Speakers WSDS 2025

Ms. Helen Clarkson
CEO,
Climate Group

Helen is an experienced leader on international climate and humanitarian issues, with over 20 years of experience in government and corporate engagement. Under her leadership, Climate Group has created coalitions of over 500 ambitious companies through initiatives such as RE100, EV100, ConcreteZero, and SteelZero, which are crucial in sending demand signals to markets and policy-makers to drive the energy transition, as well as building the Under2 Coalition of state and regional governments, and Climate Week NYC, a major event in the international climate agenda. Helen was awarded an OBE in 2022 for services to the climate.

Dr. Rola Dashti
Executive Secretary,
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

Ms. Dashti is a leading Kuwaiti economist and long-time champion of women’s rights,
gender equality and democratic reform. She served as member of the Supreme Planning Council
in Kuwait. From 2012 to 2014, she was Minister for Planning and Development and Minister of
State for Parliamentary Affairs. Ms. Dashti played a pivotal role in advocating for a decree to
allow Kuwaiti women to vote and run for parliamentary elections. In May 2009, she and three
others became the first women to be elected to the Kuwait parliament.
She has held key positions in research and development institutions, such as the Kuwait
Institute for Scientific Research, and has worked for major national and international financial
and development institutions, such as the National Bank of Kuwait and the World Bank. She also
managed contracts for the Kuwaiti Emergency and Reconstruction Program during the invasionto-
post liberation period.
She is a regular contributor to regional and international policy forums on global
governance, economic development and integration, democratization, and women’s
empowerment in the MENA region.
She has served as chairperson for the Arab Planning Institute, and for the World
Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council for the MENA region. She was a member of the
advisory panel for the World Bank on Middle East political and economic transition, of the
advisory council for the Arab Human Development Report 2009, of the Supreme Council for
Planning and Development in Kuwait, and of the Executive Committee of Young Arab Leaders-
Kuwait Chapter. She served on the executive board of the Pan-Arab Women Parliamentary
Coalition to Combat Violence against Women, and on the board of the Arab Women
Parliamentarians Network for Equality (Ra’edat).
She won the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe for 2010 together with Mr.
Mikhail Gorbachev. She also received the Clinton Global Citizens Award for 2009, the Vital
Voices Global Leadership Award for 2006, and the King Hussein Humanitarian award for 2005.
She is listed among the top 150 women leaders by Business Week, among the top 20
businesswomen in the Arab region by the Financial Times, and among the world’s 100 most
powerful Arabs by Arabian Business. She was featured in The Next Founders: Voices of
Democracy in the Middle East as a leader and a champion for women’s rights from Kuwait.
Ms. Dashti holds a doctorate degree in population dynamics from Johns Hopkins
University in Baltimore, a master’s degree in economics and finance from California State
University in Sacramento, and a bachelor of science in agriculture economics from California
State University in Chico. She speaks Arabic and English fluently.

Dr. Prodipto Ghosh
Distinguished Fellow,
TERI

Dr Prodipto Ghosh

Distinguished Fellow, Earth Science and Climate Change

Prodipto Ghosh is involved in research and teaching at the interface of science, economics, philosophy, and public policy. Currently, he is Distinguished Fellow at TERI. He is concurrently member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Cabinet, and Governing Council of the Indian Council of Social Science Research. He has earlier been member of the National Security Advisory Board, PMs Council on Climate Change, G 20 Advisory Group of the Ministry of Finance, and the CAGs Audit Advisory Committee. He is Adjunct Faculty at the Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh (where he lectures on Indian macroeconomic policy and public finance), TERI University (where he teaches a post-graduate course on Normative Ethics), and Visiting Fellow at the Smith College, Oxford (with whom he is engaged in collaborative policy research).

He was a member of the IAS from 1969 to 2007, when he retired as Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests. He has also held the positions of Economic Advisor and Additional Secretary to the PM, Additional Secretary at the DEA, and Senior Environment Specialist at the Asian Development Bank, Manila. He was a member of India's negotiating team at the UNFCCC climate change negotiations from 2001 to 2012. He is the author of a number of peer reviewed research papers, and several newspaper articles.

He has a Ph.D and M.Phil in Economics and Policy Analysis from the Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, and a B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from IIT Delhi, and has received Alumni Achievement Awards from both institutions. He is also the recipient of the BP Pal Centenary Memorial Award.

