Speakers
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Anasuya Kale ChhabraniPresident, Swacch AssociationAnasuya Kale Chhabrani is a passionate environmentalist and social worker, currently serving as the President of Swacch Association, a Nagpur-based NGO she founded in 2015. With over 15 years of civic engagement, she began her journey as a volunteer with CMCA (Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness), driven by the need to bring citizens, administration, and civil society together to address pressing environmental issues.
Under her leadership, Swacch Association focuses on waste segregation, plastic eradication, composting, water conservation, climate awareness, wetland preservation, and livelihood generation for women’s self-help groups. Anasuya has conducted 600+ awareness sessions on waste management and has actively worked on projects involving rainwater harvesting, tree protection, and urban ecological conservation.
She collaborates closely with government departments, schools, and local communities, helping to build sustainable systems. Anasuya also holds key roles in several civic and environmental organizations including Paryavaran Prerna Maharashtra, Together We Can, and Civil Lines Association, and is a Para Legal Volunteer with the District Court.
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Nitin MeshramYuva -
Prachi MahurkarEcologist and Environmental EducatorPrachi Mahurkar is an ecologist and environmental educator with extensive experience in ecological restoration, sustainable farming, and biodiversity conservation. She holds an M.Sc. in Environmental Science (IGNOU), a Master’s in Industrial Relations (Nagpur University), and diplomas in Sustainable Development, Urban Ecology, Field Botany, and Beekeeping.
She leads Punarnava Ecological Services and Eco-design Solutions, a consultancy focused on habitat restoration, native biodiversity, and eco-friendly construction. A former Tree Committee Member of Nagpur Municipal Corporation, she also promotes native tree plantation, conducts nature walks, and educates communities through awareness campaigns.
As a co-organizer of Beejotsav, a seed festival promoting organic farming, Prachi has worked extensively with farmers and seed networks. She has participated in the Women of India Organic Festival and World Organic Congress.
Her publications include:
Native Tree Species of Central India
Flora of Somnath
आपल्या सभोवताली सापडणाऱ्या रानभाज्या (Wild vegetables of Central India, in Marathi)Prachi is also a visiting faculty at the All India Institute of Local Self Government and a passionate advocate for nature conservation.
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Pradyumna SahasrabhojaneeArchitect and Urban DesignerPradyumna Sahasrabhojanee is an experienced architect and urban designer with over 36 years of practice. Holding degrees in Architecture (VRCE, Nagpur) and Urban Design (SPA, Delhi), he has been a strong advocate of eco-sensitive planning, natural resource conservation, and heritage preservation. He also holds a PG Diploma in Sustainable Natural Resource Management from Ecological Society, Pune.
He co-founded B.D. Sahasrabhojanee & Associates and Integrated Design Concepts, handling a wide range of architectural, urban, and infrastructure projects including hospitals, educational institutions, tourism infrastructure, heritage conservation, and town planning. Notably, he led the design and execution of 5,750 semi-permanent shelters post the 2001 Gujarat earthquake.
As an environmentalist and conservationist, he has coordinated the Nag River Rejuvenation Plan, National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (MoEF), and eco-restoration campaigns through VNHS Centre, and founded the firm Punarnava for ecological projects. He has also worked extensively on urban biodiversity and decentralized sewage treatment systems for river revival.
A passionate mountaineer and nature educator, he served as President of Nagpur Mountaineers, training youth for 15+ years. His cultural pursuits include singing and organizing music events through Kalasangam Pratishthan.
He has been involved with multiple professional and civic bodies such as the Indian Institute of Architects, Nagpur Heritage Conservation Committee, Vidarbha Heritage Society, and Income Tax Department (Registered Valuer).
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Pratap GoswamiIndustrial ConsultantPratap Shambhoo Goswami is an Industrial Consultant based in Nagpur, Maharashtra, with over two decades of experience in providing technology solutions and machinery to MSMEs in agro-processing, food, bamboo, and wood processing sectors. A commerce graduate from Nagpur University, he has been active in both social and political spheres since the early 1990s.
He is the Secretary of Kisan Manch since 2001 and has been actively involved in various farmers’ movements, including the Bahiram Cotton Agitation and campaigns against land acquisition in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. He has consistently raised issues related to farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha and has taken legal action on environmental violations, including a petition to the National Green Tribunal against pollution from Koradi Power Plant.
Politically, Mr. Goswami has worked with the Republican Party of India and Janata Dal, and contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Ramtek as an AAP candidate, securing over 21,000 votes. He continues to be an active member of the Aam Aadmi Party, currently leading protests against illegal demolitions in Nagpur.
