Innovators
BRM core team
The Core Group is the stewardship circle that holds the spirit, direction and practice of Blue Ribbon Movement. Comprising 18 members, the team draws on each person's unique strengths while sharing collective responsibility for the organisation's evolution.
As a living leadership collective, the group stays attuned to the changing realities of society, listening deeply to communities, observing emerging patterns and bringing back insights that strengthen BRM's response to the times we live in.
Comprising 18 members from across generations of the BRM community, the Core Group reflects the movement we seek to build. From young volunteers in their twenties to seasoned ecosystem builders, they are people who have chosen to step up for their city, lead with responsibility and invite others into a shared journey of active citizenship and collective action.
Innovators
Abhishek Thakore
Founder and Trustee,
The Blue Ribbon Movement
Abhishek's philosophy of work is to make work play and play all the time. BRM is his favourite 'playground' where he deep dives into radical experiments of change.
Aravind Natarajan
Co-anchor,
Partnerships
Aravind’s policy is, begin with coffee and never stop reflecting until you make change happen. And celebrate with food.
Kinjal Sarawagi
Member
Renita Gonsalves
Anchor,
Mumbai People’s Un-versity
Volunteering is a prayer for the collective believes our lover of poetry, bakery, conversations and children - Renita.
Akash Upase
Co-lead,
Community Connect
Masters of Volunteering is an honorary degree awarded to Varistha (senior) critical thinker & crusader of hope, Akash.
Arnaz Khan
Member
Dreaming, Writing & Paradoxes, together make Arnaz a bright woman who btw loves dark jokes.
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Ompratap Sharma
Member
Shantanu Gadade
Member
Listening is his superpower & he is a jack of all trades. Cyber-anu, we mean, Shantanu holds a masters in Cyber Forensics, besides which he believes in collective leadership.
Aniruddha Gaonkar
Anchor,
Campaign and Events
Left college, caught markets. Aniruddha lives with a meaningful relationship with money & wishes to support a variety of causes driven by planning, science & ideas.
Ashok Krishnan
Member
Fundraising & Fun both operate like synonyms for PUNdit Ashok whose pronouns are Him & He.
Pankati Jain
Convener,
Blue Ribbon Movement
Growth and compassion while asking new questions and hanging out with old friends is Pankati’s journey (for life).
Anjali Tripathi
Anchor,
Campaign and Events
Explorer, Events Manager and Environment enthusiast. Vibe check is Anjali’s litmus test when she meets new people and visits new places.
Kejal Savla
CEO,
The Blue Ribbon Movement
Kejal is a living embodiment of Knowledge, Empathy, Joy, Action, Leadership.
Pankhuri Jain
Co-lead,
Community Connect
Pankhuri’s mantra has been managing while learning, learning while managing. Reading people, travelling within books & slowing down in life is her quest.
Aniruddha Gaonkar
Founder
Community Anchor
Learning & Development
Specialist
WISE Lead / Partnership
Abhishek is an explorer of edges, a bridge across different worlds, and a purpose-driven initiator. His work brings together social change, spirituality, and systems thinking through the Bodhi Sangha Ecosystem. With over two decades of facilitation experience, he is the founder of Blue Ribbon Movement and co-founder of Wisdom Tree and Bodhi Sangha.
Akash began his journey in forensic science before discovering his calling in education. As a Waldorf educator and Learning & Development Specialist at BRM, he designs leadership journeys that help team members grow as professionals, individuals and active citizens, nurturing independent leaders committed to meaningful social change.
Akash works at the intersection of technology, youth leadership, and systems change. He currently leads the WISE City initiative, bringing together diverse stakeholders to strengthen civic action and build a city-wide response. His work is rooted in deep inquiry, authentic care and the belief that lasting change is created collectively.
Aniruddha is a finance enthusiast passionate about supporting individuals in the development sector on their personal finance journeys. He believes financial well-being enables people to contribute more meaningfully to the causes they care about. He is also a strong advocate for volunteering and its power to strengthen communities.
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Chief Operations, Finance and Fundraising Officer
Program Lead
Community Connect
Chief Executive Officer
Lead,
Youth Engagement & Partnerships
Explorer, Events Manager and Environment enthusiast. Vibe check is Anjali’s litmus test when she meets new people and visits new places.
Ashok works at the intersection of urban governance, sustainability, civic action and organisational leadership. Drawing from experience across climate action, waste management, youth leadership, gender and community systems, he helps mission-driven teams solve complex challenges with clarity, structure and long-term thinking to create lasting impact.
Kejal brings together the roles of facilitator and organisation builder. Over the past 13 years, she has built programmes, movements and communities, and now focuses on weaving them into a broader ecosystem. Her work and interests span youth, urban resilience, gender, feminine leadership, culture and the metacrisis.
Ompratap is a chemistry undergraduate with an endless curiosity for learning and connecting with people. A passionate sportsperson and active citizen, his journey with BRM and Community Connect transformed the way he sees leadership, community and civic action. He embodies the true spirit of a young active citizen- someone who believes change begins in their own neighbourhood.
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Vedika Tatkare
Communications Consultant
Finance Manager
Program Coordinator,
Community Connect
Lead, Communications & Ecosystem Partnerships
Pankati has been part of the Blue Ribbon Movement ecosystem for over eight years. Beginning as a Community Connect Fellow, she later convened its alumni movement and now leads communications across the ecosystem. She also facilitates with Vikalp Sangam and contributes as a Pollinator at Bodhi Sangha.
Pankhuri has spent over seven years empowering young people through leadership and active citizenship. With a background in Computer Science, she brings strengths in programme management while continuing to deepen her financial skills. Passionate about lifelong learning, she enjoys reading, travelling and finding balance in everyday life.
Swathika's journey with BRM began as a Community Connect Fellow, continued through volunteering and evolved into leading social media and storytelling for BRM. She is deeply passionate about writing. Her work sits at the intersection of action and communication, capturing stories from the ground and shaping BRM's voice. She seeks to turn what moves her within into something meaningful for herself and those around her.
Vedika has worked in the social sector for nearly four years across youth engagement, civic action, facilitation and community building. Beginning as a volunteer and now serving as a Programme Coordinator, she enjoys creating thoughtful community spaces. A graduate in English Literature, she also finds joy in reading and art.
A Data Science and Cyber Security educator by profession and a volunteer by purpose. He believes meaningful social change begins when people learn, collaborate and act together.
Inspirers
Hemang Panchmatia
Trustee,
The Blue Ribbon Movement Trust
Kartik Kothari
Trustee,
The Blue Ribbon Movement Trust
Akanksha Thakore
Trustee,
The Blue Ribbon Movement Trust
Interlinks (Partners)
BRM is a highly networked organization with each member having the capacity and power to represent the whole. We are always connecting with newer partners and acting together. We see this as a way to birth the world we collectively dream of. Link to BRM through our partnerships vertical to explore opportunities and possibilities to co-create.
Some of the networks we are a part of include:
Friends of BRM
The Friends of BRM is a group of concerned active citizens who support BRM financially (monthly contribution) and through their inputs. Join in as a Friend of BRM to support this emerging Movement and shape it through your expertise. Not only will this give you a space to contribute but a new tribe of like minded individuals too.
TO JOIN, write to us at ashok.k@brmworld.org