Ms. Sujata Gupta
Director,
Asian Development Bank

Ms. Sujata Gupta is the Director of the South Asia Team, Energy Sector, Sectors Group of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). She joined ADB in 2003 and has worked on the public and private sectors of ADB as well as for resource mobilization from development partners.   Sujata has a PhD from the London Business School, University of London and Master’s and Bachelor’s from the University of Delhi.   Before joining ADB, Sujata was Senior Fellow and Director of the Policy Analysis Division, at TERI (then the Tata Energy Research Institute), New Delhi. She has also worked as a visiting researcher at the International Institute of Applied System Analysis in Austria.   She was a member of United Nations (UNFCCC) CDM Methodologies for Baselines and Monitoring Panel (2002–2005), and a co-coordinating lead author for the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Dr. Pema Gyamtsho
Director General,
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

Dr. Pema Gyamtsho is the Director General of ICIMOD. He had served the Royal Government of Bhutan for over three decades in natural resources management and planning; rural development;agriculture;forestry;livestock and food production;rangeland management;livestock development;participatory approaches;research and extension institutional building;climate change and environmental protection;biodiversity conservation;and organic farming. He also previously had led ICIMOD efforts in policy and partnerships and regional rangeland management work.

In his previous role as Minister of Agriculture and Forests, he was involved and often led the enactment of over 60 pieces of legislation and throughtout his career he has also worked at the grassroots level where he has overseen the formation of over 400 farmers' groups and cooperatives. 

He holds a PhD in Natural Science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

Ms. Anne Jellema
Executive Director,
350.org

Anne has built and led many impactful organizations and campaigns in the fields of human rights, social justice and sustainability, including the Global Campaign for Education, the World Wide Web Foundation, ActionAid International and Hivos. She joined 350.org as their new Executive Director in January 2026 to help implement 350's new strategy focusing on people-led climate solutions. She was educated at the University of Michigan, King's College Cambridge, Princeton and the University of Chicago. 

Ms. Teena Jha
Anchor,
Sansad TV

Teena Jha is an Anchor-cum-Producer with Sansad TV, Parliament of India. 

In her current role, she moderates panel discussions with eminent experts on issues of current significance. These include wide ranging subjects related to policy matters & governance, foreign affairs, defence & strategic affairs environment & sustainability and other contemporary regional and global issues. 

Teena also hosts podcasts and one-on-one interviews with eminent personalities from diverse fields which include authors, political leaders, economists, environmental scientists, activists and so on...

Teena's work profile also includes conversations with members of international parliamentary delegations visiting India. She has interviewed over 25 delegations since the formation of Sansad TV in 2021.   

 Teena is a Journalism graduate from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi University. She has 15 years of experience of having worked in Print & Broadcast media.

Dr. Madhav Karki
Chief Adviser to Minister,
Ministry of Forest and Environment

 Dr. Madhav Karki currently as the Chief Adviser to the Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Ministry, Govt. of Nepal. He is also an expert member of the Env. Protection and Climate Change Management National Council chaired by the Prime Minister of Nepal. Besdies, he is the Distinguished Fellow, CGED-Nepal; Adjunct Professor, Institute of Forestry, Tribhuwan University, Nepal; ​Member, Multidisciplinary Expert Panel (MEP), IPBES; ​and Lead CLA, UNEP/GEO7 Process. Dr. Karki is the founder and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Centre for Green Economy Development, Nepal - a non-profit think tank organization.

Ms. Heeta Lakhani
Founder & Director,
The ClimAct Initiative

Heeta Lakhani is a climate educator and entrepreneur dedicated to empowering vulnerable groups in intergovernmental decision-making and taking climate action. As Founder & Director of the ClimAct Foundation and with a Masters in Environmental Studies from TERI University, she is dedicated to nurturing change-makers who combat the climate crisis with knowledge-based action. Heeta was introduced to the United Nations Climate Change (UNFCCC) process at COP21 in 2015 and served as the Global Focal Point for YOUNGO during 2020 & 2021, playing a pivotal role in elevating youth voices on the global stage. She co-founded the Youth Negotiators Academy in 2022, to promote inclusivity in national delegations by training youth to be effective negotiators in the UN intergovernmental processes.

