Akash Mandade

Background

About Akash Mandade

I am a development professional with two years of experience in the domain of ecological restoration, grassroots governance, and livelihood enhancement. My work has primarily focused on strengthening local governance mechanisms, especially through facilitating Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) and MGNREGS planning processes that empower communities to identify and address their own development priorities. My core strength lies in enabling participatory planning, building institutional capacities at the village level, and working closely with local communities to translate plans into action. I am deeply interested in exploring the questions of rural agrarian women, particularly in the context of agency, voice, and decision-making in rural development and ecological governance. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Sustainability Science from IGNOU, where I continue to deepen my understanding of the intersections between ecology, society, and sustainability. I am passionate about learning from grassroots realities and critically engaging with both field practices and theoretical frameworks, always open to learning, unlearning, and reimagining just and sustainable futures.