Co-Travellers

The people who walk with this work, in the United States and in India.

A small volunteer board in New Jersey holds the American organisation. Friends in both countries helped it find its feet. And across India, the people who lead our partner organisations do the work that matters most.

Board of directors

Voluntary Alliance for Sovereignty is governed by a three-person board registered in the State of New Jersey. All directors serve without compensation.

Mahesh Wani

Based in Edison, New Jersey. Mahesh signed the original Certificate of Incorporation that brought Voluntary Alliance for Sovereignty into being in New Jersey in 2024.

Bhadra Butala

Based in Colonia, New Jersey.

Preshit Dalal

Based in Plainsboro, New Jersey.

Friends and well-wishers

Voluntary Alliance for Sovereignty was started by a small group of friends. The people below have offered counsel, time, and support as the organisation found its feet. They are not directors and do not govern VAS, but their generosity is part of how it came to exist.

Ashok Bhat

Based in the United States.

Deepak Sharma

Based in India.

Shirish Joshi

Based in India.

The people who lead our partners

The real work happens in India, led by people who have given decades to the communities they serve. These are the leaders of our seven partner organisations.

Chotak Gyatso

Executive Director, Leh Nutrition Project

Joined LNP in 1986 as a pharmacist, when vaccinating children meant weeks on foot across Ladakh's passes with the cold chain intact. He has led the organisation since 2022.

Paul Lokho

Director, PRO RURAL

Leads PRO RURAL from Dimapur. He conceived its mobile health service after seeing villagers carry a patient on a bamboo stretcher, and represented Indigenous communities of the Global South at COP29 in 2024.

Indramani Sahu

Founder and Secretary, Samarpan

Started Samarpan with young friends in Koderma as a campaign to free children from the district's illegal mica mines and bring them into school.

Gangaram Paikra

Founder and President, Chaupal

An Adivasi leader from Surguja, twice honoured by the Government of Chhattisgarh with the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Memorial Award (2014 and 2019) for his work for tribal welfare.

Sachin Kumar Jain

Director, Vikas Samvad

A writer and researcher on food, nutrition and rights, with more than 60 books and 1,000 articles to his name, and an Ashoka Fellow.

Jayesh Joshi

Secretary, VAAGDHARA

Has led VAAGDHARA's work with Bhil communities in Banswara for more than two decades, building village institutions around the idea of Swaraj.

G. Krishna Prasad

Founder and Secretary, Sahaja Samrudha

A seed saver who started Sahaja Samrudha in 2001 and built it into a movement of farmer-breeders across Karnataka. An Ashoka Fellow.

How we work with our partners

VAS does not run programmes in India. Our partners are independent Indian organisations, each with its own board, registration, staff, and audited accounts, and each rooted in the communities it serves. They design and lead the work; we walk alongside.

Funds raised in the United States are granted by the VAS board to partner organisations registered to receive foreign contributions under India's Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. Each partner implements its own programmes, reports on how the grant was used, and is audited in India. VAS reports to the IRS and to the State of New Jersey. The two sides keep separate accounts, as the law in both countries requires.

Walk with us, in whatever way suits you.

If you have read this far, you understand the work. The next step is yours.

Walk with us