Jatan Team

Dr. Lakshmi Murthy is a pioneering designer and social innovator who co-founded Jatan Sansthan in 2001 alongside Dr. Kailash Brijwasi.

With over three decades of experience in reproductive health communication, she has transformed how menstrual health is addressed in rural India. Her journey began with creating visual tools for non-literate communities, leading to the development of Project Uger—one of India’s first reusable, biodegradable cloth pads.

By intentionally keeping the Uger design in the public domain, she empowered self-help groups across the country to produce and distribute these pads, promoting both environmental sustainability and women’s livelihoods.

Through Jatan Sansthan and her studio, Vikalpdesign, Dr. Murthy has trained thousands of adolescents, frontline workers, and designers, fostering open dialogue around menstruation and gender.

Her contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including the ‘Pride of NID’ award in 2024, recognizing her impactful design-led activism.

Ranveer Shaktawat is an accomplished development professional with expertise in gender equality, social justice, and community empowerment. Since 2016, he has been serving as Deputy Director at Jatan Sansthan, leading initiatives on child marriage prevention, nutrition education, and life skills development.

Holding a Master’s in Sociology from MLSU, Ranveer has successfully led programs that uplift communities through livelihood initiatives and holistic development. He manages multidisciplinary teams across programs, operations, finance, and monitoring & evaluation, and has been instrumental in policy advocacy for gender justice and child rights.

As a certified Master Trainer in Gender and Sexuality, he has conducted extensive workshops, empowering thousands. His project management experience includes work with Pyxera Global’s JIVA Project and partnerships with UNFPA, ChildFund India, Hindustan Zinc Limited, and NSE, focusing on impactful interventions for marginalized communities.

Ranveer is passionate about driving social change through strategic partnerships, capacity building, and data-driven program evaluation, ensuring sustainable and lasting impact.

Mahesh Dadheech serves as a board member at Jatan Sansthan, contributing his legal expertise to the organization’s mission of social development. As a practicing lawyer, he brings valuable insights into legal frameworks and governance, supporting Jatan Sansthan’s initiatives aimed at empowering communities in Rajasthan. His role involves providing guidance on legal matters, ensuring that the organization’s programs align with regulatory standards and effectively address the needs of the populations they serve. Through his involvement, Mahesh Dadheech plays a crucial part in advancing Jatan Sansthan’s commitment to social justice and community empowerment.

Dr. Kailash Brijwasi, founder & Director of Jatan Sansthan, has over 35 years of grassroots experience in Education, Life Skills, and Gender. He holds a Doctorate in Sociology and degrees in Social Work, Sociology, and Law. He has worked with Seva Mandir, Vidya Bhawan Education Center, and the Lok Jumbish Project, and served as Associate Professor at the Centre for Women’s Studies, JRNRVU, Udaipur. His interests span women’s health, reproductive rights, and positive masculinity. A National-level Trainer on Gender, Life Skills, and Community Participation, Dr. Brijwasi has worked with Futures Group International, Aga Khan Foundation, Rajasthan’s Education and Women & Child Development Departments, Aajeevika Bureau, and others. Believing deeply in youth empowerment, he founded Jatan Sansthan in 2001. Under his leadership, Jatan has reached 6000+ villages in Rajasthan, working with rural communities on education, life skills, reproductive health, and gender equity.

Goverdhan Singh Chauhan brings over 27 years of rich experience in the development sector and holds a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW). He is currently serving as the Deputy Director at Jatan Sansthan. He began his journey with the Lok Jumbish project (1997–2000), focusing on grassroots educational initiatives. In 2001, he joined Jatan Sansthan, where he has been deeply involved in empowering youth and adolescents through education, health awareness, life skills, and employability training programs. As Jatan expanded its areas of work, Goverdhan Singh enhanced his expertise to also address issues related to women’s empowerment and domestic violence. His core strength lies in community engagement and effectively addressing problems at the grassroots level. Currently, he also serves as a Master Trainer on Local Governance, supporting the development of leadership capacities among Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members and community leaders.

Ms. Manju Khatik brings nearly 36 years of rich and diverse experience in the development sector, with a strong focus on social justice and community empowerment. Throughout her career, she has worked extensively on issues related to women’s empowerment, child protection, and the upliftment of marginalized communities.

Her deep commitment to grassroots development is reflected in her long-standing association with various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), where she played key roles in planning, implementing, and monitoring field-level interventions.

Ms. Khatik has developed strong liaisoning skills and has built effective partnerships with government departments and functionaries, facilitating smoother implementation of welfare schemes and policy advocacy. In addition, she holds significant experience in working with Panchayati Raj Institutions, enabling capacity-building initiatives and strengthening local governance to ensure participatory and inclusive development.

Her vast experience and dedication make her a valuable asset in driving sustainable and community-led change.

Dr. Suman Singh is ICAR-Emeritus Professor at MPUAT, Udaipur. She retired as Professor and Director Student Welfare and Chairman Sports Board at the Directorate of Student Welfare, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, in June 2019. Her areas of interest are Ergonomics and Consumer Education. She has vast experience working on drudgery reduction for women farmers.

She was Principal Investigator on “Mitigating Hardship of Farm Women in India through Technology Interventions” funded by the John Deere Foundation, and Co-PI in the World Bank–funded ICAR project on ‘Empowerment of Women in Agriculture.’

Dr. Singh received the prestigious IEA Liberty Mutual Medal in 2009 for Excellence in Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. She also received the Swami Vivekananda National Award for Women in Consumer Protection from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India.

She has received many national awards and was honored as University Best Teacher for Academic Excellence. With international exposure in Korea, Netherlands, China, France, and Germany, she has published extensively, authored six books, holds three patents, and is a life member of numerous professional societies. On May 8, 2019, she was featured in the India Book of Records for her research contributions empowering women farmers.