Founder
Abhijit Sinha reimagines education through Nooks—teacher-free, curiosity-led spaces across 6 countries. A decentralisation evangelist, he now mentors 40 global startups via Mercedes-Benz’s beVisioneers Fellowship. Learning without limits is his mission.
Head of Communications
Storyteller. Builder. Changemaker. Gurkaran Bakshi blends media wisdom with grassroots impact. At DEFY, he leads Communications—shaping narratives on learning, education, and communities through bold engagement and capacity-building.
Fundraising Associate
Radhika blends engineering precision with social passion. From Teach For India to Sattva, she now fuels DEFY’s vision,crafting trust-driven partnerships and fundraising narratives that shift power in education.
Impact Lead
Impact through insight. Manavi Das leads DEFY’s M&E efforts—designing frameworks, dashboards, and evaluations. With experience across Antarang, ANANDI, and IIM Ahmedabad, she translates data into smarter education outcomes.
Program Manager
At DEFY, Sunil Gill builds spaces where communities reclaim learning. A mentor and education reformer, his journey spans Sanjhi Sikhiya, Kaivalya Foundation—scaling grassroots impact through innovation and heart.
Head of Fundraising
Ravitha Prabhakaran drives DEFY’s growth through fundraising and engagement. Bringing expertise from Motivation India and Durga, she builds resilient organizations anchored in education, policy, and community empowerment.
DISPECS
Since 2018, Dheeraj’s journey at DEFY bridges youth, technology, and social impact. Today, he leads DISPECS in Assam, pioneering disaster preparedness and community resilience.
Community Designer
Mariya Wahid, Community Experience Designer at DEFY, empowers Nook facilitators and learners. An engineer passionate about self-designed learning, she fosters collaborative, experiential education to help individuals realise their aspirations.
Nook Hopper
Nishant, a DEFY Hopper, sparks Nooks across India. A computer engineer with a love for learning and nature, he dreams of creating a joyful learning space in his native village in Bihar.
At DEFY, Rajashree manages and supports facilitator teams, shaping community-led Nooks. She is a lifelong learner at heart, passionate about creating spaces where learning is open, and alive.
Azby Brown mentors DEFY’s international team by deepening self-designed learning through thoughtful knowledge curation, intercultural reflection, and systems thinking, building globally connected, locally rooted Nooks as hubs of community-driven education.
Manuela Balett helps DEFY’s fundraising team develop effective strategies, cultivate real donor bonds, sharpen their stories, and embrace values-driven fundraising to build enduring support for DEFY’s vision.
Vipasha Tilak collaborates with DEFY’s leadership to shape visionary narratives, align communication with core values, and amplify their collective impact, transforming ideas into powerful messages that inspire change on a global scale.
Bilal Ghalib helps DEFY team members dive into research with curiosity and confidence, turning questions into discoveries and encouraging fresh thinking that drives meaningful change across their projects.
Kiran Reddy works closely with DEFY’s communication team to unlock their storytelling potential, refine their messages, and create genuine, impactful narratives that resonate and bring DEFY’s mission to life across diverse audiences.
Nico Esterhuizen mentors DEFY’s international team by offering personal and professional guidance through deep, thoughtful engagement. He supports team members in building networks, expanding horizons, and strengthening leadership, embodying the role of both a mentor and a friend who nurtures growth with trust and care.
