Tania Ray Bhattacharya (Ph.D)
Founder CEO
Tania Ray Bhattacharya is the Founder CEO of The Celestial Earth- a well-known research and consulting organisation in the field of energy, environment, ecosystem and sustainable development, based in India. Tania is an expert in the area of ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation policies and financing and urban environment and sustainable development and has experiences in these fields for more than fifteen years. Tania holds her PhD in Environment Management from Yokohama National University, Japan and MBA from Indian Institute of Advanced Management and Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Calcutta. Also, Tania holds professional certificate from Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics(ICTP) in modelling tools for sustainable development in climate, land use, energy and water systems Nexus modelling. She has research and consulting experiences with various international and multilateral organizations like The World Bank, European Commission, GIZ, United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies (Yokohama), Institute of Global Environment Strategy (Japan), Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (Jakarta) and so on. She is a member of Indian Society of Ecological Economics. Tania has number of international journal and book publications mainly in the field of ecosystem and biodiversity policies. Tania has been recognised as one of the most successful female entrepreneur in the south Asian region in the field of research in Sustainable Development by World Bank in November 2020, and The Celestial Earth got featured in the South Asia Vendor Forum for Woman-Owned Business by The World Bank.
Anindya Bhattacharya (Ph.D)
Executive Director
Anindya has more than fifteen years of international experience in the area of energy and natural resource economics, policy, planning and financing. Anindya is specialized in energy systems modeling and macroeconomic impact assessment using different modelling tools like TIMES MARKAL, MESSAGE and CGE. His areas of research also include energy, water and land use nexus in the context of climate change and impacts on Human Development. Anindya has been involved with various regional institutes and organization including ASEAN, East Asia Summit (EAS), SAARC and GMS to conduct and assess various regional energy planning and policies and impact assessments including climate change and narrowing developmental gaps. He is also closely associated with the NITI Aayog, GoI in developing national and sub-national energy planning model (IESS 2047). He is also the pioneer of developing the State level natural resource pathway calculator implemented in Odisha. Anindya obtained his PhD in Energy Economics and Science from Kyoto University, Japan, MS in Applied Economics (Major in Resource Economics) from West Virginia University, USA and an MBA in Public System Management from University of Calcutta, India. He is currently the Guest Research Scholar at International Institute for Advanced Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Vienna and he was also Fellow at Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) in Japan. Anindya was also Working Group member of Energy Market Integration Task Force under East Asia Summit (EAS) for five years. Anindya has more than twenty international peer reviewed publication in energy and environmental economics and policy.
Prof. Tetsuo Tezuka
Advisor, Energy
Tetsuo Tezuka is the Professor of Graduate School of Energy Science of Kyoto University. He has more than thirty years of research and teaching experience in the field of energy policy and economics in Japan and in the Asia Pacific region. His research interests include modeling, analysis and designing of energy supply and demand. He publishes regularly in various international and Japanese peer reviewed journals. He is also holding various important positions in Japan including Japan Society of Energy and Resources (Editorial Board member), Applied Energy (Editorial Board member); The Japan Institute of Energy (Chair of Working Group for Fusion of Disciplines in Energy Study); International Association for Energy Economics, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan;, Japan Society for Simulation Technology, Kyoto Energy-Environmental Research Association; and Symbio Community Forum (Board Member). Prof. Tezuka holds the Doctoral Degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Tokyo.
Prof. Shunsuke Managi
Advisor, Environmental Economics
Shunsuke Managi is the Distinguished Professor of Technology and Policy and Director of Urban Institute of Kyushu University . He is an editor of Environmental Economic and Policy Studies and on the editorial board of Resource and Energy Economics, a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and is the author of “Technology, Natural Resources and Economic Growth: Improving the Environment for a Greener Future”, published by Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd in 2011. He is the author of 12 books and 100 academic journal papers. He has published in peer reviewed journals such as Global Environmental Change, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Land Economics, Environmental and Resource Economics, Journal of Regulatory Economics, Resource and Energy Economics, The Energy Journal, International Journal of Production Economics, Omega, Energy Economics, Environment and Development Economics, Ecological Economics, Economic Modelling, Agricultural Economics, Journal of Industrial Ecology, Energy Policy, and Physica A. IDEAS/RePEc ranks him among the top 40 young economists in the world and top in Asia (10 years or less), as of March 2012.
