Culture verticals.
Dhiraj Kumar
Program OfficerDhiraj coordinates Aripana Foundation’s work in Maithili language and culture. In addition to that, he also plays an active role in our school education program.
Before joining Aripana, Dhiraj was associated with Going to School, where he worked with school-students to enhance their entrepreneurial and 21st century skills. Prior to this, he was associated with Piramal Foundation where he worked with the children of underprivileged sections of society in Thane and Mumbai, to enhance their learning capabilities and skills through various innovative learning methods. He had also successfully raised funds and set up learning centers for the students of slum areas in Mumbai. Dhiraj has a degree in Education and a Bachelors in Science.
Rupam Dev
Program CoordinatorRupam is a Program Coordinator at Aripana Foundation and anchors our work with government schools. She has also completed two years of Aripana Education Fellowship. Before joining the Fellowship, Rupam has had over ten years of work experience, including six years as a teacher. She has a degree in Education and a Masters in the Arts. Rupam is passionate about developmental issues and has a special interest in foundational learning and environment education.
Shankara Nand Jha
Program OfficerWith over four years of teaching experience in diverse educational institutions, Shankara Nand has had the opportunity to work with students from various backgrounds and learning styles. His teaching philosophy is rooted in encouraging curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of our past to better navigate the present and future.
Shankara Nand is a passionate educator and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science and a Master’s degree in Arts (History), which gives him a unique interdisciplinary approach to understanding teaching methods. He has also qualified the UGC-NET exam, reflecting his dedication to academic excellence.
Shankara Nand works closely with government schools in Darbhanga, especially on Foundational Education for early grades.
Outside work, he continuously seeks to expand his knowledge, explore literature, and stay updated with current academic trends.
Akanksha Kumari
Education FellowAkanksha is a dedicated and passionate educator with 3 years of experience in teaching. She holds a Master’s
degree in Arts and a Bachelor’s in Education. She brings expertise in curriculum design and delivery.
Akanksha is committed to fostering a supportive learning environment, and strives to empower students from marginalized backgrounds to reach their full potential. With a strong foundation in arts and education, she is eager to continue making a positive impact in the lives of her students.
Akanksha works on Foundational Learning in Government primary schools.
Bobby Singh
Education FellowBobby is an Education Fellow at Aripana Foundation and works with Primary Government Schools on Foundational Learning of early grade students. She holds a Master’s degree in Zoology from Lalit Narayan Mithila University and is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Education.
With 2 years of teaching experience, Bobby has developed a deep passion for educating and engaging with children. She believes in creating a joyful and interactive learning environment that helps every child grow with confidence and curiosity.
Kanhaiya Kumar
Resource PersonKanhaiya has a Masters in Political Science. He supports educational programs and events at Aripana Foundation.
To know more about our regular/long-term volunteers visit Team Lemon-Choos.