Mr. Junhua Li
Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs,
United Nations

Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General | United Nations

Ms. Tatiana Lipskaia
Senior Vice President for ESG,
Sberbank

Tatiana Lipskaya heads the ESG direction at Sberbank from its establishment in 2020 She is

responsible for the development and implementation of the Bank's ESG strategy. She is a

member of the Expert Council on Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Economic

Development of the Russian Federation, the Council of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry

of the Russian Federation on Sustainable Business Development, Corporate Social

Responsibility and Volunteering. Tatyana Lipskaya in an honorable speaker of international and

local federal events with expertise on the following topics: global and Russian ESG trends, the

development of the ESG agenda in an international context (including the BRICS, Asia-Pacific,

and Eurasian Economic Union countries), ESG business transformation, responsible financing,

the climate agenda and advanced technologies for solving sustainable development challenges.

Dr. Ajay Mathur
Director General,
International Solar Alliance

Dr. Ajay Mathur is the Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).   The ISA is a treaty –based inter-governmental organization with 119 member countries, which aims to make solar as the energy-of-choice in its member countries. Dr. Mathur has spearheaded the implementation of solar energy projects and capacity building projects in many developing countries, and of the publication of annual progress reports on solar technology, markets and investments. Prior to joining ISA, Dr. Mathur was Director General of the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and a member of the Prime Minister of India’s Council on on Climate Change. He was co-chair of the global Energy Transitions Commission and the Clean Cooling Initiatives of the One Planet Summit. He earlier headed the Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency and was responsible for its foundational programmes. 

Ms. Dia Mirza
Actor, Producer, UN Secretary General's Advocate for SDGs, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador,
Personal

Actor, producer, green entrepreneur, UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador & United Nations Secretary General’s Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals, Dia Mirza is a multifaceted achiever. She is the founder of production house One India Stories and as a dedicated change-maker, leverages her global reach to highlight environmental issues and tell stories about  the interconnectedness of all living beings. Her work sheds light on gender and social inequities and advocates for a sustainable relationship between humanity and the planet

Mr. Hiroshi Ono
Executive Director,
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

Mr. Ono Hiroshi graduated from the Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, and in 1987, he joined the Environment Agency of Japan (the current Ministry of the Environment). He held key positions at the Ministry including Director of Environmental Transport Policy Division, Director of Policy Planning Division of Waste Management and Recycling Bureau, Deputy Director-General for Global Environmental Affairs, Director-General of the Environmental Management Bureau, Director-General of Global Environment Bureau and Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs. After retiring from the Ministry in 2023, he was appointed as Senior Advisor to the Minister for the Environment. He served as Special Policy Advisor of IGES from January to September 2024, and appointed as Executive Director of IGES in September 2024. 

Mr. Indra Mani Pandey
Secretary General,
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)

Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey is a distinguished diplomat who joined Indian Foreign Service in 1990. He currently serves as Secretary General of BIMSTEC. Earlier, Ambassador Pandey had served as Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman as well as Deputy Ambassador to France and Consul General in Guangzhou, China. He also held diplomatic positions in Cairo, Damascus, Islamabad, Kabul and Geneva. At India’s Ministry of External Affairs, he was head of Disarmament & International Security Affairs Division and served at the desks dealing with West Asia and North Africa, consular matters and India’s 4 neighbours. Ambassador Pandey attended the Foreign Service Programme at Oxford University and the National Security Course at the National Defence College of India. He has extensive diplomatic experience, including multilateral diplomacy.

Mr. Amit Prothi
Director General,
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

Amit Prothi is the Director General of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). Mr. Prothi brings a wealth of international experience and expertise on climate and disaster resilience issues. He has demonstrated 25 years of progressive leadership in the fields of urban planning and resilient infrastructure, with expertise across more than 15 countries including the USA, China, India, Greece, Mongolia, and Mauritania. Mr. Prothi served as Director of Sustainable Planning at AECOM, one of the largest global infrastructure advisory firms, was a consultant to the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, and worked with global thinktanks and philanthropic organizations including the Rockefeller Foundation supported 100 Resilient Cities program. Mr. Prothi holds a bachelor’s in architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, and a dual Master's in Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Mr. Manjeev Puri
Distinguished Felloe,
TERI

Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri is a former Indian diplomat who has served as Ambassador to the European Union (EU) and to Nepal. He was also India’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg. Furthermore, he has been India’s Ambassador & Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN and has served twice in Germany and held diplomatic assignments in Thailand, Venezuela, South Africa and Oman. His long diplomatic career spanning 38 years with service at senior Ambassadorial positions and in New Delhi has given him a unique opportunity to understand and practise international relations, including in the Commonwealth, at the highest level. This includes developing policy approaches for India and intensively interacting with foreign policy stakeholders in India and overseas. His special areas of expertise are multilateralism and the United Nations (UN) system with climate change and sustainable development being major areas of his focus. He was, in-fact, India’s lead negotiator in these areas for years, including at the UNFCCC conferences and the Rio+20 conference on Sustainable Development. In recognition of Ambassador Puri’s expertise in the areas of climate change and sustainable development, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi (TERI) has him as a Distinguished Fellow. In addition, he is an Adjunct Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Global Relations (Gateway House), Mumbai. Ambassador Puri has a master’s in management studies and did his BA (Honours) in Economics from St. Stephen's College, Delhi. Manjeev Singh Puri manjeevpuri@gmail.com

Mr. Martin Raiser
Regional Vice President, South Asia,
The World Bank

Mr. Martin Raiser became the World Bank’s Vice President for the South Asia Region on July 1, 2022.

As the Regional Vice President for South Asia, Mr. Raiser manages Bank relations with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and oversees a portfolio of projects, technical assistance, and financial resources worth almost US$55 billion.

Before joining the region, Mr. Raiser was the World Bank’s Country Director for China and Mongolia, and Director for Korea since March 1, 2019. He led a team that managed an evolving partnership with China, a growing program of support to Mongolia, and a deepening knowledge partnership with Korea focused on innovation and technology.

Mr. Raiser holds a doctorate degree in Economics (summa cum laude) from the University of Kiel, Germany, and degrees in Economics and Economic History from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences. Mr. Raiser worked for the Kiel Institute of World Economics and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, where he was Director of Country Strategy and Editor of the Transition Report. Since joining the World Bank in 2003, Mr. Raiser held positions as the Country Manager in Uzbekistan, Country Director for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, Country Director for Turkey, and Country Director for Brazil.

Mr. Raiser, a German national, is married and has four children. He has published numerous articles in refereed economic journals and authored several books.

Mr. Rajani Ranjan Rashmi
Distinguished Felloe,
The Energy and Resources Institute

Curriculum Vitae of Rajani Ranjan Rashmi (Mr)

Mr. R. R. Rashmi is Distinguished Fellow at the Energy and Resources Institute, Delhi where he works on climate change policy, low emission growth and carbon market issues.

Mr Rashmi is a senior retired IAS officer of 1983 batch from Manipur Cadre with over 35 years’ experience of public service. He held the position of Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India and later the Chief Secretary, Govt of Manipur. He was India’s key climate negotiator for several years and was involved with climate change policy making in the run up to the Paris Agreement.

Mr Rashmi is a member of the national steering committee on carbon markets and the Technical Advisory Body of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on CORSIA. He is also part of the Environment Advisory Group of the National Human Rights Commission.

Dr. Julie Reviere
Country Director,
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

Professional Summary

Working as Country Director for GIZ India, leading a portfolio of €64 million and overseeing cross-sectoral initiatives with 550+ employees since 2018. Served as both Country Director and Education Program Director in GIZ Pakistan, managing 400 staff and €85 million in projects focusing on education and multi-donor programs from 2008 – 2017. Also led a €4 million education assistance program in GIZ Mozambique, working closely with the Ministry of Education and representing German development cooperation in policy discussions from 2002 to 2008. Directed education sector projects, helping shape national policies and building capacities for local educational institutions in Cape Verde from 1997 – 1999.

Leadership experience

With over three decades of international experience, this professional has excelled in leadership roles, particularly in developing education programs and managing multi-million-euro portfolios for GIZ. Their work spans across continents, including Africa, South Asia, and South America, where they have contributed to key reforms in education and development policies.

