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We are a team of young and mid-career practitioners united by shared values, diverse competencies and rootedness in our communities.
Rachita Sinha
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Rachita is a practitioner with nine years of experience designing and administering educational courses in technology, environment, Indian music, and dance for multinational companies and non-profit organisations. She is a GP Birla Women Leader with the Ananta Aspen Centre. She has completed certificate courses from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, East-West Centre, and the National Geographic Society. Rachita’s expertise is in learning experience design, program design, youth facilitation, change management, and gender-inclusive leadership.
K. Ramnath Chandrasekhar
Co-Founder
Visual Storyteller | Educator | Community Organiser
Ramnath is a practitioner with fourteen years of experience conceptualising and implementing environmental education programs for schools and creating nature conservation stories from concept to completion through photography and filmmaking. Ramnath’s expertise is in community organising, oral storytelling, experiential learning facilitation, program management, nature photography, and documentary filmmaking. He was shortlisted for the Rolex Young Laureates Programme in 2010 and is a 2022 National Geographic Explorer.
Aarathi Subramanian
Chief Operating Officer
Educator | Programme Designer | Measurement & Impact practitioner | Kind Human
Aarathi is driven by a simple question: “How do we know if something worked?” With over a decade of experience across education, data analytics, and the social impact sector, she builds systems and teams that turn ideas into measurable outcomes. Her work spans community education, early language learning, men’s mental health, AI learning and measurement and evaluation.
Harini M S
Anchor - Learning Experiences and Communication Design
Animal Whisperer | Geek
Harini decided she was going to be everything she wanted to be — educator, photographer, visual storyteller, writer, curator, tech-nerd, animal-nut, and wannabe-philosopher. She finds her inspiration in the alive world: the hoot of the scops owl, the feet of the millipede, the folds of lichen on bark. Her photos have been shown in Bangalore and New York. Her work lives in classrooms, exhibitions, and everywhere in between.
Akshata Subbaraya
Anchor - Alum Development and Nilgiris Changemaking Studio
Akshata doesn’t seek the spotlight. She makes sure the light is on for everyone else. She hosts visitors, tends to the space, and teaches children — all at Nature Quest, all with the same quiet steadiness.
Nivash Gopalasamy
Anchor - Alum Development and Nilgiris Changemaking Studio
Human Resources | Educator
Nivash brings serious spark. From icebreakers to theatre in education, he turns gatherings into experiences. At the Changemakers Retreat, he kept 50+ people on their feet with a treasure hunt no one saw coming.
Sanath Kumar
Anchor - Video Storytelling and Engagement Communications
Thinker | Visual Artist
Sanath is YouCAN’s live-events performer, video editor, and resident energy-giver. This year: an international photography exhibition (In Between), an abstract photography show (Ajatha), a workshop at the National Gallery of Modern Art (When the Camera Looks Within), and a performance at Bandha — an interdisciplinary blend of poetry, dance, and painting. He also helped dream up Anubandha, a nature × art festival.
Bushra Asif
Anchor - Communications Associate and Founders Desk Support
Explorer | Writer | Communications
Over the years of her early career, Bushra has explored the fields of early childhood education, expressive arts therapy and now nature education, in addition to exploring her being, her voice and her way with words as a writer. She is currently pursuing an MA in English Literature, and hopes to marry these many passions that have acted as guiding lights on her hopscotch-like path.
Nandita Shridhar Kambli
Anchor - Engagement Communications
Creative Designer | Whimsy Seeker | Stationery Aficionado
Nandita approaches design as a way of making sense of the world, translating big ideas into visuals that feel a little less daunting and a lot more fun. She believes there is a "seventh sense" in every human being: the desire to create, to express, to make, that just needs the right nudge. Visually, Nandita leans into loud, colourful maximalism and small moments of whimsy, but she balances this bright energy with emotional sensitivity, knowing exactly when to step back into softer, quieter art.
When she isn't busy bringing YouCAN's stories and content to life, Nandita is also a serious stationery hoarder and an introverted chatterbox, trying to figure out the world and her place in it.
Sridhar Raja
Earth Education Fellow in Residence
Facilitator | Curriculum Developer | Organizer
Sridhar is the reason things run. He coordinates people, places, and plans — and does it all while remaining a practitioner at heart. This year, he explored how technology can hold communities together through Elephant Academy’s three-month programme.
Lahari KV
Policy and Research Intern
Lahari is a Policy & Research Intern at YouCAN and is currently pursuing a Master's in Public Policy at the National Law School of India University. At YouCAN, she contributes to policy research and the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks by engaging with stakeholders and supporting the design and implementation of evidence-based tools.
Ripple
Joy Enabler
Ripple is an integral part of the YouCAN Family. She inspires us in many ways every day. She makes us realise the importance of curiosity, unconditional giving, and situational awareness, also the need for play, rest, and rigour in our lives.
