Founders & Visionaries

The Trust was founded by a group of committed visionaries whose values continue to guide its work. Late Mr. G. C. Choudhry, formerly of Bajaj Auto Ltd., was a co-founder of the Trust and brought with him strong leadership and industry insight. Late Mr. H. K. Sharma, Retired Additional Industrial Advisor, D.G.T.D., Government of India, contributed his vast experience in public service and governance. Late Mrs. Mohini Sharma, co-founder and the guiding spirit of the Trust, played a pivotal role in shaping its ethos of compassion, service, and long-term social impact.

Board of Trustees / Governing Body

Dr Sujatha D. Sharma

Clinical Psychologist and Managing Trustee

Dr Sujatha D. Sharma is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist in private practice with over 40 years of experience, working with individuals across all age groups. She handles multiple roles as a clinician, psychotherapist, researcher, and trainer. She regularly conducts facilitated workshops on Stress management, Mental Well-being, Parenting, Relationship management, Trauma, and Spiritual Counselling. She also conducts capacity building workshops on Counselling Skills & Techniques, Child & Adolescent Counselling, Addiction Counselling and Trauma Counselling and Mental Health Literacy for institutions and NGOs.

Her work spans consultancy with UNICEF India and the National Institute on Ageing (USA), and teaching roles at the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) and National Institute of Social Defence (NISD); media contributions as a columnist on mental health topics, and scriptwriting for mental-health TV programs on Doordarshan, such as Mind Watch and Mann ki Baat. She is a co-author of 2 books- Distress to De-Stress and Couples in Harmony.She has received multiple national awards, including the National Excellence Award for Medicine (2014) by T.P. Jhunjhunwala Foundation, the C.S. Kang Oration Award by Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists (2016), and the Health Oscar of India (2017) and the Her Power award by The Brand Story (2021)

She has been practicing Rajyoga meditation of Brahmakumaris for the last 30 years and is a certified facilitator for their Values in Healthcare: A Spiritual Approach (VIHASA) programme.

Late Dr. Avdesh Sharma

Co-founder and Former Managing Trustee

Dr Avdesh Sharma was a Consultant Psychiatrist (M.D., D.P.M.) with over 35 years of clinical practice in Delhi. He had served as International Lead on Public Education with the World Psychiatric Association, Co-Chair of the WPA Section on Spirituality and Mental Health, Chair of the Public Education and Awareness Committee of the Indian Psychiatric Society, and International Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He was also Past President of the Indian Association of Private Psychiatry, the Indian Psychiatric Society (NZ), and the Delhi Psychiatric Society. He founded Mind Vision Enterprises and served as Managing Trustee of the RAHAT Charitable Medical Research Trust.

Dr Sharma’s work spanned media, public education, training and authorship, with a strong focus on mental well-being and mind-body integration. He conceptualised and contributed to several widely recognised television series including Mann Ki Baat, Mindwatch, Mind Your Mind and Andhi Galiyan for Doordarshan, as well as Mind Matters and Zindagi Bane Aasan for the Peace of Mind channel. He delivered over 1,000 presentations and was co-author of Distress to De‑Stress and Couples in Harmony.His honours included the Gem of India and Rashtriya Gaurav Awards, the T. P. Jhunjhunwala Foundation’s 24th National Excellence Award for Medicine (2014), and the Health Oscar of India (2017).

Mr Ravinder Singhania

Legal Counsel and Trustee

Ravi Singhania is the Managing Partner of Singhania & Partners LLP and the Chairman of Singhania University, with over three decades of distinguished experience as a leading corporate and dispute resolution lawyer. A graduate of Shri Ram College of Commerce and the Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, he is widely regarded as one of India’s foremost legal professionals. Beyond his legal practice, Mr. Singhania is deeply committed to education, social impact, and inclusive development. He is a strong advocate for responsible business practices and corporate citizenship, frequently sharing his insights through thought leadership and public engagements. Under his leadership, Singhania & Partners LLP has cultivated a culture of social responsibility, supporting community initiatives through pro bono legal services, financial contributions, and institutional partnerships.

Mr. Singhania has advised several not-for-profit organisations on legal and governance matters and has been associated with RAHAT for several years, contributing strategic guidance, governance support, and long-term institutional strengthening. His extensive experience, ethical leadership, and commitment to positive social change make him an invaluable trustee for the RAHAT initiative, significantly strengthening its mission and impact.