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Prof. Sanjay PathakProfessor of Practice, NICMAR University, PuneProf. Sanjay Pathak is a seasoned Architect and Urban & Regional Planner with over 45 years of experience in planning, policy, and education. A graduate of VNIT Nagpur and a post-graduate from the School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Town Planners, India.
Prof. Pathak served the Delhi Development Authority for 36 years, including as Commissioner (Planning), where he contributed to the Master Plans for Delhi (2001, 2021), sub-city planning for Dwarka, Rohini, and Narela, and key policies like Land Pooling and Transit-Oriented Development. He also worked with RITES and MMRDA and has guided IAS trainees.
Since 2017, he has been actively engaged in academia. He is currently a Professor of Practice at NICMAR University, Pune, and is also associated with MIT ADT University. He has taught at SPA New Delhi and COEP Pune as a visiting faculty.
He has represented India internationally across countries including Singapore, Brazil, Australia, and several in Europe and Asia.
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Shyam PandharipandeJouranlistShyam Pandharipande is a veteran journalist, educator, and environmental activist with over 30 years of experience in media, having worked with leading publications like Nagpur Times, The Hitavada, Indian Express, Lokmat Times, and Indo Asian News Service. He has also edited The Happening Nagpur and the environmental magazine Green Hope.
An academic by training, he holds a B.Sc. in Biology and Chemistry and an M.A. in English Literature. He has taught Science, English Literature, and Mass Communication at various levels, including postgraduate classes.
Shyam has played a key role in urban environmental advocacy, co-founding Ecocity Foundation and the Nag River Basin Eco Development Project with Architect Pradyumna Sahassrabhojanee. He also served as Vice Chairman of Sulabh International’s Maharashtra chapter.
Currently, he serves as the President of a Rotary Club in Nagpur and is a founding member of the civil society group PEACE, continuing his commitment to civic and environmental causes.
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Vaibhav KaleDirector, Wondergrass Initiative Pvt. Ltd. -
Vilas BhongadeFellow, SRUTIVilas began his involvement with social movements as a young adult in Nagpur. He has played an active role in grassroots struggles of unorganized labour over the past three decades under the banner of Kashtkari Jan Andolan. He has also been a key figure in the Vidarbha region on issues of natural resource rights, displacement and livelihood. He became a Society for Rural Urban & Tribal Initiative (SRUTI) Fellow in 2003.
In 1990, he led the struggle against the denial of proper rehabilitation of those affected by the Indira Sagar Dam. Gosikhurd Prakalpgrast Sangharsh Samiti was initiated against these injustices in 1996. Under his leadership, the sangathan pioneered innovative forms of peaceful democratic expression in the region to highlight the corruption and usually ignored aspects of displacement such as the deprivation of community resources for cattle rearing and grazing.
Vilas has been working from the start with informal workers including domestic workers. In 2008, the sangathan achieved a great feat when the Maharashtra government passed the Domestic Workers Act, In 2011, the Domestic Workers’ Welfare Board was formed and compensation of 90 thousand rupees was fixed for every female domestic work age between 55 to 60 years. Another milestone victory for the sangathan came in 2013 by ensuring appropriate compensation, livelihood and housing for around 1 lakh affected people affected by the Gosikhurd dam.
Having written numerous books and informative articles about laws and constitutional provisions, social movements and their body of work, he also contributes regularly to Marathi newspapers and magazines. He mentors SRUTI’s programs and facilitates SSC shivirs in the state. He also travels regularly to various regions to support sangathan-building and document social initiatives, the living conditions of communities, and their language, history and culture. With an encouraging smile and a warm personality, he encourages young people to take up the baton of social change for the growth and progress of entire generations.
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Vinayak DeshpandeVice-Chancellor, G H Raisoni University, AmravatiProf. Vinayak Deshpande is the Vice-Chancellor of G H Raisoni University, Amravati, with over 37 years of teaching and academic leadership experience. He previously served as Acting Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, and Director of the Department of Business Management at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), where he also held roles such as Registrar (Officiating), Dean, and Assistant Director of the Academic Staff College.
He holds degrees in Economics, Commerce, Management, and a Ph.D., and has supervised 33 Ph.D. scholars. His academic work includes over 100 publications and 11 funded research projects. Prof. Vinayak has been associated with various national bodies and universities as a committee member, expert, and examiner, and has held leadership roles such as President of the International Centre for Cultural Studies and member of the Regional Imbalance Committee under Dr. Vijay Kelkar.
His international exposure includes academic engagements in the Netherlands, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. He is known for his contributions to higher education, research, and institutional development.
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: Aug 05 2025
- Time: 8:30 am