Prof. Pradyot Ranjan Jena
Advisor, Agricultural & Resource Economist
Pradyot Ranjan Jena is an Indian economist with a Ph.D. in Economics from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and an M.Phil. in Economics from the University of Hyderabad. He has also taught at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Karnataka, where he taught BTech, MTech, MBA, and PhD students. Jena has experience in agriculture and development, particularly in maize and wheat enhancing technologies. He has worked on poverty and hunger eradication in Sub-Saharan Africa through innovative agricultural technologies. He has also held senior research positions at the Institute for Environmental Economics and World Trade (IUW) in Germany, teaching Master level and undergraduate courses, developing independent projects, raising funding, and empirically analyzing primary data. Jena has conducted several projects, including the Impact of Soil Health Card Scheme on Productivity and Income of Farmers in Eastern India, Adaptation of Climate Smart Agriculture Practices, Moving towards Climate Resilient Agriculture, Coffee Certification and Food Security, and Assessing the Economic Impacts of Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN). He has also studied the economic impacts of forest coffee certification schemes on socioeconomic sustainability and the socioeconomic benefits of Geographic Indications (GIs) in Basmati Rice in India. Jena has taught courses in Macroeconomic Theory and Policy, Development Economics, Agricultural Economics, Econometrics and Data Analytics, and Resource Economics.
Dr. Jayanta Basu
Advisor, Environment & Sustainability
Dr. Jayanta Basu is an eminent environmentalist, climate expert, academician, and one of India’s leading environment and climate communication specialists, with over two decades of experience across research, policy, media, and grassroots action. He holds a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Calcutta, with a doctoral focus on urban environmental vulnerability and climate change–linked health risks in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area. Dr. Basu serves as a visiting faculty member in the Departments of Environmental Science and Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Calcutta, where he has taught for over fifteen years. He is the founder director of EnGIO (Environment Governed Integrated Organisation), a nonprofit that has collaborated with national and international institutions, including the World Bank, UNICEF, DFID, ICLEI, WWF, and the Government of West Bengal, on climate action planning, disaster resilience, urban health, and environmental governance. A veteran climate journalist, Dr. Basu is an environment correspondent and columnist for leading media platforms such as The Telegraph, ABP, Down To Earth, The Third Pole, and Climate Channel (Canada). He has covered all UN Climate COPs since 2009 and has played a pivotal role in India–Bangladesh transboundary cooperation on Sundarbans conservation, including leading the development of the world’s first Media Communication Strategy for the Transboundary Sundarbans.
Jigyasa Gambhir
Senior Research Associate
Jigyasa has done bachelors in Life Sciences from Kalindi College, University of Delhi. She has completed her Masters in Natural Resources Management from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU). During her masters she has worked on preparing revised state action plan on climate change for Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh at IORA Ecological Solutions Pvt. Ltd. She is a research associate at The Celestial Earth in the environment and climate change division and is responsible for supporting various research projects.
Dipti Agarwal
Human Resource & Admin
Dipti is born in Guwahati, Assam India, 1992. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Gauhati and a Master's degree in Human Resourse from Sikkim Manipal University. She has a total eight years of work experience. During her school days, she qualified for the national level in volleyball. She has joined The Celestial Earth as a Senior HR & Admin.
Bhartendra Kumar
GIS Engineer
Bhartendra Kumar is an M.Tech graduate in Remote Sensing and GIS from IIRS Dehradun, with one year of experience working on a machine learning and deep learning-based ISRO project. He specializes in greenhouse gas modeling, air pollution assessment, and Web GIS. His expertise also includes Power BI, WRF-GHG, and satellite data processing. Bhartendra combines technical proficiency with advanced geospatial analytics to develop innovative environmental solutions.