Ms Punita Sharma

IT Consultant and Trustee

Punita Sharma is a seasoned technology leader with over 30 years of hands-on experience in driving digital transformation and building secure, reliable and future-ready technology ecosystems across diverse industries. She has led end-to-end business, infrastructure, support and maintenance solutions for leading organisations, working closely with senior stakeholders to design practical, cost-effective and high-impact technology strategies that strengthen core capabilities, improve operational efficiency and enable long-term growth. Alongside her professional leadership, Punita brings strong commitment to social impact, having initiated and led the Corporate Social Responsibility programme at McKinsey India for six years, overseeing initiatives ranging from financial and project management training for non-profits to blood donation drives and advisory support for strengthening and scaling social organisations.

She continues to actively support social and community initiatives by offering strategic guidance and expertise, with a focus on spiritual development, community welfare and homelessness, and is closely associated with The Earth Saviors Foundation, contributing to efforts that provide shelter, care and dignity to abandoned and vulnerable individuals, while also supporting initiatives for residential street children to strengthen their well-being and long-term support systems.

TEAM

Dr Manasi Sharma

Research Director, RAHAT Trust (India)

Group Lead-Global Mental Health, Heidelberg University, (Germany)

Dr Manasi Sharma is an epidemiologist with over 17 years of experience in global mental health research across diverse LMIC contexts in Africa and Asia. Her thematic expertise includes trauma and PTSD, coping and resilience, and child and adolescent health. Her methodological focus includes psychometrics, mediation analysis, qualitative research, evidence synthesis, and implementation science in under-resourced and humanitarian settings. Currently, she is the Research Director at RAHAT Charitable and Medical Research Trust in New Delhi, Research Fellow at the International Initiative for Impact Evaluations (3ie), and Visiting Scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Dr Sharma’s research and capacity-building efforts focus on contextualising culturally sensitive measures of trauma and distress, examining the social determinants of mental health, and developing and implementing evidence-based mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions. She has published her research in high-impact peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and policy reports. One of the studies she is currently PI on is a peer support mental health first aid intervention across three universities in India. Previously, she worked with UNICEF’s Office of Research, Office of Evaluation, and East Asia & Pacific Regional Office, where she led the development of the organisation’s global guidelines on child and adolescent mental health research and programming. Dr Sharma did her PhD and postdoctoral training in public health at Harvard University, with extensive research in India, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Rwanda, DRC, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Madagascar, among others. She also holds postgraduate degrees in Clinical Psychology and International Human Rights Law.

Dr Sonia Sain

Senior Programme Manager

Dr Sonia Sain is a Development Practitioner with over 15 years of experience in development communication, health communication, research and capacity building. She holds a PhD from University of Delhi, with research focused on training and capacity-building needs of field workers for adolescent substance-use awareness, and is an alumna of Lady Irwin College.

She has worked across academia, government institutions, research organisations and civil society, and has served as an Assistant Professor at Lady Irwin College. Her professional experience includes work with the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development and on national and UNICEF-supported projects, focusing on programme management, training design, behaviour change communication and stakeholder engagement.A published researcher and author, Dr Sain has contributed to UGC-approved and peer-reviewed journals, authored book chapters for postgraduate courses at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), and presented her work at national and international conferences. Her professional interests include ICT4D, human-centred design, design thinking, training and capacity building, substance use, mental health, and health communication.

Ms. Ameera Batra

Programme Manager

Ameera Batra is a mental health professional specialising in youth-focused intervention design and evidence-informed program development. As Program Manager at RAHAT Charitable and Medical Research Trust, she leads the Youth for Emotional and Social Support (YESS) program – a pioneering peer-support initiative strengthening early mental health support on college campuses across India.

She oversees module development, training structures, supervision systems, and research protocols for the multi-site study, ensuring trauma-informed, ethical, and data-driven program delivery. Alongside her program management work, Ameera is a practising Counselling Psychologist trained in evidence-based therapeutic approaches, with experience working across diverse and underserved populations, including adolescents, adults, prison populations, geriatric groups, and differently-abled communities.

Ms. Pooja Gupta

Clinical Supervisor

Pooja Gupta holds an M.Phil in Clinical Psychology and is currently pursuing her PhD. She is a Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Supervisor at RAHAT, where she works with the YESS (Youth for Emotional and Support) programme, providing clinical mentorship to Mentors who further train and supervise Peer Supporters delivering wellbeing sessions for university students. Her work focuses on ensuring high-quality psychological support across all levels of the programme, including design, skill development, supervision and ethical oversight.

She is deeply committed to strengthening community-based mental health systems, building the confidence and competence of young peer supporters, and expanding access to mental health services within educational settings.

