Akhilesh is a Field Manager at the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change and supports the Centre's behavioural work in UP by liaisoning with government departments and stakeholders, executing research studies, implementing interventions in the field, and training and assessment. He has a bachelor's degree in science and holds an MBA degree from IIM Kashipur.

He is very enthusiastic about working in the development and research sector and has worked under the World Bank's sponsored projects, ICSSR, Vodafone India Foundation, and National Cooperative Development Corporation. At the initial stage of his career, he worked with National Stock Exchange IT Ltd. He played a pivotal role in setting up NSE delivery centres and initiating online assessment services.

Anika is a research associate at the Uttar Pradesh Behavioural Insights Unit. As a member of the ‘Pop-U.P. Lab’ — a mobile lab for lab-in-the-field experiments based out of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh — she is tasked with setting up the lab, handling research operations and providing research support to BIU projects.

Anika obtained her undergraduate degree (B.A) in Psychology from Ashoka University, focusing on social psychology, developmental psychology, and behaviour science. She has previously worked as a research assistant at the Identity and Intergroup Relations Lab and the Child Development Lab at Ashoka university. Outside work, she enjoys trying new cuisines, reading, and going on long walks.

Deepak Pradhan joined as Deputy Research Manager in the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change. He works with the Pop-U.P. lab (Field Empirics) under the Research vertical at the centre. Deepak holds a Master’s degree in Operation from IMT-Ghaziabad (CDL). Before joining CSBC, he worked with Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) in different states and KANTAR IMRB as a Senior Executive in the project management team. Deepak has a total experience of 10+ years where he worked at KANTAR IMRB with 4+ years of experience in the Market Research industry and 6+ years of experience as an Operation Manager In the Social Research Industry. He sees himself as a Team player with excellent communication skills with the field team, focused on high-quality work with cost & time efficiency, and highly self-motivated. Deepak's hobbies are travelling, watching movies, and spending free time with family.

Akhilesh is a Field Manager at the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change. He supports the Centre's behavioural work in UP by liaisoning with government departments and stakeholders, executing research studies, implementing interventions in the field, and training and assessment. He has a bachelor's degree in science and an MBA from IIM Kashipur.

He is very enthusiastic about working in the development and research sector and has worked under the World Bank's sponsored projects, ICSSR, Vodafone India Foundation, and National Cooperative Development Corporation. At the initial stage of his career, he worked with National Stock Exchange IT Ltd. He played a pivotal role in setting up NSE delivery centres and initiating online assessment services.

Gautam Patel has worked with governments for many years, most recently with J-PAL South Asia, where he led partnerships with several state governments for evidence to be used to inform policy and to support scale-ups in government systems. Prior to joining J-PAL South Asia, Gautam worked for four years in the Chief Minister's Office in Gujarat, and before that, in the Chief Minister's Office in Rajasthan. Before settling in India, he worked for the government in the UK for education reform for 14-19-year-olds in Oxfordshire and at a youth club as a trained youth worker in the evenings. Gautam graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2007 with a Master's in Development Management and a concentration in India's development, history, and politics. He also holds a Master's in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry from Oxford University (2003). Gautam enjoys running, origami, volunteering in the local community to support children to learn, and perhaps most of all, playing to learn with his daughter.

Vaibhav has been working as a consultant in the Popup lab at CSBC. He handles field experiments and field support in all types of research work. Vaibhav obtained his post-graduate degree in social work from Banaras Hindu University and is very enthusiastic and interested in working in the social and rural development sectors. He has interned at HCL Foundation for the “Happy School Project.” Before his current position, Vaibhav worked in Care India as a Block Manager in Bihar.

Sonika has been working as a consultant in Popup Lab at CSBC. She conducts field experiments and provides field support in all types of research work. Sonika served as a Gandhi Fellow and holds a Master's degree in Social Work and a Post Graduate Diploma in Integrated Rural Development and Management from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). This indicates her specialisation and enthusiasm for working in social and rural development and management practices. Before her current position, Sonika was a Program Mentor for the Foster and Forge Foundation and managed multiple districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Keshav Kunal is the executive assistant to the CSBC Director. He also supports the experimental lab team under the research vertical.

Keshav has a Bachelor of Engineering in IT from the International Institute of Information Technology, Pune. His research interests include poverty, governance, and health literacy.

Dr Narges Hajimoladarvish is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change and Lead Behavioural Scientist of the Pop-UP Lab. Narges is a trained economist with interest in Behavioural and Experimental Economics. She runs experiments to investigate decision-making under risk and uncertainty and has expertise in eliciting risk and time preferences.

Narges has a PhD in Economics from the University of Leicester. She has 11 years of experience in teaching a variety of courses at the University of Leicester and Alzahra University. Prior to Joining CSBC, Narges was an Assistant Professor at Alzahra University, where she wrote an introductory book about Behavioural Economics in Farsi and established a laboratory for Experimental Economics. She has also contributed to Financial Tribune, an Iranian English Economic Daily.