Ishita Rathore
Research Associate
Ishita Rathore is a gold medalist in her Bachelor’s degree in Zoology (Honours) and has recently completed her Master’s in Environmental Science and Resource Management from the TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi. She also holds a PG Diploma in Environmental Law and Policy. Ishita has interned with IISE-Tirupati, WWF-India, and Wetlands International South Asia. Her dissertation, completed under Wetlands International South Asia, focused on assessing the status of ecosystem services of wetlands in the Konkan belt of Maharashtra.
Dr. Trina Som - Celestial Earth Development Council
Senior Research Fellow
Dr. Trina Som is a Senior Researcher in energy modelling and power systems, who formerly had a career in academic research and electrical engineering education. She has been an energy consultant at IRADe, Delhi. She also was an associate professor in Indraprastha University and taught on Electrical Engineering. She received her Ph.D. and M.E. in power engineering from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, has bachelor degree from Siksha-o-Anusandhan University. Her research work on electrical engineering of distributed energy resource systems and soft-computing based optimization algorithms has been published as journal articles and conference proceedings by organizations and publishers such as IEEE, IET and Elsevier.
Sayanee Das - Celestial Earth Development Council
Senior Environment Project Coordinator
Sayanee has done MBA-PS in Environment Management from IISWBM, Kolkata & PG Diploma in GIS & Remote Sensing from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. She actively started career since 2017, from The Celestial Earth itself, as a Research Associate and later as an Expert: Climate Change Mitigation. She has participated on projects of TCE such as- Developing Investment Plans For SAPCCs Of Punjab And Telangana, Updation of IESS 2047 Version 2.2, Health Impact Module for IESS 2047, Climate Resilient Sustainable Urban Development in India etc. Presently she has joined back CEDC as a Project Coordinator. Additionally, she has nearly 4 years of experience in the GIS and Mapping industry.
Ravikant Namdev
Full Stack Developer
Ravikant Namdev is an enthusiastic Python Full Stack Developer with strong expertise in Flask, React JS, MySQL, Pandas, NumPy, and PyPSA. He is experienced in building scalable web applications, energy network optimization tools, and interactive dashboards. He is skilled in secure authentication systems, modular architecture, and data visualization, and has strong communication skills with the ability to deliver end-to-end solutions.
Suvhanki Shome - Celestial Earth Development Council
Research Intern
Suvhanki Shome is a Research Intern at The Celestial Earth, working at the intersection of climate resilience, water resources, and sustainability research. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies and Resource Management from TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, and a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Loreto College, University of Calcutta. She brings hands-on research experience through internships across leading institutions including NITI Aayog, TERI, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (MoEFCC), and Presidency University. Her work spans hydrological and watershed assessments, biodiversity conservation, environmental policy research, and socio-environmental field studies. She is driven by a strong interest in translating environmental research into practical, community-focused solutions that support climate resilience and sustainable development.
Sanghamitra Das Mondal
Program Coordinator: Europe
Ms. Sanghamitra Das Mondal holds Post-Graduation in Environment Management from IISWBM, India. She has worked in QMC as a consultant for planning & execution of corporate environment management programs as well as implementation of ISO 9000 and 14000 standards in large industrial corporations. Certified as an Internal auditor, Sanghamitra has also worked in the area of employee health and safety, hazardous waste management, industrial emission control etc. Also, Sanghamitra has significant work experience in Data Security & Privacy and Business Continuity Planning for critical business areas in a global organization.
Audrija Bhattacharya
Project Contact and Coordinator: London, United Kingdom
Audrija Bhattacharya is an emerging scholar in Economics and Economic History from the London School of Economics (LSE). With a strong academic foundation and a consistent record of excellence, she demonstrates strong analytical ability, academic discipline, and leadership potential, as reflected previously in her scholastic performance and engagement in institutional responsibilities. Her academic orientation combines theoretical economics, quantitative reasoning, and historically grounded economic analysis, enabling her to approach contemporary economic and development issues with depth and contextual understanding. She is also an Economic and Monetary Policy Research Analyst in the LSESU Central Banking Society, and an Editor of the LSE Knowles Review of Economic History. She is also an award-winning photographer in the field of Nature and Wildlife/ Biodiversity.
