The WOTR Team

The WOTR Team

WOTR’s strength lies in its diverse team of 300+ experts, united in transforming rural lives.
With backgrounds spanning social sciences to watershed technology, and finance to administration, our professionals embody a blend of innovation and passion. This multidisciplinary skill set allows WOTR to create sustainable and impactful change, leveraging collective expertise for holistic development.

Leadership

Prakash Keskar

Prakash Keskar

Executive Director,
WOTR
exec.director@wotr.org

Steering WOTR's journey since April 2019, Prakash Keskar is WOTR’s Executive Director and harmonises technical acumen with empathetic leadership. His educational arsenal includes a B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering from Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri and an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Pune. ...

Prakash's three-decade odyssey in the development sector, 28 enriching years of it within WOTR, is testament to his dedication and transformative vision. From grassroots initiatives to expansive projects, his expertise has continually fostered growth and innovation across diverse landscapes.

Marcella D’Souza

Marcella D’Souza

Director,
W-CReS
director.wcres@wotr.org

Dr. Marcella D'Souza serves as the Director of WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS) and is a beacon in community resilience and public health. Her journey from medical school to a distinguished Takemi Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health underscores her interdisciplinary approach. ...

Dr. D'Souza's six transformative years in the South Andean communities of Peru laid the foundation for her profound impact in Community and Public Health. Notably, her tenure as the Coordinator for Women’s Promotion in the Indo-German Watershed Program further solidified her commitment to inclusive and sustainable development.

In 2009, as WOTR's Executive Director, she pioneered the integrated 'Climate Change Adaptation in Semi-Arid Regions' initiative, which led to WOTR adopting the EbA approach that it employs across its regions of presence.

Gaps in understanding the local needs in different agro-ecological regions led her to establish the trans-disciplinary applied research unit, W-CReS, to provide evidence-based lessons from practice to policy.

Dr. D'Souza continues to redefine resilience studies, ensuring local voices echo in the corridors of national and global decision-making.

Senior Management

Sandeep Jadhav

Sandeep Jadhav

With a career spanning over three decades, Sandeep Jadhav is a cornerstone in the realm of social impact and sustainability. His expertise encompasses a broad spectrum, from community-led watershed development and rural upliftment to strategic resource management and organisational efficacy. Sandeep’s profound understanding of project planning, management, and program assessment has been instrumental in shaping resilient communities and ecosystems. ...

His remarkable contribution to the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme stands out, etching his name in one of the globally acknowledged water conservation crusades. With credentials in agricultural engineering and economics, Sandeep’s academic vigour complements his practical experiences, presenting a blend of insightful strategy and grounded action.

Sandeep had held leadership positions at the Lupin Foundation and MAVIM. For over two decades, Sandeep's journey with WOTR has been nothing short of inspirational. He currently serves as a Director with WOTR and manages projects across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan.

Sandeep Jadhav remains a catalyst for change, fostering initiatives that resonate with empowerment and sustainable futures.

Harish Daware

Harish Daware

Deputy Director, WOTR
harish.daware@wotr.org.in

Serving WOTR and its communities since 1996, Harish Daware is a strategist with profound grassroots impact. An alumnus of Marathwada Agricultural University with a B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering, Harish has dedicated decades to reshaping natural resource management landscapes. ...

Harish's signature leadership style is evident in his stewardship of key initiatives across Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka. Recognised for harmonising technical prowess with humane sensitivity, he excels in community mobilisation, making tangible differences in countless lives. His repertoire, rich with successful watershed management projects, underscores his skill in crafting and executing visionary environmental strategies.

Beyond borders, Harish's influence resonates from national corridors to international arenas, including consultancies and training stints in Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania. His contributions to global discourses on natural resource management are invaluable, marked by a unique blend of technical erudition and social understanding.

Harish's dynamic interpersonal skills ignites team spirit and community participation. His capacity to distil complex concepts into actionable community endeavours propels WOTR's ethos of sustainable development and inclusive growth. With Harish at the operational helm, WOTR's initiatives continue to thrive, echoing a legacy of empowerment and ecological balance.

Senior Management

State and Regional Managers

Thematic Leads

Harish Daware

Project HO

Rishu Garg

Delhi

Sujaya Dangwar

Jharkhand

Gabriel Das

Odisha

Jyothirmayee Kandula

Telangana

Akhilesh Pandey

Madhya Pradesh

Shyam Padulkar

Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Ganesh Rajapure

State Manager for Maharashtra

Dr. Rajesh Sharma

Rajasthan

Anshuman Panda

Chhattisgarh

Sharad Bhangade

Ahmednagar

Abhijeet Kavthekar

Osmanabad, Maharashtra

Vijay Patil

Karnataka

Dipak Zade

Social Sciences

Arjuna Srinidhi

Climate Change

Eshwer Kale

Water Governance

Madhav Gholkar

Climate Resilient Agriculture

Preetilata Gaikwad

Women Empowerment & HNS

Vijay Solanky

Geo-Informatics

Ajay Shelke

Information Technology

Dada Dadas

Ecosystem-based Adaptation

Robin Jacob Abraham

Communications

Swati Lakra

HR

Accounts

State and Regional Managers

Harish Daware

Project HO

Sujaya Dangwar

Jharkhand

Gabriel Das

Odisha

Jyothirmayee Kandula

Telangana

Akhilesh Pandey

Madhya Pradesh

Shyam Padulkar

Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Ganesh Rajapure

State Manager for Maharashtra

Dr. Rajesh Sharma

Rajasthan

Anshuman Panda

Chhattisgarh

Sharad Bhangade

Ahmednagar

Abhijeet Kavthekar

Osmanabad, Maharashtra

Vijay Patil

Karnataka

Thematic Leads

Dipak Zade

Social Sciences

Arjuna Srinidhi

Climate Change

Eshwer Kale

Water Governance

Madhav Gholkar

Climate Resilient Agriculture

Preetilata Gaikwad

Women Empowerment & HNS

Vijay Solanky

Geo-Informatics

Ajay Shelke

Information Technology

Dada Dadas

Ecosystem-based Adaptation

Robin Jacob Abraham

Communications

Swati Lakra

HR