Meet the Founders
Aparna Uppaluri
Founder and Principal Advisor
Aparna is a seasoned global executive with extensive expertise in strategic planning and implementation across philanthropy, research, and policy. Her work spans diverse fields including gender and climate justice, public health, nutrition, education, livelihoods, governance, arts and culture, and academia.
Most recently, she was Chief Operating Officer at the Tata Trusts, where she oversaw philanthropic programs and provided strategic leadership in operations and planning. Prior to this, she was Senior Global Program Officer for Gender Justice at the Ford Foundation and served as Acting Program Director for India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
In 2024, she was named Philanthropy Professional of the Year by the Hurun Report, India. Currently, she is Chief Advisor to the Grow for Climate Fund and serves on the global advisory bodies of Equal Measures 2030 and the Sustainable Futures Collaborative. She is also a Director on the Asia Board of the Empower Foundation. She has recently joined the Editorial Advisory Council of Alliance Magazine, a platform that plays a pivotal role in advancing global philanthropy.
Aparna has managed substantial grantmaking budgets ranging from USD 20 to 150 million annually and has led global and country-level programs across multiple sectors. She has built philanthropic collaboratives, fostered intergovernmental partnerships, and spearheaded strategic initiatives in the field. With experience managing large, cross-functional teams—including program staff, HR, finance, grants management, impact measurement, and IT—she excels in complex, high-stakes environments.
In addition to her professional work, Aparna is an artist, poetry translator, and thinker at the intersection of art and science. Her recent translations, published by Speaking Tiger, reflect her deep engagement with both literary and artistic practices. She is the editor of Hence (un)Proven, a critical volume examining the convergence of arts and sciences. This unique combination of creative and scientific insight, alongside her strategic leadership, allows her to approach social change with both rigor and imagination.
Payaswini Tailor
Co-founder & Lead - Research, Knowledge, Operations
Payaswini is a strategy and research professional with over seven years of experience across philanthropic, multilateral, civil society, and research-based organisations. Her work spans a wide range of sectors and socio-economic issues, with a particular focus on farm-based livelihoods and gender justice. She has led large-scale, mixed-methods research projects and contributed to the design of program strategies and grant portfolios grounded in contextual realities.
At the Ford Foundation and the Tata Trusts, Payaswini worked at the intersection of portfolios, driving greater integration across thematic areas while strengthening the strategic focus on learning, measurement, and evaluation. She has been at the forefront of designing and supporting cross-regional collaborations, most notably on COVID-19 vaccine equity and resourcing young feminist movements in the Global South.
As a trained political theorist with an MPhil from the University of Oxford, Payaswini brings a strong analytical lens to her work. She is skilled in qualitative research, developmental evaluation, risk and policy analysis, and strategic communications. Her academic grounding and interdisciplinary approach enable her to navigate complex development challenges with thoughtfulness and precision.
At Antara, Payaswini leads research design and development, operations, and strategic communications. She is passionate about building knowledge ecosystems that reflect diverse worldviews and centre the voices and priorities of social change actors in the Global South.
Our Network of Allies & Advisors
Antara engages with a network of consultants and advisors across a range of sectors. Our experienced, subject-matter experts have worked for 15-30 years in the following fields, embedded within government programs, philanthropy, UN bodies, the World Bank, academia, civil society, social movements, and the private sector.
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Public Health and Nutrition
Climate Work- Measuring Impact, Design and Adaptation
Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship
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Gender Lens Integration, Feminist &
Gender Transformative Evaluation
Markets, Enterprises, Commodity Networks
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Technology and Social Change
Future of Work, Informal Economy
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Access to Education, Critical Learning
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Measuring Social Change - Quantitative
Analysis, Multi-Sectoral MEAL Experiences
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Our Team
Aamna Ahmad
Consultant
Aamna has over five years of professional experience in the social impact space, with a background in project management, capacity building, and research.
Aamna has over five years of professional experience in the social impact space, with a background in project management, capacity building, and research.
Previously, she was with the Accountability Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research, where she worked on conceptualising and implementing online and in-person learning programs aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
Aamna holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. She also has an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Lady Shri Ram College for Women and an MA in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics.
At Antara Advisory, Aamna provides research, documentation, and project management support across projects.
Satya Ambasta
Consultant
Satya Ambasta is a climate and sustainability professional with five years of experience in research and strategic communications, and holds a Master’s in Environmental Policy from Sciences Po, Paris.
Satya Ambasta is a climate and sustainability professional with five years of experience in research and strategic communications, and holds a Master’s in Environmental Policy from Sciences Po, Paris.
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At Antara Advisory, she manages the GROW+ Project for the EdelGive Foundation and is also an empanelled consultant with the UN FAO. She has worked with leading NGOs and international organisations in India to develop impactful strategies for environmental awareness and action.
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Her ability to create compelling visual and narrative content complements her research expertise, enabling her to communicate complex environmental issues in accessible formats. During her master’s, she pursued a selective research track with rigorous methodological training and developed a strong foundation in global environmental policy. With this background, she is committed to advancing inclusive and sustainable climate solutions.
Parul Bajaj
Consultant
Trained in computer science engineering and management, Parul has been working at the intersection of technology and impact for over 18 years.
Trained in computer science engineering and management, Parul has been working at the intersection of technology and impact for over 18 years. An alumnus of Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT), Delhi, and the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, she began her career in the IT and VLSI industry with ST Microelectronics and Infosys, in engineering and process consulting roles for over five years.
She found her calling in the impact sector, committed to helping India become a more equitable country. Over the past 14+ years, Parul has led strategy, program design and delivery, impact evaluation studies, product development and management, and grant-making—primarily in education—for civil society organisations, social enterprises, and philanthropic foundations.
She has worked with organisations such as Agastya Foundation, Aspiring Minds, Educational Initiatives, iDiscoveri/XSEED, and Tata Trusts, and has also co-founded social enterprises like Craft a Path and Kitablet. She believes deeply in the transformative power of philanthropy and, through her work with Antara, looks forward to helping it realise its true purpose.
Shreya Sharon Mangratee
Executive Assistant - Founders' Office
Shreya is a communications professional with over three years of experience in the social impact sector, particularly in livelihood development, environmental conservation, and advocacy.
Shreya is a communications professional with over three years of experience in the social impact sector, particularly in livelihood development, environmental conservation, and advocacy.
An alumnus of Kirori Mal College, she holds a BA in Political Science and a Master’s in Media Governance from the Centre for Culture and Media Governance, Jamia Millia Islamia. Interested in the confluence of media, conservation, and communities, Shreya has written extensively on the intersection of gender and technology, media culture, and community conservation.
She has worked with grassroots and global organisations to design effective advocacy and communication strategies. A background in the humanities and a deep interest in media advocacy informs an interdisciplinary lens to her work, combining research and visual media.