Team
SIFF Research Coordinator and Fellows
SIFF Research Coordinator
Bhaskar Chandra Adhikari
Bhaskar Chandra Adhikari has over 30 years of experience in regenerative agriculture working with several grassroots organizations, including international NGOs, rural communities and women’s farmer groups in India.
In his previous role, Mr. Adhikari led Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) under the Sustainable Agriculture and Diversified Livelihoods (SADL) program at Accion Fraterna Ecology Centre (AFEC). He also oversaw research and the implementation of projects at the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and Chetna Organic Farmers Association. Projects he led in Agroecological Development and Water Conservation and Development were recognized with National Awards from the Government of India. Mr. Adhikari holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from Andhra University in Visakhapatnam and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Berhampur University in Odisha.
SIFF Administrator
Chayadevi
Ms. Chayadevi is an experienced administrative consultant with over 10 years of experience in human resource management in the development sector. She has an MBA degree in Human Resource Management and Post Graduate Specialization in Rural Development. She is also currently associated with the SIFF-RySS fellowship and natural farming initiative in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.
SIFF Fellows
Lakshmi Sravya Puligadda
Sravya holds a master’s degree in environmental and food economics from the University of Milan in Italy, and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Lovely Professional University in India. Additionally, she participated in the Erasmus+ program at the University of Göttingen in Germany. She received the University honors roll twice in 2018 and 2019 during her bachelor’s program. She conducted research pertaining to the varietal evaluation of Gerbera jamesonii. Subsequently, for her master’s thesis entitled “Corporate Social Responsibility in the Food Industry: A Bibliometric Analysis”, she conducted an in-depth analysis of 365 research papers using VOS viewer software to generate science maps and thematic clusters.
Sandra Saichandrababu Naidu
Saichandrababu has a master’s degree in plant Pathology and a bachelor’s in agriculture. With practical experience in agricultural production and supply chain management, he previously worked as a Silk Procurement Executive at Reshamandi Bangalore. He has also completed computer courses in DevOps and AWS, enhancing his technical skills. During his academic journey, he conducted research on the effect of Micro Algae on Rhizoctonia solani and Botanicals on Curvularia spp. of Finger Millet. This research explored innovative approaches to sustainable crop protection using natural products.
Akhil Krishtammagarin
Akhil holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Padova, Italy, and completed his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science and Forestry at Rai Technology University, India. Akhil’s professional focus revolves around evaluating the behavior of pesticides in soils amended with organic residues and their impacts on soil microbial communities. He joined as a RySS-SIFF research fellow, he collaborated with the marketing department, and his work centred on the integrated Agri-Supply Chain Management of Natural Farming Palm Oil and Cocoa in Andhra Pradesh.
Anup Kumar Dey
Anup Kumar Dey stands at the intersection of Sustainable Agriculture, Agri-Business Management, Sustainable Finance and Environmental Journalism, an emerging leader seeking innovative solutions to pressing environmental challenges. With 6 years of experience spanning the UN, corporate sector, academia grassroots NGOs, Anup Kumar brings a multifaceted perspective. His proven skills in Stakeholder
Engagement, Project Management, Business Development, ESG Metrics, Data Analysis, and Strategic Planning enable him to drive impact at scale. Of late, he is positioned as Senior Research Fellow (SIFF India) focusing on Marketing and Certification.
D Narasimha Chetan
D. Narasimha Chetan a researcher holding a postgraduate degree in MSc Geography from the Central University of Tamil Nadu, has actively engaged in various discipline-related studies. Conducted a quality research work, focusing on topics “Impact of Urbanization on Natural Drainage Systems,” “Estuarine Water Characteristics of Vettar River,” and ” study over Tidal Flats, Geomorphic Formations, and Mangrove Species at Muthupettai Lagoon.” He has valuable fieldwork skills, including expertise in handling water samples, grab samplers, GNSS, chain surveys, and plane table surveys. He is also proficient in various software tools such as ArcGIS, IBM SPSS, Aqua Chem, ENVI, and Global Mapper.
Jamalpur Pravalika
Jamalpur Pravalika holds a Master’s degree in Genetics and Plant Breeding, she’s expertise in field crops such as Maize, Rice, Pulses like Green-gram and Black-gram. She has experience of working as a junior lecturer at Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TMREIS). During her academic journey she
conducted research on “Formulation of Effective Selection Strategies for augmentation of Yield Cieling in Mung Bean” (Vigna radiata L.). She’s interested in research-oriented fields within sustainable agriculture suggests a
dedication to delving deeper into the complexities of agricultural systems.
Saambhavi Nautiyal
Saambhavi Nautiyal is a dedicated professional with a robust background in Policy Analysis, Regenerative Ecosystems, Nature-based Solutions, Climate Change and Systems Thinking. She holds an M.Sc. in Climate Science and Policy from the esteemed TERI School of Advanced Studies and a B.Sc. in Forestry Honours from Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan. Saambhavi currently serves as a Research Fellow at SIFF. In this role, she focuses on researching the upscaling of Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) to drive sustainable rural development.