Serving as a Country Director in GIZ India, Pakistan since 2015 plus as an Education Director in Pakistan and Mozambique with thirteen years of experience and as Advisor to Ministry of Education, Mozambique as well. Directed cross-sectoral initiatives like the Just Energy Transition and Corporate Health Management, aligning with India's development priorities. Played a key role in the digitization and modernization of GIZ's country offices, enhancing operational efficiency in India. Championed cross-cutting initiatives during the COVID-19 crisis, developing coping mechanisms and health management strategies for GIZ staff in India. Spearheaded the recruitment and expansion of GIZ teams, growing the staff in Pakistan by over 100 professionals. Led multi-donor and co-financed projects in Pakistan, overseeing a budget of €85 million and expanding GIZ's operations across the country. Directed efforts to navigate and implement risk management strategies, ensuring safety and project continuity in challenging environments like Pakistan and Mozambique. Coordinating efforts to implement education reform strategies, initiating donor coordination to develop an education sector program and developing and implementing nationwide training programs for teachers, teacher supervisors and school principals, including publication of relevant documents in GIZ, Cape Verde.

Other Work Experience

• American Collegiate Institute, Turkey (1993-1996)
• Worked as Head for Foreign Languages, Dept. for Physical Education, Athletic Director, Teacher of English and German
• Cochabamba Cooperative School, Cochabamba, Bolivia (1992-1993)
• Teacher of Language Arts and English (Grades 7-12); Coordinator for International Projects
• Alvin High School, Alvin, Texas (1990-1992)
• Teacher of English; Head Coach Varsity Soccer; Volleyball, Track and Cross-Country Coach
• Baker Jr. High School, La Porte, Texas (1989-1990)
• Teacher of Language Arts; Basketball, Cross Country and Track Coach
• Cypress Creek High School, Houston, Texas (1988-1989)
• Exchange program of the Berlin Senate: Teacher of English; Head
• Coach Varsity Soccer and Softball
• Beyen International Data Service, Düsseldorf (Germany), Miami, Niagara Falls (USA)
• (1986-1988)
• Sales and Marketing Director. Responsible for acquisition of contracts and contact to clients representing HQs of Samsung, Sony, Mitsubishi, Yamaha and others in Southeast Asia
• Konrad-Adenauer-Gymnasium (Senior High School), Langenfeld, Germany (1984-1985) and Johann-Gutenberg-Realschule (Junior High School), Langenfeld, Germany (1983-1984)
• Student teacher of English (ESL) and Physical Education
• Rhein-Sieg-Volkshochschule (Junior College), Siegburg, Germany
• Teacher of English (ESL)

Education

1992-1997                   Ph.D. in Multicultural/International Education: Gesamthochschule-Universität Paderborn, Germany

1990-1991                   Texas Teacher Certification, Secondary: English, Physical Education

and German: Houston Baptist University, Houston, USA

1983-1985                   Master’s Degree in Education, with majors in English and Physical

Education, minors in Sociology and Psychology: German Teacher’s

Certificate, Gesamtseminar Düsseldorf, Germany

1977-1981                   Bachelor’s degree in Education: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany

Publications

2004                            Education For All – Leaving Poverty Behind. Frankfurt

2002                            Qualitätssteigerung durch Partizipatives Planen und Monitoring in

der Grundbildung: ein Beispiel aus Kap Verde. Cape Verde

2001                            Strategies and Experiences of Pro-Ensino. Editor. Cape Verde

1999                            Pro-Ensino, Respondendo aos Desafios Educacionais? Co-author and

Editor. Cape Verde

1998                            Cooperação Entre FOPESCA e Pro-Ensino. Cape Verde

1998                            Interkulturelles Lernen in der Schule. In: Lernen und Lehren für

Europa. Frankfurt

1998                            Ziele und Ansätze Interkulturellen Lernens in der Schule. Frankfurt

1995                            Great Scores for Cultural Event. The International Educator,

Cummaquid, MA, USA

Personal

Married, 3 children (41, 39 and 32 years old)

Languages:     Fluent in English, German, and Portuguese

Proficient in French and Spanish  

Competent in Urdu/Hindi and Cape Verdean Criolu

Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar
H.E. the Secretary General of SAARC,
The Secretariat of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

Secretary General:

Ambassador Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar, a Senior Diplomat from Bangladesh, joined the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu, Nepal, as the fifteenth Secretary General of the Association on 25 October 2023.

Having joined Bangladesh Civil Service (Foreign Affairs) in 1991, he has served extensively in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh, in different capacities at home and Bangladesh Diplomatic Missions abroad. Holding the rank of a Substantive Secretary to the Government of Bangladesh, Ambassador Sarwar served as the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia (November 2020-September 2023), prior to his current assignment as the Secretary General of SAARC.

