MIT-SOG
FACULTY MEMBERS
Prof. Sridhar Pabbisetty
Senior Director ​
LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/psridhar
Sridhar Pabbisetty is the Senior Director at the School of Government, MIT, Pune, where he leads initiatives to equip students with essential skills for leadership roles in politics and government, fostering positive societal impact. Renowned for his expertise in public policy and inclusive governance, Sridhar was previously Founding Director of the Kautilya School of Public Policy, where he established it as a prominent institution that adapts global public policy advancements to the Indian context.
In addition to his role at MITSOG, Sridhar serves as the Chief Enabler at the Centre for Inclusive Governance, a citizens' collective dedicated to social action on public issues. He has initiated innovative campaigns and public policy interventions, leading to substantial societal changes, and was recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award by Ramaiah Institute of Technology in 2018.
Sridhar is a frequent speaker at national and international forums on topics such as open governance, inclusive growth, and emerging technologies. He has presented at events like the Harvard India Conference and the IIMB Management Review Conference. A prolific writer, he has co-authored a Harvard Business Review case study and contributed to the book "How Think Tanks Shape Social Development Policies" by Penn Press. He regularly writes for leading newspapers and appears on national and regional news channels.
His extensive experience includes serving on the drafting committee of the Joint Legislative House Committee on Conservation of Lakes in Bengaluru and the Bellandur Lake Rejuvenation Monitoring Committee. He has advised the Karnataka government's Sakala Mission and served on various government committees, including the Karnataka Tourism Vision Group.
Sridhar holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and a BE in Computer Science from Bangalore University. He lectures on topics such as empathy-led redesigning of government services, sustainability,social audits, and public policy and law.
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Prof. Dr. Parimal Maya Sudhakar
Associate Dean (External Relations)
Completed Post-graduation in International Politics from JNU. Received M.Phil on the topic China's Nuclear Policy under Deng Xiaoping and pursuing Ph D in JNU on the topic State and Society Relations in China in the context of Globalization. Has worked with NGOs and international organizations for over 5 years as a Researcher. Earlier worked as a Marathi Newsreader at AIR Delhi. Regular columnist with Marathi newspapers and participated in Prime Time discussions on TV9, Jai Maharashtra and ABP Maza. Had served as elected Joint Secretary and Vice President of JNU Students Union.
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Prof. Neelam Pandit
Assistant Professor & Program Director - Incharge
Email: neelam.pandit@mitwpu.edu.in
Asst. Prof. Neelam Pandit has over 20 years of experience working for the development of Urban, Rural and Tribal Communities. She has strong knowledge and grassroot level experience in livelihood promotion, capacity building, networking, program planning and implementation for the vulnerable communities. She heads MIT-World Peace University’s flagship program Rural Immersion Program. Former President: Maharashtra Human Rights Council (Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
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Dr. V. Lenin Kumar
Assistant Professor
Email: v.leninkumar@mitwpu.edu.in
Dr. Lenin Kumar has completed PhD in “Political Economy of Neoliberal Reforms in Estonia, 1991-2014". Received M.Phil in International Relations from Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Had served as President of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU). Completed Post-graduation in International Politics from School of International Studies.
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Chinmay Bendre
Sr. Research Associate
Email: chinmay.bendre@mitwpu.edu.in
Chinmay Bendre is a Sr. Research Associate at the MIT School of Government. He holds a postgraduate degree in Political Science from Indira Gandhi National Open University. Since March 2022, Chinmay has been actively involved in teaching and research at the MIT School of Government. His expertise lies in Parliamentary studies reflected in his authored editorials for esteemed National and Regional dailies such as Deccan Herald, Maharashtra Times, and Sakal Times focusing on Parliamentary functioning in India. Chinmay's opinion articles and blogs also appear in The Leaflet, Mainstream Weekly, The Kootneeti, and Vidhan Bharat. He has 2 book chapters to his credit published by the Interdisciplinary Institute of Human Security and Governance (IIHSG). Prior to his current role, Chinmay collaborated with Prof. Dr. M. V. Rajeev Gowda during the Karnataka Assembly Elections of 2018 supporting election research efforts.
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Harshal Bhusari
Research Associate
Mr. Harshal Bhusari graduated in Civil Engineering, completed post-graduation in Political Science & IR from Pune University, and earned a Master's degree from MIT School of Government. He also holds an English Certificate from the University of Cambridge and cleared MH SET in 2018 and UGC NET in 2019 and 2022.
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