Our Team

Paras Banjara, the founder of Olakhaan Trust, is a dedicated activist advocating for the rights, culture, and heritage of Rajasthan’s nomadic tribes. His work includes the preservation of inherited cultural practices, advocacy for policy change, and ensuring entitlements for marginalized communities. He has served as a Program Officer for MGNREGA with the Government of Rajasthan and worked with institutions such as the Social Audit Unit in Andhra Pradesh, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, and the Centre for Policy Research. Paras has collaborated with Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) and Rajasthan’s Soochna Evum Rozgar Adhikar Abhiyan over the past two decades, consistently promoting citizen-centered accountability in social justice, education and rural development. He is aslo associated with Social Accountability forum for Action and Research. His commitment to social accountability forums and community-led action has been instrumental in shaping Olakhaan’s impactful work.

A dedicated grassroots development practitioner from Rajasthan, Suresh Kumar Mokalshar completed his schooling up to 12th in a government school and, due to financial constraints and his father’s inability to work, pursued his BA and MA in Hindi privately while working and supporting his family. These challenges shaped his resolve to ensure that children in his community do not face similar hardships, motivating him towards social development and reform. He began his career with Ahmedabad-based Chetna Foundation, working for 2 years as a supervisor on Zero Dose initiatives in villages of Kavas Gram Panchayat, Baytu Block (Barmer). He then worked for 3 years with Rajmeru organization on community mobilization, education, health, common resources, government schemes, local resource mobilization, sustainable livelihoods, SHG women groups, youth leadership, and employment. Further, he worked for 1 year with Disha RCD Social Service Organization, Ajmer, focusing on Farmer Producer Company (FPO) management, data and reporting, fieldwork, team leadership, SHGs, organic farming awareness, member mobilization, meetings, women’s health awareness, product marketing, and livelihood promotion, while continuing to balance responsibilities towards both his family and society. 

A  Youth from Dalit ( Meghwal)  community coming from a small village, named Gawar, in Kumbhalgarh Block. Coming from a social location where motivation to  get education itself is a privilege,  he struggled a lot to complete his masters  in Hindi  literature. Inspired by Social justice,  he joined Ajeevika bureo and worked as an accountant for 3 years and latter join the Olakhaan Team

An SC woman from a rural background, with over 4 years of experience in SES working closely as a CRP with Local self governance system and 2 years 5 months in Social Audit, currently working as a Block Coordinator at Olakhaan. Her journey reflects resilience and commitment, with lived experiences of social marginalization shaping her dedication towards equity, accountability, and community empowerment.

Basanti Bhil is a woman from a tribal community who has completed her graduation despite personal and social challenges. She is a single mother with seven years of work experience across different organizations. As someone who has experienced domestic violence herself, she brings a grounded and insider perspective to her work. She is committed to working with her own community and other marginalized groups, with a focus on women’s empowerment and education, drawing on both her lived experiences and professional exposure. 

A dedicated young woman from a modest background in Rajasthan, Manju Meghwal is the daughter of a daily wage laborer and has navigated significant educational and social challenges with resilience and determination. Despite a temporary gap in her studies due to limited access to information, she pursued her education with commitment, completing her BA while working as a trainee at Earth Health Center, and further advancing her qualifications through B.Ed and MA alongside her professional responsibilities. Her grassroots work experience with organizations such as Earth Health Center, CCPL Udaipur, and Plan International reflects her strong engagement with community development, particularly in educating girls and supporting marginalized groups. Driven by a deep sense of responsibility, her objective is to work with integrity, raise awareness among communities, and enable people to access government schemes and opportunities, empowering them to move forward independently with dignity.

Suresh Chandra Banjara, belonging to the nomadic Banjara community, has emerged from a background of extreme economic hardship and social discrimination to become a committed community leader. His father was engaged in bull trading and his mother worked as a laborer, and with no educated members in the family, access to education was limited. Despite facing caste-based discrimination and untouchability in school, he continued his studies, completing his education up to 10th in his village and then traveling 7 kilometers daily to attend school in Kuwaria for 11th grade—initially funding his commute through weekend labor before eventually buying a bicycle. Lacking academic guidance, he later took up welding work, but as he gained awareness about the importance of education, he resolved to ensure that others from his community would not have to drop out like he nearly did. Alongside his job, he began engaging in social work and entered local politics, getting elected unopposed as Ward Panch in 2019. Currently, he works with Olakhaan Trust, where he is dedicated to connecting nomadic communities with their rights, education, and access to government welfare schemes. 

A seasoned development professional, Dinesh Kumar Garg is a civil engineer with over two decades of experience in the social sector since 1999. Coming from a Brahmin background, he has worked extensively across multiple states including Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. His work spans key areas such as watershed development, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Total Sanitation Campaign, and sector reforms, with significant contributions in Rajsamand including District Poverty Reduction Plans. He has also been actively involved in adolescent sexual and reproductive health initiatives under RCH with the CHMO Udaipur division, and HIV/AIDS awareness through the Charkha Project. His engagement with Nehru Yuva Kendra focused on youth welfare programs, alongside impactful work in women empowerment under UNICEF and IGNOU. Currently, he contributes to large-scale initiatives like the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), demonstrating a sustained commitment to community development, public health, and sustainable rural infrastructure.