Vivek Pandey

Practitioner , Transform Rural India Foundation

Thandla, Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh

I’m a development professional with 7 years’ experience leading rural programs in partnership with government and community institutions. With a B.Tech from NIT Patna and MSW, I’ve worked on livelihoods, GPDPs, and SHG strengthening across five states. I bring strong skills in program implementation, stakeholder engagement, and rural transformation.

Contact Vivek Pandey
Area of Expertise:
  • Agriculture, Livelihoods, Microfinance, Rural, Urban
  • Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
  • Environment, Climate, Energy, Water, Sanitation
  • Government/Governance, Reforms, Corruption
  • Social, Gender, Education, Youth, Child
Professional Experience:

I am a development professional with close to seven years of grassroots and block-level experience, working across multiple Indian states—Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Kerala. My work has centered on building robust rural ecosystems by strengthening local governance, enabling access to public services, promoting livelihoods, and fostering convergence between government departments and community institutions.

Currently, I am leading the Community Action Lab initiative in Thandla block of Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh with the Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF). I work closely with the Block Mission Unit and local governance structures to design and implement Village Prosperity & Resilience Plans, focusing on education, health, skilling, livelihoods, and infrastructure. My role includes integrating Social Development and Public Goods plans into Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) and ensuring alignment with state and central schemes.

Earlier, I served as an Associate Practitioner in Nighasan block, Kheri district (Uttar Pradesh), where I facilitated collaborative planning between SHGs, Panchayats, and block-level departments such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Education, and Health. I led initiatives like the M25 program under UPSRLM, aiming to increase SHG household incomes to ?1 lakh through agriculture, livestock, and enterprise development. I also played a key role in supporting women's collectives in preparing GPDPs aligned with local SDGs.

Prior to TRIF, I worked with GOONJ in Wayanad, Kerala, during the 2018 floods. As a Fellow, I managed relief operations, delivered essential supplies to over 10,000 families, and initiated livelihood restoration programs, including tailoring units and livestock support. I coordinated with local churches, Panchayats, NGOs, and volunteers, while also establishing the first Goonj office in the region.

My professional journey began with Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), where I worked in Bihar and Rajasthan as a Development Apprentice and Executive. I focused on integrated resource management, mentored village-level staff, built capacities of SHGs, and facilitated financial linkages and convergence with SRLM. I also contributed to the implementation of the MPOWER project and designed training modules for teams and stakeholders.

Throughout my career, I’ve demonstrated strengths in program design, stakeholder coordination, training and facilitation, institutional capacity building, data-driven decision-making, and convergence with government schemes. My ability to bridge the gap between community needs and institutional mechanisms has consistently resulted in effective, sustainable, and inclusive outcomes.

Education:

My educational journey combines technical expertise with a deep commitment to social development. I began my academic path with a strong foundation in engineering and later transitioned into the social sector, guided by a desire to contribute meaningfully to rural transformation in India.

I completed my Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Patna (2012–2016), one of India’s premier technical institutions. During my time at NIT, I developed a solid understanding of structural systems, environmental science, water resource management, and infrastructure planning. This technical training sharpened my analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, which have proven valuable in my work with rural infrastructure, resource planning, and field-based implementation.

Driven by a passion to address systemic rural issues, I pursued a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University (2022–2024). This program allowed me to engage deeply with the theoretical and practical dimensions of social work, community mobilization, participatory planning, policy engagement, and institutional development. It gave me the academic grounding to design and implement inclusive, people-centered interventions across diverse contexts. Through this course, I also gained a better understanding of social justice, rural governance, and development ethics, aligning with my professional experiences on the ground.

To further enhance my professional profile, I completed a Certificate Course in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) offered by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). This certification enabled me to understand the interface between corporate accountability and grassroots development, and how CSR can be leveraged to create impactful, sustainable programs. It added value to my ability to engage with public-private partnerships and align development programs with corporate funding mechanisms.

Together, these three pillars—engineering, social work, and CSR—form a unique educational blend. My background in civil engineering provides me with technical competence and project management acumen, while my MSW degree and CSR certification anchor me in participatory approaches and institutional frameworks for inclusive development. This combination has enabled me to bridge the gap between ground realities and strategic planning, especially while working on programs related to infrastructure development, women’s empowerment, sustainable livelihoods, education, and health.

Throughout my education, I’ve remained committed to continuous learning and applying knowledge in real-world scenarios. My academic choices reflect a deliberate shift from infrastructure development to human development, which has guided my work across rural blocks in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Kerala.

This educational trajectory has not only shaped my career but also reinforced my belief that technical knowledge must be grounded in empathy, participation, and responsiveness to the needs of marginalized communities.

Available for:

  • Job opportunities
  • Being headhunted – make me an offer

Years of Experience:

5-10 years

Highest Qualification:

Masters

Languages:

English, Hindi

Nationality:

Indian

Home Page: