ArtSparks Program Team
Meet our dedicated and passionate team who are working tirelessly to spark the change! If you'd like to join us, please check our vacancies here.
Nisha Nair
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Nisha Nair is an educator, education researcher, and designer who is committed to elevating the position of art and design as mediums for pedagogy and transformation, both individual and social. Over two decades, her tenure in education, both in the US and India, has involved advancing the role of visual art and design in developing the whole child, building more inclusive learning environments, promoting the development of 21st century learning and life skills, and investing in the transformative development of teachers. It is these experiences and passions that led her to start ArtSparks Foundation. Nisha has taught courses in art and community engagement at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is also the author of Art Sparks: Ideas. Methods. Process. published by Tara Books. Prior to education, Nisha spent 8 years as a multi-award winning designer meeting the branding and design needs of diverse clients from the Smithsonian Institutions, to NASA, and more.
Doctor of Education/EdD (ongoing) - Teachers College, Columbia University MA - Teachers College, Columbia University BFA - Savannah College of Art & Design |
Anuradha Parthasarathy
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Anuradha is involved in all things professional development at ArtSparks. She serves as a key part of the induction training process for new team members. Mentoring and capacity building Program Managers in particular, Anu has worked to support their ongoing growth and development in the domain of art education. Anu also coordinates and executes ArtSparks’ professional learning offerings, working closely with the Manager of the Professional Learning program. She also serves as one of the facilitators of ArtSparks' EdSparks Collective program, having played a critical role in the program's development. A passionate art educator, committed to advocating for the arts and building wider and deeper awareness about how the visual arts can develop 21st century learning and life skills in children from diverse backgrounds, Anu has also worked directly with children, providing robust art education opportunities for them. She herself is an avid painter and photographer.
Prior to her work at ArtSparks, Anu worked for several years, both in India and the US, in different capacities: conducting art classes for children within her local community; working with schools teachers and administrators to usher innovative practices in teaching and learning; serving as a product designer; setting up and running, as director and partner, a business to support traditional craft practices in India; working as a web designer & developer in the US. Her commitment to advocacy around the arts in education is what leads her now to her work in professionally developing adults—teachers, educators, nonprofit administrators—in the domain of art education. MA - Colorado Technical University BA - University of Madras |
Saagarika Chatterji Program Operations & Development Lead |
Saagarika brings a rare blend of grassroots experience, artistic passion, and strategic leadership to her role as Program Operations & Development Lead at ArtSparks Foundation. Her journey within the social sector began on the ground working directly with children as a facilitator. This hands-on work shaped her deep understanding of children's needs and the transformative power of creative education. Driven by a belief in building collective capacity, she soon transitioned to supporting and training other facilitators, designing and delivering capacity-building sessions to strengthen facilitation practice. Her impact expanded further as she began leading sensitization sessions for adults on critical issues such as child rights and child protection, advocating for safe inclusive learning environments. Her growing expertise in educator development led her to steer ArtSparks' professional learning and development program, an initiative she helped shape into a thriving community of practice. Fueled by her long-standing involvement with visual art, she has ensured that creativity remains at the core of educator development, fostering critical thinking, empathy, and reflective practice. In her current role as Director of Programs, Saagarika leads with vision and care, mentoring high-performing teams, guiding program strategy, and ensuring that all initiatives align with ArtSparks' mission and growth goals. With a foundation in psychology and social work, Saagariks is deeply committed to advancing child-centered causes, driven by the belief that children are the key to building a more just, compassionate, and hopeful future
MSW - Christ University BA - Christ Unniversity |
Nagarathna D
Training & Development Associate |
A former school teacher, Nagarathna often dreamed of an educational system where all teachers would leave behind the rote methods of teaching that she often observed, and like her, embrace more hands-on, experiential, and inquiry-based methods to facilitate deep and meaningful student learning. Her passion for alternative education, and her deep interest in the arts, led her to join ArtSparks Foundation as a Facilitator.
Nagarathna’s exceptionally thoughtful work with students within her Creative Learning Lab, for the past 8 years, has won her the respect of all of ArtSparks’ Facilitators, whose development she has long been supporting. In the role of Training & Development Associate, a key aspect of her responsibilities lies in the continuous development of ArtSparks’ CLL Facilitators, identifying and filling gaps in their practice, empowering them for success, and supporting their growth. Addressing these aspects, in turn, has a profound impact on the children the facilitators engage with. Nagarathna’s work also intersects with the Professional Learning & Development Program at ArtSparks. |
Shilpa Tripathy
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Shilpa is the Program Manager for Partnerships & Outreach at ArtSparks Foundation. In this capacity, she leads strategic efforts to build and strengthen collaborations with schools, institutions, and government bodies, ensuring the widespread implementation of ArtSparks’ programs and resources. She also oversees the monitoring and evaluation processes across partner engagements to maintain quality and ensure meaningful impact on children’s learning experiences.