Ms. Kirtika Trehan

Consultant

(Evaluation Specialist)

Kirtika Trehan is an accomplished social impact professional and researcher with over six years of experience across education, CSR, and non-profit sectors. She is currently a Ph.D. Scholar and Senior Research Fellow (SRF) at the Department of Social Work, University of Delhi, where her research focuses on Peace Education. Previously she was working as an Assistant Professor at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sharda University.

In addition to her academic experience, Kirtika also has extensive field experience. She has worked in various social sector projects and organizations like the IBM sponsored Vigyan Jyoti project at American India Foundation, digital advocacy and research for Muheem-Ek Sarthak Prayas, and managed skill development projects at Seed CSR. She also has a distinguished record of international recognition and impactful project leadership. She was selected as one of the Top 100 Global Leaders of Liberty in Washington, D.C., and was even selected as the Student Ambassador from India to COP 22 in Morocco. She offers a versatile toolkit of skills, including program development, stakeholder engagement, and qualitative data analysis.

Ms. Sufia Mirza

Social Media Manager

Sufia Mirza is a Social Media Manager at Rahat Organization, with a strong foundation in Mass Communication and Journalism. She holds an MA in Mass Communication from Aligarh Muslim University and works at the intersection of strategic communication, digital storytelling, and public-interest journalism. Her professional experience spans social media management, content creation, reporting, and anchoring, and she is also associated as an anchor with Inquilab Hindi. Sufia brings a versatile skill set that includes video production, scriptwriting, voiceovers, SEO, digital publishing, and newsroom operations, having worked with IND Money, ITV and the communications team at CHRI PATH.

With a background in theatre and multilingual performance-fluent in Urdu, Hindi, and English-she approaches communication through a human-centric, narrative-led lens. At RAHAT, she focuses on amplifying stories of relief, resilience, and community impact, crafting thoughtful and engaging digital narratives that center people and purpose.

Mr. Ranjan Joshi

Office Administration

Mr. Ranjan Joshi oversees day-to-day office administration and coordination. He plays a key role in maintaining smooth internal operations, managing documentation, and providing administrative support to ensure organisational efficiency.

Mr. Rakesh Gill

Support Staff (Transport)

Mr. Rakesh Gill is responsible for transport and logistical support, ensuring safe and timely movement of staff and materials. His role is essential in facilitating field activities and day-to-day operational needs

Our Advisory panel

Prof. Aparna Khanna

Prof. Aparna Khanna is a Professor at the Department of Development Communication and Extension, Lady Irwin College (University of Delhi). She is involved in teaching, training, research and extension for more than twenty-eight years. She has been working closely with organizations providing services to women and youth in grassroots communities. She designs communication tools and strategies (especially centred around games and storytelling) using a participatory approach to promote desirable change with regard to contemporary development issues.

Belinda Bennet

With over 3 decades of experience in working for International Development Agencies, Dr. Bennet has been a versatile, passionate leader with expertise in institution development, gender and experience in shaping inclusive development approach, policies and practices. She is currently CEO of Change Alliance Pvt. Ltd.

Anil Malhotra

Founder and Chairman of the ICS group, Mr. Anil Malhotra has been instrumental in the IT education of over a million students. He has also been honoured with the Rashtriya Samman, the Government’s highest award for the country’s top-most tax payers for over 5 consecutive years.

Dinesh Bhugra

Past president of the World Psychiatric Association (2014-2017) and recipient of over 10 honorary degrees, Prof. Bhungra has also authored over 350 scientific papers and is responsible for worldwide campaigns against stigma and discrimination.

Zohra Chatterjee

A retired IAS officer, ex-Secretary, Ministry of Textiles and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, are just a few feathers in the hat of Ms. Zohra Chatterji. She has also received The PM’s award for Excellence in Public Administration.

INTERNS

RAHAT engages volunteers and interns on an annual basis, providing them with opportunities to contribute meaningfully to mental health awareness, outreach, research, and programme support. Their involvement strengthens RAHAT’s initiatives while offering valuable learning and field exposure.

Ms. Aayat Shifa Khan

Intern (2025–26)

Ms. Aayat is a student at Sri Venkateshwara College, University of Delhi , with a strong interest in blending literature and watercolor to explore storytelling, mental health, and creative expression as meaningful tools for connection, healing, and giving voice to personal and collective experiences.

Mr. Avi Sehgal

Intern (2025–26)

He is a student at Sri Venkateshwara College, University of Delhi and a mathematics major who enjoys getting immersed in the logic of machine learning and in the world of games that make time seem to disappear. Quietly and often in private, he writes small, personal stories, pieces that carry more emotion than he usually expresses out loud. An autumn person at heart, he finds his happiest moments in quiet, green, forest-like corners that offer calm, reflection and creative space.