info@cmsrconsultants.com
011 4309 8430
Founder & Director - Research
Gajendra Rai is a seasoned professional with nearly 20 years of extensive experience in research, monitoring, and evaluation. He is an expert in both qualitative and quantitative measurement techniques and has a deep understanding of developing robust monitoring and evaluation tools. Over the years, Gajendra has successfully led a wide range of assignments for various ministries, UN organisations, and leading global institutions. His diverse portfolio spans a variety of consultancies and research studies, covering topics like impact assessments, baseline studies, process documentation, KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices) studies, and programme evaluations across multiple domains, including Sustainable Agriculture & Livelihood, Health & Nutrition, Environment & Climate Change, Education & Skill Development, and WASH.
Founder & Director - Projects and Communication
Narender has more than 18 years of demonstrated experience in communications and project management. A former senior correspondent with the Time of India (ToI), he is a part of the founding team of CMSR Consultants. He has been associated with large-scale social impact projects funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), USAID, UNICEF, and other international agencies. A noted strategic communication leader, he has been innovatively exploring the fields of media research, inter-faith dialogue for social impact, film festivals, and various forms of storytelling. He has been invited as a speaker at several prestigious conferences and summits including FICCI CSR Summit. Narender holds Master degrees in History and Sociology as well as a PG Diploma in Communications.
M&E Adviser
Dr. Joseph Varghese Viruthiyel is a highly experienced professional with over 35 years of expertise in monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessment of socio-economic programmes. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University and has deep-rooted knowledge in designing study tools, organising field plans, and report writing. Dr. Joseph has served as a Team Leader and M&E Expert for numerous high-profile projects, including those supported by the World Bank, ADB, various Central Ministries, and UN Agencies. His consultancies span across diverse sectors, such as forestry, climate change adaptation, rural development, and agriculture, having authored several books and manuals on these themes. In addition to his professional work, Dr. Joseph is a member of the Advisory Board of the India Water Partnership and serves as the Member Secretary of the Institute for Development Initiatives. Dr. Joseph is proficient in English, Hindi, and Malayalam.
Associate Director - Research and Strategic Planning
Roshini has a deep understanding of research and implementation projects in both rural and urban spaces, having worked in the development sector in India for over a decade. She has been involved with grassroots and international NGOs, focusing on gender and its intersection with issues of climate change, habitat, livelihood, local governance, and violence. She has a Master's degree in Comparative Politics (Research Methods) from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Roshini has also written extensively about her work, having authored a chapter for an international encyclopaedia by Palgrave Macmillan, as well as articles and pieces for Thomson Reuters Foundation, The Indian Express, ICCCAD, CDKN, and Daily Mail. She is fluent in English, Hindi, and Kannada.
Sr. Research Manager
E.C. Beena is a seasoned qualitative researcher with over two decades of experience, particularly in conducting large-scale studies. As a Senior Researcher at CMSR Consultants Pvt. Ltd., she specialises in qualitative field interviews, content analysis, and documentation of best practices. Beena has contributed to various assignments funded by Central ministries and UN agencies, demonstrating her expertise across diverse sectors such as nutrition, agriculture, gender equality and climate resilience. Beena has served as a Senior Research Fellow at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute on a project titled “Linkages between Agricultural Farmers, Research Scientists, and Extension Workers”. Beena holds an M.Sc. in Agriculture Extension and is proficient in English, Hindi, and Malayalam.
Sr. Research Consultant
Anju has previously worked with Oxfam Austria as a Program Coordinator - Livelihood & Gender and Project Officer with Danish International Development Agency Danida. She has done her Post Graduate Diploma in Forestry Management (equivalent to Masters’ by the Association of Indian Universities) from Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal. Her areas of specialisation include designing and implementing research projects in Livelihood, Gender, Health, Rural Development, and Natural Resource Management sectors, preparation of study tools, conducting qualitative interviews and report writing.
Sr. Research Consultant
Sumitha holds M.Sc degrees in Agri. Plant Pathology and Information Technology and is ARS-NET qualified. She has worked as a Senior Research Fellow at Indian Agriculture Research Institute and as a Plant Pathologist in Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute, in the All India Coordinated Research Project on Safflower. She specialises in protected cultivation of horticultural crops. Sumitha has published several research papers & technical bulletins in the Indian Journal of Agriculture Sciences and Indian Journal of Horticulture, and attended several workshops at various Agriculture & Technology institutes.
Research Associate
With nearly five years of experience in research and evaluation, Amrita is currently a Research Associate at CMSR Consultants, where she has been working for the past two years. Prior to this role, she was part of the Impact Assessment team at Give India Foundation, focusing on the evaluation of CSR projects for corporations such as DCM Sriram Foundation, Transworld India, and HCL Foundation. Her earlier role at AMC Research Group involved studying women's and children's rights, addressing critical issues like child marriage, child protection, and domestic violence through fact-finding visits across various states and cities. Her work has included conducting fact-finding visits across various states and cities. Her key skills include documentation, analysis, and report writing, and she holds a master's degree in Sociology.
