My goal is to practice fieldwork-based sustainable development for communities in rural and informal sector nationally and internationally. I want to achieve this through my commitment for social development, experience in social design & vocational training. My interest lies in building local employment opportunities through social entrepreneurship models to help both rural and urban unorganized sectors.
Expertise: Innovative thinking & education, Training, Building sustainable social enterprise, Startups, Workforce development & Capacity building, Enabling employable skills to the community at grassroots, Strategic thinking, Decision making, Project design & management, Marketing, Public communication, Waste recycling through craft development and Handicrafts based livelihood development
Academic Qualifications
Clark University, Worcester MA, USA, 2006-08
Master's in International Development and Social Change
National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India, 1998-2003
Graduate Diploma in Textile and Apparel Design
Scholarships and awards
International Development Community and Environment Research Award, 2007, Clark University, Worcester MA, Travel award for Master's Research in India
Ford Foundation International Fellowship, 2006-08, Full funded scholarship to complete Master's Degree in United States
EDIDA (Elle Decor International Design Award) 2004 & 2005
"Woven Rug" made out of waste paper (2004)
"Fabric molded lamp" with cotton textile treatment (2005)
SPIC MACAY Scholarship, 2004, Sponsored by the Foundation for Universal Responsibility founded by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, (HP) India.
Gold medal in National Karate Competition, India 1996
Professional Experience
Cequin, New Delhi, 2011
Samoolam, Gaya, Bihar , 2009-Onwards
DueNorth, Uttrakhand, 2009-Onwards
Bestseller Fund, Denmark/Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China, 2008-9
Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur, 2008
Uttaranchal Bamboo and Fiber Development Board, Uttaranchal, India, 2004-6
Kala Raksha Vidalaya (KRV), Kutch, India, 2005
Xylem Private Ltd. New Delhi, India, 2002-5
Khadi and Village Industry Commission (KVIC), Punjab, India, 2002
Exhibitions and Workshops
UN day exhibition for International Year of Natural Fiber (IYNF), New Delhi, 23, Oct 2009
"Selvedged Voices", Chennai, March 20-22, 2009
Delhi Craft Council (DCC), Khatwa Narrative Embroidery workshop, Feb 18-24, 09
Textile Society of America, Toronto, Canada, Oct 11-14, 2006
India & Vietnam "Lotus Link" craft workshop, Delhi Haat, New Delhi, India, November 2004
Upasana Design Studio, Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India, August 2004
Women Development Organization, (WDO), NGO, Dehradun, India, 2002
Conference & Paper Presentations
Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting in Boston, April 15-19, 2008.
Graduate Student Multidisciplinary Conference 2008. Clark University, MA, USA.
Research papers
Master's research paper: Organizing Home-Based Women Workers in India (2008) Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA
Graduate Diploma Project on Recycling and Reuse: "Rebirth", Perspectives on waste paper (2002) National Institute of Design, Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India
Craft Documentation: Bardalai R. and Prajapati U.(2001) "The Journey of Bamboo", National Institute of Design, Ahmadabad India, Sponsored by Bamboo and Cane Development Institute (BCDI), NID Publication and Development Commissioner of Handicrafts (DCH), India