Shilpa brings a diverse professional background, having spent several years in the IT sector before transitioning into the education space as a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and art facilitator. Her deep passion for the arts and education continues to shape and inspire her work. Outside of ArtSparks, she enjoys painting, writing Hindi poetry, volunteering at community events, and conducting social awareness classes for migrant children. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Technology. |
Varsha Kumar
Program Manager, Creative Learning Labs |
Varsha Kumar manages nine Creative Learning Labs across Bangalore at ArtSparks Foundation. She works with facilitators and the program team to design and implement best practices that integrate pedagogy, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) to ensure program quality and impact. Previously, she worked with Grama Panchayat librarians across Karnataka through the Karnataka Panchayat Raj to strengthen library programs and build local capacity. Varsha holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology and has experience in teaching, training, and private practice. Her background informs her approach to building effective, sustainable systems that support long-term community growth. She is dedicated to unlocking the potential within educational ecosystems and driving lasting change.
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Vidya Iyer
Program Manager, Professional Learning and Development |
Vidya manages the Professional Learning & Development Program at ArtSparks Foundation. She works with educators and organizations to build understanding around the role of art in education. She organizes the annual EdSparks Collective and supports partner organizations year-round through Community of Practices, helping them implement meaningful art interventions within their own contexts.
Prior to joining ArtSparks, Vidya worked with children in diverse roles; as a facilitator, assistant teacher, and program coordinator, across both formal classrooms and community-based learning spaces. Her experiences span environmental education, art-based facilitation, and early childhood education. With a background in wildlife biology, Vidya’s transition into education was shaped by an interest in working more closely with young learners. She previously volunteered with ArtSparks, working with children and supporting classroom initiatives through art-based interventions. Over time, and especially after becoming a parent, Vidya grew interested in supporting adults in education. She is now focused on understanding adult learning practices to better support others in deepening their impact. When not keeping up with her daughter’s curious “why” questions, Vidya enjoys tending to her wild terrace garden, people-watching, and taking slow walks. Dip. PG in Early Childhood Education, Azim Premji University MSc in Wildlife Biology, Bharathidasan University |
Swastika Dasgupta
Communications & Outreach Associate |
Swastika Dasgupta is the Communications & Outreach Associate, building and amplifying the voice of ArtSparks through various channels.
She has previously worked as a Programme Assistant at Ranga Shankara, Bengaluru, and also holds experience as an Associate Account Manager at Mad About Digital, Bengaluru. Emerging from her Liberal Arts background, Swastika wants to grow in the Arts & Culture sector, keen to explore the potential of Arts to enable community building and integrate art-informed approaches in societal thinking. She is also an actor and theatre artist, keen to explore the intersections of research and performance. B.A. Liberal Arts- International Relations & Anthropology Diploma in Acting |
Asha Ravikumar
Program Associate |
Asha works as a Program Associate at ArtSparks Foundation, where she oversees administrative operations and supports the smooth implementation of various in-house programs. She plays a key role in the logistical management of the Creative Learning Lab facilitators, ensuring the program runs efficiently.
With over eight years of hands-on experience working as an ArtSparks facilitator, she works with empathy and field awareness. Outside of work, Asha is an avid reader who enjoys spending her spare time exploring books that inspire her personally and professionally. She holds a 2nd PUC from BMS College. |
Trustee
Raj "RR" is a Coach for CXOs and CEOs from diverse industrial sectors, both large Indian and MNCs. He is also a consultant to businesses on ‘HR Strategy’ and ‘Leadership and Organization Development’. He serves on the Boards of a few companies as an Independent Director. He holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Psychology from University of Kerala. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur where he obtained his post masters’ diploma in Industrial Management, he was also trained by Tavistok School of Human Relations’ faculty in the UK in individual and group development processes. He served the Unilever Group of companies for over three decades and held several positions including as CHRO. And towards the closure of his long innings, he served as Coach for Board level leaders, and OD Advisor for HUL and Unilever’s Regional Business Group, Singapore.
While in Unilever London where he was seconded earlier in his career, he was trained by Hay Mcber as a Leadership Coach. He is an alumnus of Stanford and Michigan Universities through their management education programs. He has also served on the Academic Council of Tata Management Training Centre Pune, Lowe Lintas’s Centre for Executive Education, HR Technical Committee of Reserve Bank of India, and Confederation of Indian Industry’s National HR Council. He has actively associated himself with the HR and leadership development space in the country. He has been associated with ISB’s prestigious LSTM program as a Leadership Coach for over a decade. He was chosen by NHRD Network for the National Award for outstanding contribution to the HR function. He was also conferred the Life-Time Achievement Award by CNBC-KPMG. Coaching Foundation India, in recognition of his exemplary lifetime achievement in facilitating the growth of human potential as a Coach & mentor, admitted him as Honorary Fellow. He has co-edited a publication entitled “Managing Transition”.
While in Unilever London where he was seconded earlier in his career, he was trained by Hay Mcber as a Leadership Coach. He is an alumnus of Stanford and Michigan Universities through their management education programs. He has also served on the Academic Council of Tata Management Training Centre Pune, Lowe Lintas’s Centre for Executive Education, HR Technical Committee of Reserve Bank of India, and Confederation of Indian Industry’s National HR Council. He has actively associated himself with the HR and leadership development space in the country. He has been associated with ISB’s prestigious LSTM program as a Leadership Coach for over a decade. He was chosen by NHRD Network for the National Award for outstanding contribution to the HR function. He was also conferred the Life-Time Achievement Award by CNBC-KPMG. Coaching Foundation India, in recognition of his exemplary lifetime achievement in facilitating the growth of human potential as a Coach & mentor, admitted him as Honorary Fellow. He has co-edited a publication entitled “Managing Transition”.
Secretary
Salil Punoose
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