Board of Directors | Staff | Executive Council | Human Rights Coordinator
Nikhil Joshi, Esq., a labor and employment attorney and partner at a Florida based law firm, is Chairman of the Board and a co-founder of HAF and holds a JD from the University of Florida. His efforts for the Foundation have largely centered on administrative, legal and operational matters.
Mihir Meghani, M.D., an Emergency Physician, is a co-founder of HAF. Dr. Meghani focuses on capacity building, strategic relationship development, and fundraising at the Foundation. A relative of Mahatma Gandhi, he continued Gandhi’s tradition of service by providing medical care in India after the 2001 earthquake, in NY after 9/11, and in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami with The Permanente Medical Group. A member of the US Department of Homeland Security's Disaster Medical Assistance Team and former member of the East Bay Regional Parks Advisory Committee, Dr. Meghani has received numerous awards for his community service.
Aseem Shukla, M.D., Associate Professor of Urologic Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota, is a co-founder of the Foundation. His efforts for the Foundation focus on developing a professional, articulate and credible voice for Hinduism through interactions with mass media. His frequent contributions to the On Faith section of the Washington Post/Newsweek can be found by clicking here. Dr. Shukla also volunteers his time to host several pediatric urological surgery workshops throughout India.
Swaminathan Venkataraman, a Director with Standard & Poor's in the Utilities, Energy and Infrastructure Ratings group, leads the interfaith efforts of the Foundation. Mr. Venkataraman was born and raised in India and earned a Bachelors in Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta. He is currently based in San Francisco, CA.
Suhag Shukla, Esq., Managing Director and Legal Counsel, is a co-founder of HAF. She holds a BA in Religion and JD from the University of Florida. As Managing Director, Ms. Shukla builds strategic inter and intrafaith relations. As Legal Counsel, Ms. Shukla provides analysis on key issues including the separation of church and state, equal protection, religious discrimination and immigration reform. She also focuses on improving the public portrayal of Hinduism and its presentation in public school textbooks. Ms. Shukla is actively involved with Chinmaya Mission and serves on the Board of the Nirvana Center, a Bhutanese resettlement center, as well as the YWCA of Minneapolis.
Sheetal Shah, Senior Director based in New York City, holds a Masters degree from the London School of Economics. She focuses on communicating with and expanding HAF’s membership base, fundraising and finances, and building and promoting the HAF brand through various means including the Foundation’s website. A former member of the Foundation’s Executive Council, Ms. Shah is well-experienced in HAF’s human rights campaign and various community outreach efforts. Ms. Shah is also actively involved with the MATCH charter school in Boston, MA.
Jay Kansara, Associate Director based in Houston, TX, holds a BA in Government and Asian Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. He is an active volunteers at his local mandir.
Zoila McDowell is the Office Administrator based in the Foundation’s Washington DC office. Ms. McDowell holds a Bachelors degree in Marketing and a Masters in French.
Rishi Bhutada is the Assistant CFO of Star Pipe Products in Houston, TX and holds a Bachelor's in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as the Foundation's Texas Regional Coordinator as well as a member of the media team. Mr. Bhutada is currently pursuing an MBA from Rice University.
Arvind Chandrakantan, M.D., is a Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologist and Intensivist whose focus within the Foundation includes Hindu Chaplaincy, Hindu youth awareness, and Hindu temple reconstruction and renovation. Dr. Chandrakantan is also a member of the Loka Dharma Seva Foundation and Trust, which promotes Vedic values in India.
Pooja Deopura is a senior at the University of California, Davis, majoring in Computer Science, with a minor in English. Her work with the Foundation focuses on membership development campaigns. Ms. Deopura is also a campus news writer for The California Aggie.
Pawan Deshpande, CEO of HiveFire, Inc., holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and a Master’s in Engineering from MIT. His role at HAF currently focuses on human rights and caste-based discrimination. As one of the senior most Executive Council members, Mr. Deshpande has been involved in launching the Foundation’s internship program and was the Foundation’s key technology advisory.
Padma Kuppa, an IT professional in the automotive industry based in Michigan, holds a Bachelors degree from REC Warangal. She focuses on interreligious cooperation at HAF and is currently pursuing further study at Ecumenical Theological Seminary. In addition to her work with HAF, she is also the Outreach Chair for the Bharatiya Temple of Metropolitan Detroit, co-founder of Troy Interfaith Group, and Board member of Women’s Interfaith Solutions for Dialogue and Outreach in metro-Detroit.
Sachi Lamb, Director of Intensive Learning Programs for the Athletic Department at the University of Maryland, holds a Bachelor's Degree in Legal Studies and a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from California State University, Chico, and a Master's Degree in Religion from the University of Hawaii, Manoa. Her focus at the Foundation is largely centered around public policy research. Ms. Lamb is also the Coordinator of Outreach and Volunteer Programs for Sahayog Foundation.
Ramesh Rao, Professor and Chair of Department of Communication Studies and Theatre at Longwood University in Farmville, VA, holds a PhD in Communication Studies from Michigan State University. He leads the Foundation’s annual human rights report effort. Dr. Rao is the author of two books on Indian politics and society, and has written numerous op-eds for newspapers and magazines in India and in the U.S.