Debaprasad Sengupta
Empanelled Expert (Biodiversity & Environment)
Debaprasad is an experienced ecologist with ~10 years of experience. He excels in habitat mapping, data-driven conservation strategies, and the preparation of comprehensive ecological and biodiversity reports that align with both national and international frameworks. His expertise in integrating GIS technology with statistical methods has significantly contributed to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development projects. His work reflects a deep commitment to environmental stewardship and innovative solutions for ecological challenges. He has 30+ publications in both international and national journals.
Prof. Nivedita Haldar
Researcher
Prof. Nivedita Haldar is an MSc in Mathematics from Jadavpur University and a Fellow from IIM Calcutta in the area of Operations Management. She is presently working in OP Jindal Global University as an Associate Professor in the area of Information Systems & Analytics. Her research interests lie in all kinds of applications of optimization and predictive analytics in the domain of Supply Chain Management, Retail Marketing and Finance. She published papers in international peer reviews journals and presented her research works in top rated conferences world wide.
Akancsha Sood
Consultant -Green Architecture and Planning
Akancsha Sood is an experienced Architect and Interior Designer with a passion for creating sustainable and eco-friendly built environments. She is the founder of Aaranya Architects which has a mission to use natural/low carbon materials and use sustainable passive design and construction techniques to reduce a building's carbon footprint. Prior to this she worked with award winning architectural firm ARCOP Associates Pvt. Ltd. There Akancsha led several large-scale commercial and residential projects some of which have LEED and GRIHA certification. Her designs emphasise on adopting permaculture principles, health and wellness of inhabitants and creating a self-sustainable ecosystem there by creating a circular design philosophy.
Angan Sengupta (Ph.D)
Health Economist
Angan Sengupta is associated with TCE as an health economist and he is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Department of Management, Amrita University, Bangalore Campus. He has done his PhD from Maastricht University, The Netherlands with the collaboration of Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore. He holds post-graduation degree in Economics from Calcutta University and Master in Population Studies from International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai. He has gained research experience, especially in large scale implementation and Monitoring & Evaluation surveys, working with organizations like A.C. Nielsen ORG-MARG, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and Institute of Health Management Research, Bangalore. Dr. Angan is a recipient of ICSSR doctoral fellowship as well as UGC NET-Junior Research Fellowship. He also earned a coveted fellowship from TIFAC, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India to conduct a research as a Young Summer Scientist in IIASA, Austria. His research interests include Health and Population Economics, Economics of Ecology and Natural Resources, Research Methodology, Demography, and Epidemiology.
Mr. Lokesh Paliwal
Expert-IT & Decision Support System
Lokesh is a dynamic professional with experience in Data and Business Analytics and has worked with prestigious companies like Cisco, Sapient in the past 9 years. From 2014 working as full time freelance BI consultant and has worked for clients across the globe. Excellent Tableau(Version 8.x,9.x and 10.x) skills in Visualisations, Consulting, Training and Designing Dashboards. Hands on expertise in development of automation tools and dashboard based on Tableau, Excel, VBA, MS Access, SQL Server, and Python for different domains include Supply Chain, Leasing, Business outsourcing. Have used different statistical flat forms like SAS, SQL, Excel, VBA, OBI(Oracle Business Intelligence), Tableau, and Python. Trained and coached several client teams and various individuals on Data Analytics tools and techniques as part of capability building programs.
Mr. Yoko
Office Pet
Yoko is a high quality Golden Retriever breed dog. He helps in relieving stress for human resources of the organisation. He also helps in boosting up employees' morale and engagement, empathy, responsibility and sociability contributing hugely to the improvement of the mental healths of the employee