Meet the Team

Hemant Singh Bisht

Hemant Singh Bisht

Founder

Work Experience: Around 4 years in livelihoods and more than 5 years in teaching and education
Educational Qualification: Double masters degree in Education; specialization in School organization Leadership & Management and Modern Indian History

Hemant loves to nurtures land patches as a living lab, finding joy in growing food, sharing it, and being with the soil. Passionate about relationship-building, he creates nurturing spaces that connect people and resources for collective impact.

Amol Narvekar

Amol Narvekar

Media & Communications

Work Experience: 5+ years of work, his notable work project includes: Wellpaper (Auroville), Apni Shala, Aadikala (Auroville), Janmaitri (Uttarakhand)
Educational Qualification: Bachelors in Mass Media from Mumbai University

Amol is a curious khichadi-maker with a camera—mixing conservation, community, and creativity into nourishing stories. From the coasts to the forests, he captures how local lives and landscapes intertwine, turning complex realities into films that stir thought and spark action.

Mrigendra Singh

Mrigendra Singh

Education Project Head

Work Experience: 5+ years of work with various organizations around sports education and counselling
Educational Qualification: Master of Arts in Development from Azim Premji University

Mrigendra is a kahanikaar on two wheels, collecting stories from the road as he pedals through villages and cities. For him, each cycle ride is a journey through landscapes, lives, and learnings—where the path becomes the page, and every encounter a tale.

Neeraj Kumar

Neeraj Kumar

Project Coordinator

Work Experience 4+ years on system operation, Accounts & Administration
Educational Qualification: Bachelors from PDUSU, Sikar

Neeraj finds flow in silence, systems, and screens. Blunt in honesty and deep in presence, he won’t cook you a meal, but he’ll make you a perfect cup of chai and maybe even hum a desert-deep tune while at it.

Vithika Pande

Vithika Pande

Co-Founder

Work Experience: 3 years of sharing music with learners and 5+ years in health and wellness
Educational Qualification: Visharad degree in vocals and Master’s degree in Development; specialization in Health & Nutrition

Vithika weaves design & music into learning discovering its power in experiencing oneness. She began learning & curating music classes since childhood, realising its deep integration with life, learning, and even body-mind healing.

Our Journey

May 2021 – Grassroot United

  • Formed by APU alumni & volunteers during 2nd COVID wave.
  • Supported 1500+ Gram Panchayats with resources during the pandemic and floods.

June 2021 – Creative Team

  • Designed & distributed 2000–3000 health booklets in Chhattisgarh & Jharkhand.
  • Featured in APU alumni portal and webinars.

Nov 2021 – Surta Se Srajan

  • Supported tuition center transforming into Community Learning Center.
  • Led by local changemaker in Dakkotola, Chhattisgarh.

June 2022 – Pipilitara Foundation

  • NGO registered on 29 June 2022; 80G and 12A certified.
  • Team supported community-led initiatives systematically.

Nov 2023 – Tunthungkamu Center & Festival

  • Launched annual community festival celebrating cultural richness.
  • Inaugurated Tunthungkamu Learning Center for long-term growth.