He has served as the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Sultanate of Oman (August 2017- November 2020) and Ambassador of Bangladesh to Sweden, with concurrently accredited to Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland (October 2013-August 2017). He was also Consul General of Bangladesh to Jeddah with consular, trade and cultural jurisdictions on the Western Region of Saudi Arabia (2008-2010).

In his previous diplomatic assignments, Mr. Sarwar was posted to the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington D. C. U.S.A. as Counsellor (2005-2006) and Minister (2006- 2008); High Commission of Bangladesh in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as First Secretary (1997-2000); Embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu, Nepal as First Secretary/Counsellor (2000-2002); and Embassy of Bangladesh in Yangon, Myanmar as Second Secretary (1996-1997).

He has also served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh as an Assistant Secretary (1991-1996), as Director/Deputy Chief of Protocol (2002-2005) and as Director General (2010-2013).

In his long diplomatic career, Ambassador Sarwar also represented Bangladesh on numerous occasions in various Regional and International Organizations.

Education:

Md. Golam Sarwar has obtained the degree of Master of Commerce/Business from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has also completed Professional Article Studentship with a leading Chartered Accountants and Management Consultant Firm under the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh-ICAB (1987-1991).

Professional trainings:

He has also successfully completed overseas trainings: Advance Course on Diplomacy in Berlin, Germany with scholarship from the German Foundation for International Development (1995) and Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA), Washington, DC, U.S.A. (2004). Among the local professional trainings, he attended Civil Services Foundation Course in the Bangladesh Public Administrative Training Centre (BPATC) in Savar, Dhaka (1993) and Foreign Service Training Course in Bangladesh Civil Services Academy in Dhaka (1992).

Personal information:

Mr. Sarwar is married to Ms. Taslima and blessed with two sons. He has interest in travelling, sports and global migrant workers’ affairs.

Mr. Sanjay Seth
Senior Director - Sustainable Infrastructure Programme,
The Energy and Resources Institute

Mr. Sanjay Seth is the Senior Director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Programme at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), where his work covers range of activities from City to Building Level interventions which encompasses policy analysis, sustainable urban planning, sustainable transportation and low-carbon transportation initiatives.

Mr. Sanjay Seth is also the Vice President & Chief Executive Officer of the GRIHA Council, which recognized as the ‘National Rating System for Green Buildings in India’ developed by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in support with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India.

His prior experience includes serving as Secretary for the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) within the Ministry of Power, Government of India, where he led the Building Energy Efficiency vertical.

Mr. Sanjay Seth also contributes his expertise as a ‘Member’ of various national & international committees, further reinforcing his leadership in the sustainable development & energy efficiency sectors.

Mr. Ajay Shankar
Distinguished Fellow,
TERI

Ajay Shankar is a Distinguished Fellow at TERI.

He has been writing extensively on the power sector, transition to renewables, and getting to net zero.

His opinion pieces have been appearing in the national newspapers. These have been in addition to in depth Teri Papers. The most recent one is a Policy Brief on Green Hydrogen

He had earlier served in government as an IAS officer and held some key positions with responsibilities for policy formulation and execution.

The major ones in the energy sector were:

The Electricity Act 2003 from conception to enactment to final notification of rules and policies,

Successful entry of the private sector into power generation through tariff based bidding,

The approval and design of the new National Rural Electrification Program which went on to provide electricity access to all households in India.

The design of the implementation strategy of the National Solar Mission.

Mr. Shombi Sharp
UN Resident Coordinator in India,
United Nations

Mr Shombi Sharp, a national of the United States of America, is the UN Resident Coordinator for India since November 2021. Mr. Sharp has devoted more than 25 years of his career to promoting inclusive and sustainable development internationally, bringing experience he has acquired at the United Nations and externally to this new position. Within the Organization, he most recently served as United Nations Resident Coordinator in Armenia, after holding several leadership positions at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he was Resident Representative in Armenia, Deputy Resident Representative in Georgia, Deputy Country Director in Lebanon, Regional HIV/AIDS Practice Team Leader for UNDP Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States in the Russian Federation, Programme Manager for the Western Balkans in New York and Assistant Resident Representative in the Russian Federation. Prior to joining the United Nations, Mr. Sharp began his career in development with the international non-profit CARE International in Zimbabwe. He is a published author of works in health economics and was a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) “Policy Champion” as well as a nominee for the UNDP Administrator’s Award. Mr. Sharp holds a postgraduate diploma in HIV/AIDS management from the National Medical University of South Africa and Stellenbosch University, in South Africa; a master’s degree in economics from the University of Colorado, in the United States; and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Kansas, United States. He is fluent in English and Russian.

