Group of Advisors

The Group of Advisors consists of experts from the industry, academia, research, and consultancy. The group provides strategic advice and guidance to the Core Team in managing the programme. The group reviews all aspects of the programme and its activities, the Competition Guide, the learning resources, and helps identify experts for jury, webinars, and mentors for the incubation hub.

Harleen Oberoi

Harleen Oberoi
Head – Project Management, Tata Realty & Infrastructure Limited & Sr. VP, Tata Housing Development Company Ltd.

Harleen Oberoi has over 30 years of experience in project management and construction across projects in India and the overseas market. He was previously Senior Executive Director of Project Management at Colliers International India, Executive Director at Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions, and Executive Director at Cushman & Wakefield India. He also set up the Project Management for the business of AECOM in India. He holds a post-Graduation degree in Construction Management from NICMAR, and a Civil Engineering Degree from NIT, Kurukshetra.

Isaac Emmanuel

Isaac Emmanuel
Head – Innovation Management & Strategic Alliances

Isaac Emmanuel has held various roles in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Advocacy, Innovation, and Sustainability over 29 years in the polymer industry. He has pioneered introductions of new materials into the country as well as innovations involving affordable housing and agro-waste usage for construction. He has been an Executive Committee Member of the Indian Polyurethane Association, as well as the visionary behind India Insulation Forum and the Spray Foam Alliance of India and now serves as Editor of PU Today magazine. Currently, he works with Covestro (India) on sustainable solutions for housing, food, water, and sanitation security for underserved communities.

Kshitij Sawant

Kshitij Sawant
Solution Consultant – Sahaj Software

Kshitij is a Solution Consultant with a focus on Product Innovation at Sahaj. His expertise lies at the crossroads of consumer research, design, product development, and brand strategy, providing invaluable insights to fuel business growth. A passionate innovation strategist and a systems thinker, he crafts frameworks that facilitate the transformation of ideas into human-centric products that help propel innovation agendas for organisations. With a 19-year career spanning architecture and design, Kshitij holds a Master’s degree in Design Methods from the Institute of Design, Chicago, a Master in Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Sir J.J. School of Architecture, Mumbai.

Manisha Natarajan

Manisha Natarajan
Consulting Editor, Urban Development & Real Estate, NDTV  

Manisha is a noted journalist in Real Estate and Urban Development, and Personal Finance. She currently hosts the prime-time show – “The Urban Reality” on NDTV 24×7 and is known for ‘The Property Show’, ‘Let’s Talk Money’ on NDTV, and ‘Urban Reality’ and ‘The Real Deal’ on CNBC-TV18. Manisha has been a reporter for BBC World programs – ‘Moneywise’ & ‘India Business Report’  and has anchored over 2,000 hours of live business news, including key events such as the Union Budget, Economic Survey, Credit Policy and Tax Roundtables with NDTV. She has also been a contributory columnist with the Indian Express, cnbctv18.com & ndtv.com.

Rajan Rawal

Rajan Rawal
Senior Advisor, Centre for Advanced Studies in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE), CRDF

Rajan Rawal is a Professor at CEPT University and Senior Advisor of Centre for Advanced Studies in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE) at CEPT Research and Development Foundation. He teaches energy-efficient built habitat, energy modelling and, energy policy at the postgraduate level. His work emphasis is on the energy performance of human habitat and architectural science education.

Dr. Saket Sarraf

Saket Sarraf
Principal, ps Collective

Saket Sarraf is passionate about issues related to sustainable development and has over 20 years of experience in India and the USA. He is the founder and Principal at ps Collective, a platform for advocacy, research, policy analysis, and consultancy. His current work focuses on policy research and decision support systems in the areas of energy policy, efficiency, and sustainable development.

Sandeep Shikhre

Sandeep Shikre | LEED AP
President + CEO, Sandeep Shikre & Associates (SSA Architects)

Sandeep Shikre spearheads SSA Architects with a team of 300+ professionals that renders Architectural, Interior Design and Construction Management Consultancy Services. Sandeep is an USGBC LEED Accredited Professional and the founding Member of IGBC and Chairman of IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) Mumbai Chapter. He is a patron of CTBUH (The Council for Tall Building in Urban Habitat) and is on advisory committees for several forums. He was honoured with ‘Senior Fellowship Award’ by IGBC and is recognised as ‘India’s top 30 Architects’ by Forbes India.

Sanjay Prakash

Sanjay Prakash
Principal, SHiFt Studio

Sanjay Prakash is the Principal of SHiFt: Studio for Habitat Futures, with a commitment to energy-conscious architecture, eco-friendly design, people’s participation in planning, music and production design. His professional and personal life integrates urbanism and sustainability. His practice and research over 40 years includes passive and low energy design, hybrid air-conditioning, autonomous energy and water systems, bamboo, wood and earth construction, community-based design of common property, and computer-aided design. He has mentored hundreds of professionals. He is a co-founder of Future Institute and Himalayan Institute for Alternatives, Ladakh.

Swati Puchalapalli

Swati Puchalapalli
Director, TerraViridis Consultants LLP

Swati Puchalapalli is the director of TerraViridis Consultants LLP and has 20+ years of experience in Sustainable design, computational analysis, and environmental policy research. A strong proponent of passive design, she combines learnings from vernacular with simulation-based data driven approach to building design. She focuses on High performance and high comfort leading to Net Zero design along with value engineering in the areas of energy, water and waste. Her projects range from sustainability consultancy to policy research and training, spread across various continents. She is a founding member of GRIHA Council and a visiting faculty at CEPT University and Manipal University.