The people behind NPoC

Samad started his development sector work as a resource person in Tamil Nadu. Later, during the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship, he worked closely with the Kasaragod district administration and encountered development work across a range of sectors. Seeing how policy plays out on the ground sparked his fascination with the gap between good ideas and their execution.

At NPoC, Samad is the person who makes things happen. He leads our field teams and works across project management, legal and finance, often moving to whatever the organisation needs next. He brings a hands-on, get-it-done approach to our work, with a particular interest in making development programmes work better on the ground.

Outside NPoC, Samad is an avid student of Indian history and a follower of Stoic philosophy. He enjoys reading, travelling and, generally, figuring out how to get things done.

Anand ventured into the development sector through his stint in Kerala’s skill training ecosystem. Later, during the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship, he worked closely on tribal development and education policy. This gave him a close-up view of how policy decisions, institutions and local realities come together, and sparked in him a deeper interest in understanding how public systems can create better opportunities for people.

At NPoC, Anand leads our advocacy vertical. He turns ideas into courses, comics, podcasts and more, exploring issues ranging from urbanisation to education. The questions that interest him most are those around institutions, opportunity, education and how cities shape people’s lives.

Away from work, Anand loves travelling, photography and exploring new cities.

An academic background in Development Studies laid the theoretical foundations for Biyas’ interest in public policy. It became a practical endeavour through his immersive field experience as a Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow in Idukki district.

At NPoC, Biyas’ interests include higher education, impact evaluation and policy research. Away from work, Biyas passionately follows cricket, cinema and Indian melodies.

Javed began his public policy journey as a Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow, working with the Ernakulam district administration on district skill development policy. His work there included developing skilling initiatives for the elderly and persons with disabilities, and helping bring several projects to life.

At NPoC, Javed heads our operations and works across communication, outreach, partnerships, business development and project leadership. He is deeply involved in almost everything we do, from taking our work out into the world to making sure things actually happen within the organisation. His close attention to Kerala politics also means there is rarely a political development in the state that escapes his notice.

Outside NPoC, Javed spends his time thinking and reading about politics, and experimenting with food and nutrition. And, judging by the amount of time he spends at NPoC, perhaps not much else.

Sonal came to public policy from the IT sector and from his work with Afghan refugees in Delhi. Working closely with people from very different backgrounds, and diving deep into Indian history and society, made him curious about the forces that shape people’s lives. This eventually led him to the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship.

At NPoC, he leads our work on impact evaluation and MEL, while also contributing to the organisation’s research and advocacy through writing and podcasting on economics, politics and society. The questions that interest him most are those around freedom, liberty, economic growth, identity and society.

Outside NPoC, Sonal loves travelling, cooking, making music or reading about 20th-century totalitarianism, and quietly dreaming of a career in poker.

Aaron spent a decade in the corporate world, working with companies including Godrej and Schindler, before moving into the development sector.

At NPoC, Aaron leads our partnerships, spending much of his time in meetings, building relationships and figuring out how we can help turn ideas into action. He is rarely bothered by geography or the clock: if a project needs something done, he is perfectly capable of picking up his bag late at night and heading out to meet them.

Long before public policy, Aaron was one of Kerala’s most celebrated school-level athletes. Today, he channels that same energy into his work, alongside a keen interest in Kerala politics and a habit of keeping up with the people and forces shaping the state.

Away from work, Aaron loves travelling and is usually the one keeping everyone laughing.

Johan’s interest in public policy began with a fascination for the Midday Meal Scheme and grew into a larger curiosity about how policy can shape people’s lives. With an academic background in Economics, he found himself drawn deeper into the questions behind the numbers: how economies work, why outcomes differ, and what the evidence tells us about the world around us.

At NPoC, Johan works across our research vertical, from impact evaluations and research studies to economic analysis and data. He has a habit of going down rabbit holes until he finds an answer, and is happiest when he can get properly obsessed with a question.

Outside NPoC, Johan is interested in cultural discourse: how ideas are shaped, how they spread, and how they influence the way people see the world. He is a film buff and is always up for a good conversation, whether meaningful or mundane.