Ms. Prachi Shevgaonkar
Founder & CEO,
Cool The Globe

Prachi Shevgaonkar the founder of Cool The Globe: An app for climate action with users from 147+ countries. She has been awarded by the finance minister of India as the ‘Young Change-maker of the year.'  Prachi leads the Next Generation India Fellowship by the UN Foundation and CEEW, facilitating the role of youth in solving global challenges. Prachi is serving as Climate Change Advisor to Tata Power and all its subsidiaries. She won a deal on Shark Tank India season 3 and was also selected in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia - Class of 2024. She has been featured by Google in a TV campaign inspired by her journey of building Cool The Globe App.   She is the youngest & first Indian Citizen to be appointed on the advisory board of Climate Leadership Coalition, along with the former Prime Minister of Finland. She has been mobilizing citizens to tackle climate change through technology, advocacy and grass-root action. 

Mr. Manoj Sinha
CEO,
Husk Power Systems

Manoj is the Co-Founder and CEO of Husk Power Systems – Manoj is the Co-Founder and CEO of Husk Power Systems – a pioneering rural utility that provides decentralised renewable energy to off-grid and underserved communities. He co-founded Husk Power Systems in 2008, which designs, installs and operates 100-1,000kW mini-power plants that provide affordable electricity to people in rural India, and Nigeria.

Manoj is currently leading a global team of 1,200 people spread across 400 minigrids assets. He is the first CEO in the world to build a minigrids company that became profitable in two countries in 2022. By 2025, he aims to provide affordable, renewable and reliable power to over one million people in rural areas of India and Africa. Manoj has raised equity and debt capital for the amount US $150 million from investors around the world.

In 2023, Manoj Sinha was named in the inaugural list of 100 Most Influential Business Leaders by the TIME magazine. Manoj won Life Time Achievement Award given by AFSIA in Brussels in 2022 and he was also included as one of the 100 Global Impact leaders. He serves on the board of CLEAN (a decentralized energy association in India) and is on the Advisory Council of Miller Center for social entrepreneurship. He holds seven U.S. patents.

Manoj completed his MBA from Darden GSB at University of Virginia, MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from University of Massachusetts Amherst and B.Tech from IIT Varanasi.

Prof. Jim Skea
Chair,
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Professor Sir Jim Skea was elected IPCC Chair for the Seventh Assessment cycle in July 2023. He was Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group III for the 6th Assessment Cycle. From 2009 to 2023, Jim Skea was Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London. He has research interests in energy, climate change and technological innovation. He was Research Director of the UK Energy Research Centre 2004-12 and Director of the Policy Studies Institute 1998-2004. He was a member of the UK Committee on Climate Change from 2008 until 2018, and Chair of Scotland’s Just Transition Commission from 2018 to 2023.

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan
Chairperson,
M S Swaminathan Research Foundation

Soumya Swaminathan, a renowned pediatrician and global expert in tuberculosis and HIV research, recently served as WHO's Chief Scientist and previously as Deputy Director-General for Programmes at ICMR. Returning to India, she assumed the role of Chairperson at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in February 2023.

With over 40 years of experience in clinical care and research, Dr. Swaminathan has dedicated her career to translating research into impactful health programs. She held prominent positions such as Secretary to the Government of India for Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (2015-2017). Her effort s focused on integrating science into health policy-making, enhancing research capabilities in Indian medical institutions, and fostering global partnerships in health sciences.

Dr. Swaminathan received her academic training in India, the UK, and the USA, and has authored over 480 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. She is a Fellow of the US National Academy of Medicine, the Academy of Medical Sciences (UK), and all major science academies in India. She holds honorary doctorates from prestigious institutions including Karolinska Institute, EPFL Lausanne, and the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. She serves on numerous national and global advisory boards, and holds adjunct professorships at Karolinska University (Sweden) and Tufts University (USA).

