Stutilina Pal

Background

About Stutilina Pal

With nearly two decades of experience in rural development, livelihoods, gender equity, and natural resource management, I have grounded my work in a simple conviction: when communities lead, development becomes transformative, resilient, and just. Across India’s diverse geographies—particularly its climate-stressed central and northern regions—I have worked with smallholder farmers and women’s collectives to strengthen local institutions, restore ecosystems, and create sustainable livelihood pathways.As Programme Director at SRIJAN, I guide organisation-wide work on Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM), Research, Communication & Knowledge Building, and Organisational Learning. My role includes mentoring field teams, building institutional capacities, shaping long-term strategy, and ensuring that our work reflects global thinking on climate resilience, ecosystem restoration, and gender-responsive development. I anchor my leadership in combining local knowledge with evidence, action research, and emerging global frameworks.A significant part of my practice has been leading the Bundelkhand Initiative for Water, Agriculture and Livelihoods (BIWAL)—a long-term programme that revives traditional water systems, strengthens women-led institutions, and builds climate-resilient livelihoods in one of India’s most vulnerable regions. BIWAL has grown into a recognised model for integrated water governance and climate adaptation, contributing to wider conversations on nature-based solutions and community-led resilience globally.My experience spans designing multi-sector livelihood programmes, supporting producer companies, facilitating convergence with government systems, and managing partnerships with donors, civil society, and technical institutions. As a Chevening Scholar and graduate of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, I draw on strong academic foundations in gender and development to inform organisational strategy and sectoral engagements.My research portfolio includes national evaluations on MGNREGA, studies on women’s economic citizenship, and documentation of frontline health and community systems during COVID-19.Recently, I was honoured to be recognised as an Impact Maker by the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions—positioning our work within a global community advancing climate resilience, equity, and local leadership.