Currently, Dr. Swaminathan serves on the boards of Alliance Bioversity, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), FIND, Population Foundation of India, among others. She is a member of the Governing Council of the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission and chairs the Scientific Advisory Board of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

During her tenure as WHO's first Chief Scientist, Dr. Swaminathan established the Science Division focusing on research, quality assurance of norms and standards, and digital health. She played a pivotal role in coordinating global scientific efforts and was instrumental in setting up Covax to ensure equitable vaccine distribution to Low and Middle-Income Countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She is also the Principal Advisor to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. 

Prof. Petteri Taalas
Director General,
Finnish Meteorological Institute

Prof. Taalas is specialised in the climate change, disasters, water, change management/efficiency gains and the UN affairs. He was born in 1961, and he has a PhD in Meteorology from the University of Helsinki. Prof. Taalas has an extensive professional career both in scientific as well as in leadership positions in the field of Atmospheric Science. Prior to his 8-year term as the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva, he worked as the Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute for 11 years and he has returned to this position as of 1.1.2024.

He has wide experience on positions of trust in several national and international organizations (Member of the Climate Core Group of the UN Secretary-General, Chairman of the Board of European Meteorological Satellite Organization, Vice-Chair of the EC Atmospheric Science Panel, Delegate in the IPCC and Chairman of the National IPCC Committee of Finland), academia (e.g. the Chairman of the Board of the University of Eastern Finland), membership in national governmental bodies such as the Finnish Space Committee as well as in private sector (e.g. in the Board of Directors of Fortum energy company, Valio Food 2.0 programme Advisory Board).

Under his leadership, a historically comprehensive reform process was made at WMO to modernize its structures, partnerships as well as its role as the global authoritative voice in climate, disasters and water science. Taalas was nominated as the European of the year in 2021 by the Readers Digest, Ex-pat of the year by the Finland Society in 2019, Alumni of the year of Helsinki University in 2012 and the Friend of UN in 2022.

Ms. Mansi Madan Tripathy
Vice President & Country Chair, India,
Shell India Markets Pvt Ltd

Mansi is an accomplished business leader with over 25 years of extensive experience across various industries, business models, and markets. As Chairperson of the Shell group of companies in India,  Mansi overseas Shell's largest footprint globally with 13,000 employees and a turnover of $3  Billion in the country. Additionally, she is also responsible for managing a portfolio of $2.5 billion, 9 Blending Plants, and 1500+ employees in her role as Vice President for Shell Lubricants, Asia Pacific.

Mansi is actively engaged in co-creating pathways towards decarbonization and has a remarkable track record of building brands, growing profitable market share and nurturing talent.
As an exemplary leader, Mansi's contribution has also been recognized by the industry. This includes the Executive of the Year award at the Singapore Business Review Management Excellence Awards in 2022 and the Woman of the Decade award for Innovation and Enterprise at the Women Economic Forum (WEF) in 2018. She has served as a jury member of various international awards and has been a speaker and panelist for various reputed events.
 

Ms. Dechen Tsering
Regional Director,
United Nations Environment Programme

Ms. Dechen Tsering is serving as Director, a.i. of UNEP’s Climate Change Division and Director, Regional Office of Asia Pacific. She has held management positions with the UN and has over 33 years of experience in national government and intergovernmental organizations. She has been actively involved in intergovernmental negotiations as a key negotiator for least developed countries and contributed to the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Green Climate Fund. She also has experience in the management of complex development projects.

In 2017, Ms. Tsering was appointed as UNEP’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. Prior to that post, she served as Director of the Finance, Technology and Capacity-Building Programme of the UNFCCC secretariat. In that position, she supported international cooperation on mobilization of finance, technology development and transfer and capacity building to enable countries to take enhanced action on climate change.

Mr. Arne Walther
Ambassador,
Walther International Consulting

Ambassador Arne Walther is currently an independent adviser on government relations, geopolitics and international energy affairs. A former Norwegian diplomat, he has served as Ambassador to India, Japan, Austria and the UN Organizations in Vienna.  He has been Chairman of the Governing Board of the International Energy Agency (Paris) and was the founding Secretary General of the International Energy Forum (Riyadh). He has served as Special Adviser on International Affairs for former Norwegian Prime Minister Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland.

    Ambassador Walther is a member of the International Steering Committee for TERIs World Sustainable Development Summit